GARY Fawcett insists Cougars have enough clubs’ support to force through an emergency general meeting at the RFL – and that some want to push through a vote of no confidence in the governing body.

The fall-out following the ineligible players saga and Cougars’ subsequent relegation is continuing, with Fawcett believing there are only two possible solutions – either compensating Keighley and Sheffield financially or relegating Batley.

The Bulldogs and Doncaster were docked points after being found guilty of fielding ineligible players on dual-registration but the punishment was rescinded on appeal, leaving them one place above Cougars and Eagles respectively in the final table.

Fawcett said: “We have more than the required 10 per cent to call the EGM and there are noises about having a resolution that records a vote of no confidence in the board.

“Clearly, I wished to have the EGM concentrated on the single issue of the disciplinary process and there ineligible player issue, but there are issues around what the other supporters of the EGM would also want to have as resolutions.

“The EGM will go ahead because it is the members responsibility to solve a problem that the board are either not able to solve or do not care about solving

“But I would like to request an independent investigation – the investigator to be appointed by the members – into the Batley and Doncaster disciplinary and appeals process that occurred in and around the panel meetings on August 14 and 28.”

The RFL issued a response to Cougars’ criticism in a statement which said: “The RFL cooperated fully with the legal process instigated by Keighley Cougars.

“Prior to Cougars seeking legal redress, the RFL did offer to meet the club to discuss the issue, but that offer was declined by Mr Fawcett.

“Keighley Cougars also had an opportunity to raise any concerns they had, and debate potential outcomes, with both the RFL and the other Kingstone Press Championship and Championship One clubs at the Championship clubs forum on October 8.

“Mr Fawcett declined to take that opportunity and there was no suggestion from the other clubs of support for this latest course of action by Keighley.

“The RFL is continuing to show due diligence in all aspects of this case and our legal representatives remain in contact with the club’s legal adviser, Richard Cramer.”

Fawcett then reacted to the RFL’s statement by saying: “The RFL slowed the process down.

“We requested the minutes of the disciplinary and appeals meeting minutes on September 8 and received them on October 1.

“Further, for such a simple pre-action litigation letter sent on September 18, their lawyers stated they would provide a "substantive" response on October 17, ie a full month after receipt of the letter and three days before the draft fixtures are due out.

“Keighley Cougars offered to meet with the RFL during the week commencing September 8 and it was declined.

“During the week commencing September 22, the RFL offered to meet but in the backdrop of that there would be no movement on their side (which I have already stated in a previous article).

“We declined such an offer but our lawyers offered to have a without prejudice meeting with the RFL or to put the matter to arbitration. The RFL lawyers have, so far, declined this request.

“We were not asked to debate the issue at the Championship/Championship One forum on October 8.

“It wasn't on the agenda and, when I requested of the chief operating officer Ralph Rimmer two agenda items to be included, he stated that they needed to be raised at Council level, ie AGM and EGM level, and were not suitable to be brought to the Championship/Championship One forum.

“Keighley Cougars has been competitively disadvantaged as it stands so the RFL need to square the circle for the sake of the integrity of the sport.

“We have more than enough support for the EGM and I will be sending the request into the directors of the RFL this week to call the EGM.

“We are awaiting the substantive response from the RFL lawyers due on October 17.”