COUGARS head coach Craig Lingard believes the decision to keep a reformed Bradford Bulls in the Championship rather than relegate them to League One is right.

Keighley's neighbours will be deducted 12 points in the new season following Tuesday's announcement that the former Super League and world champions had been liquidated.

A new club is expected to be formed in time for the new campaign and the Rugby Football League have kept a place open for them in the second tier, prompting criticism they should have had to start from scratch in the bottom division of the professional game alongside Cougars.

But Lingard believes the timing of Bulls' demise so close to the start of the 2017 season means it was the best practical option for the governing body.

Speaking to the Keighley News on Tuesday following the RFL's decision, he said: "It's the only thing they can do realistically because it would be unfair to promote another team out of League One at this stage. They will have been preparing for League One and they’d be straight behind the eight-ball from the first fixture.

"There is an argument to put Toronto Wolfpack in the Championship. They have got the finance already and have a squad which realistically should be in the Championship but the counter argument is what have they done in rugby league? "They’ve not done anything yet so why should they get promoted straight away?"

With time against them and players set to join other clubs, Lingard believes a newly-formed Bradford will face an uphill task to stay in the Championship.

He said: "Unless they get their house in order, the following season they are likely to be in League One anyway. It will be very difficult with a 12-point deduction to get back on an even keel for the remainder of the season.

"Unless they got some irons in the fire already, we’ve already seen a couple of players that have left. Everyone else will be looking after their best interests and seeing what is out there. I would imagine the squad will be decimated anyway."

It remains unclear just how quickly a new Bradford club will get up and running and whether they will be able to fulfil any of their agreed warm-up games.

Chairman Gary Fawcett confirmed on social media that Keighley remain hopeful their scheduled friendly at home to Bulls could still go ahead on Sunday, January 29.

But Lingard revealed he has been in talks with Huddersfield’s Luke Robinson over a possible match with the Giants as a back-up option. Giants are due to play Bulls in a testimonial game for Robinson on January 22.

Cougars have expressed sympathy for their neighbours' plight, with a statement on their official Twitter account saying:

"We'd like to offer our support to all our friends at @OfficialBullsRL on what is indeed a dark day for the game of #RugbyLeague."

Lingard echoed those sentiments and admits he fears other clubs could suffer the same fate.

He said: "It is sad for rugby league. There are probably a few other clubs in a similar situation and it is a sad state of affairs for the game. Unless things change I could see a couple of other clubs go the same way as Bradford."

Lingard, who joined Cougars last September after playing and coaching at Batley, added: "Coming from a club like Batley where I’ve spent my whole career, you need people like Kevin Nicholas and other board members there who have looked after the club and have its interests at heart. They are not there to make any money out of the club, they are there to help it grow.

"They are what clubs need now – not people wanting to make a quick buck out of rugby league because I don’t think there is any money in the game any more."