KEIGHLEY Cougars have been named the Rugby Football League's (RFL) Betfred League One club of the year.

The Cougar Park club picked up the prestigious prize at the sport's governing body's awards ceremony, held in Manchester on Tuesday night.

The RFL described Cougars as creative and energetic. They held a number of themed matchdays this year including a Pride day where the players wore a rainbow-coloured kit and a pink-coloured kit for cancer awareness charities.

Nick Newman, of Newcastle Thunder, was named Betfred League One Player of the Year.

Whitehaven’s Gary Charlton was named Betfred League One Coach of the Year accolade.

Whitehaven won 15 of their 20 games to pip Oldham Roughyeds to the title with a win at Coventry Bears on the final day of the regular season.

Steeton AFC, who groundshare with Cougars, tweeted: "Congratulations - To our friends @Cougarmania a great reward for everyone’s efforts in 2019."

Meanwhile, James Ford was named Betfred Championship coach of the year, just 12 months after being named coach of the year for League One.

Ford steered York City Knights to an impressive top-three finish and a place in the play-offs that few would have predicted at the start of the season.

Testimony to Ford’s achievement is that the other nominees were former Bulls ace Brian McDermott, of grand finalists Toronto Wolfpack, and Mark Aston, whose Sheffield Eagles lifted the inaugural AB Sundecks 1895 Cup at Wembley Stadium.

Swinton Lions’ and former Rochdale Mayfield amateur Matty Ashton capped an extraordinary season with the Betfred Championship Young player of the year award.

The Warrington Wolves-bound winger grabbed five tries in his final appearance for the Lions, with nominations for Keanan Brand, of Widnes, and Leigh Centurions’ Joe Cator underlining the quality of the competition.

Betfred Championship club of the year is York City Knights, who continue to impress both on and off the pitch following promotion from League One.