NEW Keighley CC captain Scott Etherington has major plans, as the Bradford Premier League side look for a return to the top flight.

A popular family club, who tend to promote captains from within, Keighley almost suffered a nasty shock last season, only escaping relegation from Division One with a narrow win in their final game.

To try and avoid that happening again, Keighley have brought in the experienced Etherington from Undercliffe, who he led up to the Premier Division in 2018.

The new man said: "I have a good relationship with the current groundsman Allan Birkett, and he's something of a club stalwart at Keighley.

"He's been trying to get me to come here for about seven years, but the timing was never right.

"But I just felt my time at Undercliffe had run its course and that it was time for a new challenge.

"We had meetings last year about me coming to Keighley, but I said they'd need to stay up, as it would have just been even harder trying to implement the plans I've got if we were down in Division Two.

"Once safety was secured, I said that we should have another conversation, and that's where I said I feel like we need to develop as a club.

"It's good that they bring lads through, and I'm happy to keep doing that, but it has to be warranted.

"Looking at the squad going in, I said we'd need six or seven new faces in this first year just to try and create a strong core.

"We've recruited very well and brought in some very good players, and while we have that much-needed experience, I'm largely looking for a young, vibrant, energetic side with a local feel.

"I said it's a two-year process with the first team, this year to bed everyone in, and next year to really push for promotion."

And former Bradford & Bingley skipper Etherington insists the first-team at Keighley is not his only focus.

The 32-year-old said: "I don't want players to just come in to play well for the first team and that be the only thing they do.

"I want them to spend time around the seconds, the thirds and the juniors to pass on their experience.

"There's too big a gap between the firsts, seconds and thirds at the moment, but it's something I'd rather do, play a junior from those sides if they're good enough.

"When I was at Burley-in-Wharfedale and Otley when I was younger, it was important for the juniors there to look up to the firsts.

"And I want this whole club to be thriving in the next five or six years."

Etherington's best spell was his 11 years at Bradford & Bingley, a time he looks back upon fondly.

He said: "I won a couple of Priestley Cups there as a player, as well as a T20 competition as captain there (and one as Undercliffe skipper).

"But the most important thing was that, for a long time, we had a real core of players who were best mates.

"We'd all turn up for training early, and then we'd go out for drinks in Bingley afterwards, which was great for me as a youngster.

"We had a really good side, which was great, but really it was all about those friendships."