Promotion-winning Goddard leaves Hunslet for Keighley

PROMOTION-WINNING three-quarter Alfie Goddard has joined up with his former head coach Alan Kilshaw at Cougars. The former Swinton and Hunslet boss was brought in by Keighley at the start of this month following a poor start to the season. And Cougars immediately showed signs of life in Kilshaw’s opening Betfred League 1 game, a narrow 18-14 defeat to probable title favourites Swinton.

But that still made it five defeats from five for Keighley in the league this season, so there was a real desire to add to that existing squad. And Kilshaw’s first addition comes in the shape of Goddard, who Kilshaw coached at Hunslet. Despite Kilshaw leaving for Swinton after the 2023 campaign, Goddard stayed put at the Parksiders, for which he was rewarded.



He spent most of last season out on the wing, but towards the end of the year, he moved into the centre. And that was where he played in the promotion-relegation final, which saw Hunslet stun Swinton and Kilshaw at Heywood Road to seal a shock promotion to the Championship. Back in November, Goddard signed a new deal to play with Hunslet this season too, saying at the time: “I’m thrilled to be staying at Hunslet for my third season, especially going into 2025 after achieving something great in 2024 with a great set of lads.

“Most people wrote us off before the season started last year, but we achieved promotion and I’m sure we will be able to shock people again. “The players and coaching staff we have will relish the challenge of being in the Championship, and with the amazing support we had from the fans we can continue to make the club proud.” But this year has not worked out as planned for either Hunslet, who sit bottom of the Championship with six defeats from their opening six games, or Goddard.

Instead, he has chosen to join Keighley, and link up with Kilshaw again, with the news revealed on Friday night at a ‘Season Kick-Off’ event at Cougar Park. Keighley did not play at the weekend, but Goddard could make his debut in their home game against fellow strugglers Goole Vikings on Good Friday..