Career Record for Featherstone
Appearances			Tries	Goals	Drop Goals	Points
Total	Start	Sub
165	141	24	20	0	0	60

Keith Cotton was signed from Featherstone Juniors at a time when the club was well endowed with centres - Ken Greatorex, Tony Lynch, Jim Hunt and Gary Cooper. As such, after making his senior debut at Halifax on 4 November 1961, he did not make another senior appearance that season. He did not fare much better the following season with only four appearances, but he persisted by learning his trade in the reserves.

His patience paid off and when Jim Hunt retired he took the offered chance in November 1964 and enjoyed the luxury of 20 consecutive matches to finish the season with 22 appearances. He remained in the starting line up at the beginning of 1965/66 but with Gary Jordan operating in the centre and the arrival of Dave Hartley, he again struggled to maintain his place. Whilst it was acknowledged that his defence was exceptional, there were limitations in his attack. 1966/67 started like any other season with him drifting in and out of the senior team until coach Laurie Gant brought him back for the first round RL Cup tie at Bradford. Gant wanted the middle strengthening and Cotton responded in fine style. He played in all of the rounds in that magnificent run to Wembley and successfully bottled up the centre threat of the leading Yorkshire clubs Bradford, Wakefield, Castleford and Leeds. Indeed, he gained the reputation of being one of the few centres who could curb the phenomenal Neil Fox of Wakefield Trinity - one of the greatest centres.

Thus having missed out on a place in the Yorkshire Cup final against Hull KR earlier in the season, Keith trod the Wembley turf on that historic 13 May 1967 when the Rovers defeated Barrow by 17 –12 to lift the RL Cup for the first time in their history. One of the decisive moments occurred early in the second half when Barrow, losing 9-7, were endeavouring to run the ball out of their own half. Ged Smith, their scrum-half, received the ball only to be crash-tackled by Cotton in very effective style. The force of the tackle was such that Smith lost the ball and Vaughan Thomas, the Rovers winger, swooped in to gather and score a decisive try. That was Keith Cotton at his best.

Hopes of other medals depended on Rovers' appearances in the Yorkshire Cup finals of 1969 and 1970. Keith had maintained his place since the Wembley year, but did not play in the 1969 final and was in the team which lost to Leeds 23-7 in 1970. He enjoyed a testimonial in 1972 and received a then record cheque of £1,038 - proof of his popularity. He was on the fringe of the 1973 Wembley team, but after playing at home to Dewsbury on 1 May 1973 he moved to Batley.

He then took to coaching and in 1976/77 the Rovers won the First Division Championship under his guidance. Keith Cotton was wholehearted in his approach to the game and never shirked anything despite the inevitable hard knocks which his renowned defensive work attracted. He was an excellent example of a player unstintingly working and developing his skills to their maximum – the backbone of any club.

For information on his coaching career, see here

Biography by Ron Bailey