Albion were formed in 1948 by players of the town's only amateur rugby league club, Keighley Athletic which had folded. In fact they played their first season as Athletic until, moving to use the Keighley Albion Cycling Club as headquarters, changed the name to Albion. The club played it's early years in the Bradford League with outstanding success culminating in season 1954-5 when under the guidance of coach and former Keighley forward Norman Foster, carried away four trophies in one season including the Halifax Charity Cup, the first time it had been taken out of the city since 1902. The club's thriving youth policy produced a conveyor belt of talent to professional clubs such as Halifax, Huddersfield, Batley and of course Keighley including Terry Hollindrake, a Great Britain international winger. Together with this and under inspirational coach Jimmy Coulton Albion remained in the forefront of the amateur game throughout the sixties and seventies.

The building of a new by-pass forced the club to move from it's first home at Theaproyd near Keighley's Lawkholme ground to Highfield in 1965. Albion joined the newly formed Pennine League in 1974 rising to the Premier League. In season 1988-89 under the guidance of Peter Roe they had an outstanding season and again took away the Halifax Cup.

The club, guided by a forward thinking backroom staff under secretary Terry Caddy, applied for and were accepted into the National Conference League in 1998 and moved to improved facilities at Crossflatts. Last year was very much a 'learning curve' for the club but as the season progressed, started to adapt to playing at a higher level.

Albion, together with Bingley ARL, run junior teams from under ages 14 to under 18 as well as a ladies team. Under ex-Leeds, St.Helens and Keighley forward Gary Moorby and ex-Halifax and Keighley hooker Paul Moses the club is looking forward to a bright future.

A best selling book charting the club's first 50 years was published last year. "Seasons to remember" by Don and Dave Kirkley is available at £6.95 plus 55p P & P from: D. Kirkley, 26, Carleton Street, Beechcliffe, Keighley, West Yorkshire, BD20 6AJ. Cheques payable to Keighley Albion.