Eccleshill United confirm ground move

Eccleshill United have announced that, from the start of the 2025/26 season, their NCEL Premier Division side will be playing its home games at Cougar Park, home of the Keighley Cougars.

The club says that the move forms part of their long-term strategy to ensure not only their survival but that it also achieves the objective of being a sustainable football club while continuing to be competitive on the field and expanding its community engagement.

Chair Sally Smith-Butler said in a statement: "We have pursued every possible avenue to try and make the club self-sustainable and unfortunately, despite our hard work, efforts and money, none of these avenues have come to fruition.

"For many years, we have struggled to generate sufficient income via gate receipts etc. to cover the running costs of the club.

"The fact that we have never had a bar has also had a significant effect on the potential income generation for the club.

"The bar at Kingsway is owned by a separate organisation which is nothing to do with the football club.

"Therefore, as you can imagine, the running costs have been significantly more than the income generated so we have found ourselves in a position where we had to take some serious action to ensure the survival of the club.

"It is important for the club sustainability that we have a long-term vision that would allow the club to not only survive but to progress on the field and become self-sustainable.

"This exciting opportunity to move to Cougar Park will help us achieve that.

"The facilities on offer at Cougar Park are significantly better than those at Kingsway so this will enable all visitors to enjoy a better experience.

"At Cougar Park, the club will benefit from a very nice modern pitchside bar, food and drink sales, corporate hospitality and a club shop.

"The stadium itself has a capacity of 7,800 so we are hoping to fill that one day!! 

"We are pleased to confirm that manager Lee Elam and his backroom staff remain committed to the club and we continue to support Lee in the club’s progression."

Kaue Garcia, MD of the Keighley Cougars, added: "We are pleased to welcome Eccleshill United to Cougar Park and look forward to working closely with Sally, Lee and all of the team off and on the pitch in delivering a strategically aligned plan for the benefit of the whole of Keighley.

"This is just the beginning of a long-term relationship that will continue to develop and deepen over time.
"We look forward to seeing what the future holds for sport in Keighley."