9th tier club’s name change approved as owners make ambitious 5 year plan to ‘climb the ladder’

A ninth tier membership’s identify change has been authorized because the house owners make an formidable 5 12 months plan to ‘climb the ladder’.

Eccleshill United, who completed twelfth within the Northern Counties East League Premier Division, will now be often known as Keighley City.

Kaue Garcia, who’s managing director of Rugby League membership Keighley Cougars, took on the identical position with the non league facet together with husband Ryan O’Neill, who purchased the Cougars in 2019, saving them from the brink of going below.

In 2025, they took management of Bradford based mostly Eccleshill United after which moved them 10 miles away in Keighley.

Plans are authorized to develop Cougar Park as a multi-sport venue, with a £1.9million principal stand redevelopment which is backed by the Keighley Cities Fund.

They need a brand new 3G synthetic pitch to assist rugby, soccer, and neighborhood use. Native businessman Charles Wysocki additionally appointed chair of Keighley City.

CLUB STATEMENT:

“Primarily based out of Cougar Park, Keighley City will stay as a Step 5 membership at the moment competing within the Northern Counties East League Premier Division for the 2026-27 season.

“House owners Ryan O’Neill and Kaue Garcia stated they’re excited and bold for the way forward for soccer in Keighley and are delighted that Charles Wysocki has joined the board and accepted the position of Chairperson.

“They praised Charles’ deep ardour for the sport and his long-standing involvement in native soccer as a serious asset to the membership transferring ahead.”

Newly appointed Chairperson Charles Wysocki stated: “It is a momentous and thrilling time for Keighley and its historical past in soccer as we glance to develop the membership over the approaching years.

“We consulted supporters all through the method and the overwhelming response was that this was the proper route for the way forward for soccer within the city.

“Our purpose is to construct a membership the folks of Keighley may be pleased with, with sturdy neighborhood hyperlinks, native gamers and alternatives for all.

“At the moment enjoying at step 5 of the pyramid is a good degree however now we have an preliminary 5 12 months plan that may see us climb the ladder and if we will get Bradford Council on board with the proposed new principal stand from the funds that have been allotted from the Keighley Cities Council Fund, we may have a floor and services that would be the envy of golf equipment all through the leagues.

“So much has been stated in regards to the validity of what we’re doing and that Keighley shouldn’t be a soccer city, however that can’t be farther from the reality.

“Over time I’ve seen quite a few gamers which can be of such a excessive commonplace that it’s legal that Keighley doesn’t have its personal town-named soccer workforce. That is about to alter.”

The membership assertion continued: “Eccleshill United was bought by Keighley Cougar rugby membership house owners, Ryan O’Neill and Kaue Garcia, in 2025.

“Following discussions with supporters and soccer authorities, approval was granted by each The FA and the league for the membership to maneuver ahead below the brand new Keighley City identification.”

Kaue Garcia, who may even tackle the position of Managing Director of Keighley City stated: “It’s our intention to have the folks of Keighley proud to be related to Keighley City as we proceed to advertise inclusion and variety, which has been a principal driver for the rugby workforce.

“The city has a lot potential to develop totally different sports activities and events at Cougar Park.

“It’s our plan to put in a state-of-the-art 3G synthetic floor to permit rugby, soccer and neighborhood sports activities to be performed on the floor with out it inflicting the plain points.”

The membership assertion continued: “Plans are additionally underway to develop the soccer construction over the approaching years, together with a junior set-up, a BTEC youth improvement programme for college leavers, an Below-23 improvement facet, and alternatives for ladies’s and women’ soccer as a part of the membership’s dedication to inclusion and variety.

“The membership’s official launch celebrations will embody the foremost summer time live performance that includes JLS and UB40, in addition to a dinner on Friday seventeenth July with former Wales worldwide and Liverpool striker Dean Saunders showing as visitor speaker at Cougar Park.

“Keighley City plans to strengthen its hyperlinks with the area people by growing a robust native participant base and persevering with funding into services and infrastructure, with along-term ambition to progress additional up the soccer pyramid.”

Plans authorized in 2024

Plans authorized in 2024