A 9th tier club’s name change has been approved as the owners make an ambitious 5 year plan to ‘climb the ladder’.
Eccleshill United, who finished 12th in the Northern Counties East League Premier Division, will now be known as Keighley Town.
Kaue Garcia, who is managing director of Rugby League club Keighley Cougars, took on the same role with the non league side along with husband Ryan O’Neill, who bought the Cougars in 2019, saving them from the brink of going under.
In 2025, they took control of Bradford based Eccleshill United and then moved them 10 miles away in Keighley.
Plans are approved to develop Cougar Park as a multi-sport venue, with a £1.9million main stand redevelopment which is backed by the Keighley Towns Fund.
They want a new 3G artificial pitch to support rugby, football, and community use. Local businessman Charles Wysocki also appointed chair of Keighley Town.
CLUB STATEMENT:
“Based out of Cougar Park, Keighley Town will remain as a Step 5 club currently competing in the Northern Counties East League Premier Division for the 2026-27 season.
“Owners Ryan O’Neill and Kaue Garcia said they are excited and ambitious for the future of football in Keighley and are delighted that Charles Wysocki has joined the board and accepted the role of Chairperson.
“They praised Charles’ deep passion for the game and his long-standing involvement in local football as a major asset to the club moving forward.”
Newly appointed Chairperson Charles Wysocki said: “This is a momentous and exciting time for Keighley and its history in football as we look to develop the club over the coming years.
“We consulted supporters throughout the process and the overwhelming response was that this was the right direction for the future of football in the town.
“Our aim is to build a club the people of Keighley can be proud of, with strong community links, local players and opportunities for all.
“Currently playing at step 5 of the pyramid is a decent level but we have an initial 5 year plan that will see us climb the ladder and if we can get Bradford Council on board with the proposed new main stand from the funds that were allocated from the Keighley Towns Council Fund, we will have a ground and facilities that will be the envy of clubs throughout the leagues.
“A lot has been said about the validity of what we are doing and that Keighley is not a football town, but that cannot be further from the truth.
“Over the years I have seen numerous players that are of such a high standard that it is criminal that Keighley does not have its own town-named football team. This is about to change.”
The club statement continued: “Eccleshill United was purchased by Keighley Cougar rugby club owners, Ryan O’Neill and Kaue Garcia, in 2025.
“Following discussions with supporters and football authorities, approval was granted by both The FA and the league for the club to move forward under the new Keighley Town identity.”
Kaue Garcia, who will also take on the role of Managing Director of Keighley Town said: “It is our intention to have the people of Keighley proud to be associated with Keighley Town as we continue to promote inclusion and diversity, which has been a main driver for the rugby team.
“The town has so much potential to develop different sports and occasions at Cougar Park.
“It is our plan to install a state-of-the-art 3G artificial surface to allow rugby, football and community sports to be played on the surface without it causing the obvious issues.”
The club statement continued: “Plans are also underway to develop the football structure over the coming years, including a junior set-up, a BTEC youth development programme for school leavers, an Under-23 development side, and opportunities for women’s and girls’ football as part of the club’s commitment to inclusion and diversity.
“The club’s official launch celebrations will include the major summer concert featuring JLS and UB40, as well as a dinner on Friday 17th July with former Wales international and Liverpool striker Dean Saunders appearing as guest speaker at Cougar Park.
“Keighley Town plans to strengthen its links with the local community by developing a strong local player base and continuing investment into facilities and infrastructure, with along-term ambition to progress further up the football pyramid.”
Plans approved in 2024
Plans approved in 2024
