Please click on any of the images below to be taken to the Knaresborough Celtic Thistle Hill Gallery page where you will be able to see the full extent of the progress at the Thistle Hill Site. Thank You and enjoy.
Why Was Thistle Hill Needed?
	Since 1998, the Club realised that there was insufficient football pitch provision available in Knaresborough. For a town of approx 15,000 population only 2 pitches are available for hire from the Local Authorities. The Club has grown substantially since its formation in 1995 and has only managed to get by with the assistance and goodwill offered by all the local schools therefore it was obvious as far back as 1998 that additional football pitch and pavilion provision was required for the Knaresborough District and as it turns out in particular Knaresborough Celtic.
What is the Thistle Hill Project?
Thistle Hill is an 8 acre site upon which will be built a 4 changing room pavilion with a small social area and referee changing rooms. The site will also provide 6 new pitches with plans for a full size pitch, 2 youth pitches and 3 small sided pitches. This is all new additional pitch provision for the Knaresborough District. What it Means. Although Thistle Hill will not alleviate all the problems for the Club or the local community, it will go a very long way to taking pressure off existing facilities and providing more grassed areas for coaching, training and playing matches. Also, the quality of the grassed surface should allow a greater volume of traffic as unfortunately many matches have to be cancelled during the winter due to poor drainage and maintenance elsewhere.
When will it be Available? If everything goes to plan, it is hoped that the Thistle Hill site will become fully operational from September 2009. The pavilion is almost complete and the pitch area has been levelled and prepared for grass seeding which is expected to take place in September/October 2008. The grass needs a 12 month period for growth and to anchor rooting so that it has the best possible start before it is used.
Next Steps.
Once the initial work on the site has been completed, including the car park area, and the contractors are off site, the Club proposes to take small groups of its members to the site for an initial look around. Later as we approach the time for the full operation of the site, plans will be put in place for appropriate opening ceremonies to include all those organisations who helped to make the project become a reality, especially with funding support, and a Sub-Committee is being set up to organise this, together with the interesting question of the first match to be played at the site, and who the teams should be?
	Sponsors We would like to offer extended thanks to Knaresobourgh Glass for their kind donation of mirrors throughout the Clubhouse.