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Lennoxtown work to begin
Newsroom Staff
CELTIC Football Club is delighted to announce that work will begin on the club’s new multi-million pound training centre and sports academy.
The new world-class facility will be built on a 50-acre site at the former Lennox Castle Hospital and will be the base for Celtic’s entire footballing operation.
Celtic Chairman Brian Quinn commented: “We are delighted to be able to announce the beginning of work at the Lennoxtown site. The facility will be one of the finest in European football and will befit a club of Celtic’s stature.
“This is a very exciting development for Celtic and one which we are sure will bring great benefits to the Club.”
The proposed new Sports Academy and Training Centre will feature top-of-the-range facilities and, outwith match days, will be the base for Celtic’s entire football division, including the first-team squad and youth teams. The site is located within 12 miles of Celtic Park.
Initial plans for the sports academy and training facility include:
- 3 natural grass full-sized, UEFA-standard pitches
- 1 full-sized artificial UEFA-standard pitch.
- Indoor training area
- Goalkeeping training areas
- State-of-the-art gym/fitness suite
- Hydrotherapy facilities incorporating hydro-pool
- Physio/medical facilities
- Sports science/sports development facility
- Extensive changing facilities
- Classroom/Education facilities
- Parents’ viewing area
- Football administration offices
- Media facilities
Celtic’s Chief Executive Peter Lawwell said: “Everyone at the Club is delighted that our vision is about to become a reality as we develop training facilities incorporating our academy, which everyone associated with Celtic can be proud of.
“We currently invest around £1.5million per year in our youth development programme. Over the last few years, we have been delighted at the fantastic success which our reserve and under-19 teams have enjoyed, as well as the introduction of a number of home-grown players into the first team.
“It is important that this standard is maintained and as well as providing world class facilities for our first team, the new centre will play a key role in developing Celtic’s stars of the future.”
And Celtic manager Gordon Strachan added: “I have already visited the site and seen the plans for the new training facility and academy at Lennoxtown and the whole project looks very exciting.
“Clearly, a club of Celtic’s size and stature requires quality facilities to match and the new development will certainly deliver these.”
Leader of East Dunbartonshire Council, John Morrison, is delighted with the announcement.
He said: “The Council is very pleased to be welcoming Celtic FC to East Dunbartonshire and it is great news that work is set to start on the Lennoxtown site very soon.
“I believe that the presence of a Club with the international standing and reputation of Celtic FC will bring benefits to Lennoxtown and its community. I look forward to working in partnership with the Club on joint projects in the future.”
Tom Campbell, Chief Executive of the Lennoxtown Initiative, commented: “This development is fantastic news for Lennoxtown. The regeneration programme for the town has been given a huge boost by Celtic's plans to relocate their training facilities and develop the football academy.
“We are sure that this will be a catalyst for further investment in the town by businesses and families moving in to new premises, jobs and homes. This is a real demonstration of confidence in the future of Lennoxtown.
“The investment that this project brings is a tribute to all the work done between ourselves at the Lennoxtown Initiative, Celtic Football Club and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde. We're delighted to welcome Celtic to Lennoxtown.”
The Sports Academy and Training Centre has a projected completion date of Summer 2007.
Malcolm Construction Services Limited have been appointed as main contractor for the works.
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