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Oct 2023

Last Updated: 06/10/2023

Community

Football pitch in Killinghall named after local Lioness Rachel Daly

by Tamsin O'Brien

| 08 Oct, 2023

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Harrogate Lioness Rachel Daly has had a grass pitch at her former football club in Killinghall named in her honour.

Daly trained with Killinghall Nomads at the start of her footballing career as a young girl. She has gone to be one of the best female footballers in the world, winning this year's PFA Players’ Player of the Year.

The Rachel Daly Pitch at Killinghall Moor Community Park is home of Killinghall Nomads Junior Football Club and has become one of 23 Football Foundation-funded pitches named after each of the Lionesses.

The facility has been significantly improved after a £79,000 investment from the foundation, enabling more matches to be played year round.

Daly said:

“It’s so important for girls to have a good first experience of football if they’re going to form a lifelong love for the game, like I did during my time at Killinghall.

"That can’t happen without a quality pitch that you can play on throughout the year."

The Killinghall pitch is the second local sports facility to be named after Daly this week. The England footballer also unveiled a 3G sports pitch bearing her name at Rossett school where she was a pupil.

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The Lioness legacy grass pitch in Killinghall forms part of the foundation’s Here to Play campaign, which aims to provide equal access to women and girls playing football across the country.

Robert Sullivan, chief executive of the foundation, said:

“Grass pitches are the lifeblood of grassroots football so it’s extremely fitting that Rachel’s legacy for the local community in Harrogate should be honoured through this fantastic playing surface.

“Thanks to investment from the Premier League, The FA and Government, the Football Foundation is on a mission to transform the quality of grass pitches across the country and ensure every woman and girl has access to a quality place to play.”

Chris Dixon, coach at Killinghall Nomads said:

"We are so proud of what Rachel's achieved and it's great to see the girls and boys looking to Rachel and taking inspiration from her. The lionesses have really inspired children both boys and girls here!"

Sports minister Stuart Andrew said the government wants to provide facilities to encourage future talent. He added:

"Last summer's Women's Euros was a major success for English sport, and it is only right that we dedicate 23 high-quality pitches like this one to the trophy-winning Lionesses.

"We want to make sure that people of all ages here in Harrogate have the chance to play football for decades to come, which is why we are investing over £300 million in grassroots sports facilities to inspire the next Rachel Daly."

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Football pitch in Killinghall named after local Lioness Rachel Daly

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