User:Mofs/Rockcliffe Park

Rockcliffe Park in Hurworth, County Durham, near Darlington is Middlesbrough Football Club's training facility and sports complex.

Early years(1863-1996)
Initially a manor house owned by Lord Southampton surrounded by 28 heactares of land, Rockcliffe park was sold to the Brothers Hospitallers of St. John of God in 1948. The brothers built St Cuthbert's Hospital, and remained there until the Order moved to nearby Scorton in 1991.

Ownership by Middlesbrough F.C. (1997-date)
Following a period in which the area had been unused, Middlesbrough purchased Rockcliffe Park in 1997. Following extensive research including visiting the academies of clubs like AFC Ajax, Middlesbrough finally developed Rockcliffe Park training complex. It was constructed by Riverside Stadium builders Taylor Woodrow and cost £7 million. The complex was officially opened in October 1998.

Facilities
Rockcliffe Park training complex currently resides in a 160 acre site. Within this site lies 8 full size pitches.

The complex is used for Academy and Reserve team games by the football club as well as for training purposes. Indeed, England trained at the complex prior to their Euro 2004 qualifying match at the Riverside Stadium against Slovakia in 2003.

The Future
In October 2006, Middlesbrough Football Club (association with Rockcliffe Hall Developments) acquired 400 hectares of farmland adjacent to Rockcliffe Hall. The club subsequently announced plans to build a £50 million golf course, including a luxury hotel at Rockcliffe Hall and residential accommodation, and planning permission was given by Darlington Borough Council on 12 December 2006.

References and Notes
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