Vandals attack Lordswood Ground
Lordswood’s Martyn Grove Ground has been the victim of a mindless attack by vandals.
Our Premier Division Club has taken to Social Media and their Club website to share the news and images of the mindless and pointless damage caused.
A Club statement said: “As a club we work hard to ensure we have a facility that people can use to play football. Whether that be youth football or senior football – the aim is to provide footballing facilities to all, and to be a hub in the local community.
Unfortunately an attack on our ground isn’t just an attack on us as a football club, it’s an attack on the large number of children and adults that use our facilities to play football.
Players, managers, and committee members from all sections have all worked tirelessly to ensure we have a facility to be proud of. We give our time freely and voluntarily to do this and to see it trashed with such blatant disregard makes us angry and it also makes us sad.
It makes us angry to see all our hard work seemingly done for nothing, and it makes us sad to think that there are a minority in our community that think this kind of behaviour is acceptable.
Damage has been caused to a goal on our second pitch (goalposts are definitely not cheap). Wooden fencing around the pitch has been deliberately smashed, as have advertising boards that well-meaning sponsors have paid to install and promote their business. Our dugouts which were newly painted and refurbished just last summer by our first team management have been attacked with force leaving significant denting and damage.
The outcry in response to our social media posts today have been heartening to see that our footballing friends and also people in the community do not condone this type of behaviour. There have been several offers from local individuals and companies to provide manpower to help with reparations. However it leaves us slightly nervous at carrying out repair works when it seems that there are characters out there that will not think twice about carrying out such wanton damage.
At a time when we have not kicked a football for over 4 months now, and subsequently have had no means of income during that time, this damage and the costs associated to rectify it is most unwelcome and is something we could have done without. This will hit our youth teams first and foremost as they are due to be able to start playing football again at the end of March, which does not give us a great amount of time to put things right.
With that in mind we are therefore appealing to our local community and footballing friends to assist us if possible. We have set up a GoFundMe page inviting donations from anyone who may wish to help a local community club. Any amount no matter how big or small, will help massively in helping us to put right the damage caused.
We thank you in advance for reading this report and for any help that you can provide.”
The GoFundMe page can be found at the following link:
