Devastated: manager in tears as he finds Wigan football club facilities vandalised

The manager of an amateur Wigan football club says he broke down in tears when he saw that vandals had wrought havoc at his beloved club.
By Charles Graham
Published 20th Apr 2024, 17:38 BST
Updated 20th Apr 2024, 17:38 BST
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Phil Ramsdale arrived at the Convent Ground in Standish this morning (Saturday April 20) to discover that specially-made dug-outs had been shattered, parking bollards uprooted and the shower block doors kicked in.

He spent a long time tidying up – including picking up countless shards of plastic deliberately thrown all over the playing area in the hope of injuring players – so that Standish St Wlifrid’s reserves’ home game could go ahead as scheduled.

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One of the shattered dug-outs at Standish St Wilfrid's Convent GroundOne of the shattered dug-outs at Standish St Wilfrid's Convent Ground
One of the shattered dug-outs at Standish St Wilfrid's Convent Ground

And the manager is sure he knows who is responsible.

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He said: “There are youths who congregate at the ground on evenings and often they make a mess, getting drunk and throwing bottles everywhere.

"It is almost certain this damage took place between 8pm and midnight on on Friday. I blame the parents. They don’t know where their kids are and what they are doing.

"It’s absolutely soul-destroying. This is a good club which is doing well and it’s a lovely setting off Hartington Drive. We don’t get any money from the council or the lottery. We are entirely self-funded and whenever we get money we plough it back into the club.

The dugouts were ingeniously made out of old bike shelters. New ones will cost £4,000 to £5,000The dugouts were ingeniously made out of old bike shelters. New ones will cost £4,000 to £5,000
The dugouts were ingeniously made out of old bike shelters. New ones will cost £4,000 to £5,000

"The dugouts are reconditioned bike shelters I got from a demolition site in Manchester. They were in perfect condition. Now several of the plastic panels have been kicked out. Bits of plastic from them were thrown all over the pitch. I am 100 per cent sure that was deliberate too. I had to go round picking all the pieces up so none of the players was injured.

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"There is no point replacing the panels with more plastic. We will have to look at sheet metal but it all costs the club. Buying a new dugout: well, they’re £4,000 to £5,000 each.

"The kicked-in shower block doors will cost another £1,000.

"It is totally devastating. When I saw the mess this morning, I just cried. I have been inconsolable all day.”

In a social media post the club has asked anyone who knows who is responsible to drop them a message.

There is also an appeal to ring police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.