'Mindless' vandals target football club

Thugs have entered Atherton Town FC at Butler Park, Eckersley Fold Lane, several times in recent weeks.

Images released by the club show damage to the dug-outs and advertising boards caused by what they believe are teenagers. The latest incident happened on the weekend.

Gerald Butler, seniors secretary at the football club, described the perpetrators as “mindless.”

He said: “Vandalism has been ongoing over the last four weeks.

“Everytime I come down, you always see something.

“I literally walk into the club and assess it to see if something has changed from the day before.

“Vandals trashed the dug-out two weeks ago and we’ve got a little stand with a steel structure and gable ends which we’v e put perspex plastic on.

“They’ve ruined that too.

“There’s then some advertising boards and five of them have been smashed too.

Mr Butler, who last year won his 50 years service to football award at the Lancashire Football Association award, said there was also general problems with litter and bottles of gin dumped from youths that drink there.

He said that police have been contacted about the vandalism.

He said: “We’re talking about teenagers who are about 14-years-old.

“We’re only a small community club and are vlunteer-led.

“So things like this take time and money and effort.

“It’s disgusting what these vandals are doing.

“We don’t mind them coming down and sitting around but there’s no need for this.

“It’s mindless and not necessary.

“We’ve had the police down but there’s little they can do and they’re dealing with bigger things.

“We have no CCTV either.”

He said the Manchester Football League club, like many at grassroots level, were having to deal with the impact of the coronavirus, and the vandalism was the last thing it needed.

He said: “It’s been a difficult time for us as has it been for many oother clubs at our level.

“We’ve started training again are hoping to have friendlies in August but it coud be a while until we can start the season, maybe October.

He added: “So this vandalism doesn’t help things with everything else that is going on. “

Phil Barnes, seniors chairman, said: “I would just like to thank these guys for causing hundreds of pounds worth of damage at the club. We are a community club run by volunteers, they have no idea how much this sets us back.”