TEENAGE vandals have caused £2,000 damage at the West View ground of hard-up Bacup Borough Football Club.
When secretary Frank Manning went to remonstrate with youths who were dancing on the changing room roof he was met by a storm of verbal abuse and stones were thrown at him.
In the last two weeks concrete slabs have been ripped from the perimeter fencing, damage has been caused to the roof of the changing room and roof of the main stand, the visitors' directors' box has been wrecked, fires have been started and the club has been broken into and beer stolen. Now the club is faced with getting the ground back in order before the kick off to the new season, a North West Counties League home game against new team Woodley.
Mr Manning said: "It is all very disheartening. The club is in a grim enough financial situation as it is.
"The directors have got to the situation where they can't keep shelling out and shelling out. "Although we have insurance we cannot just keep claiming.
"We are hoping that volunteers will come forward and help us to carry out much of the repair work that is necessary.''
He added: "The recent spate of damage has been going on for about a fortnight.
"On one occasion I was in the changing rooms when people started jumping up and down on the corrugated roof.
"I went out to see what was happening but only got a lot of abuse from a group of 12-13-year-olds who started to throw stones at me.''
The club has four youth teams for youngsters aged from eight to 15 coached at the ground every Saturday by former Burnley player Mick Docherty.
Mr Manning added: "All local youngsters are invited to come along and join in.
"If they take an interest in playing soccer for the club they will be less likely to want to cause damage to the ground.''
Police have been informed of the vandalism.
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