National League North club AFC Telford United fume after culprits cause damage to their pitch with a tractor over the weekend.
The Bucks have seen a disruption to their pre-season plans this summer with chunks missing from the playing surface as vandals drove the vehicle around near one of the corners.
Upon arrival at the stadium on Monday, club officials were appalled by what they saw and are now urging for information and any potential witnesses.
STATEMENT: The club can confirm that following a break-in at the stadium on the weekend, significant damage has been done to the New Bucks Head pitch. https://t.co/sjIYxduKOw pic.twitter.com/p73fbHrCze
— AFC Telford United (@telfordutd) June 27, 2022
CLUB STATEMENT
The club can confirm that following a break-in at the stadium on the weekend, significant damage has been done to the New Bucks Head pitch.
Individuals jumped the East Terrace Stand using the outside bins before entering the grounds team’s storage garage to gain access to a tractor.
Having started the ignition on their own, the individuals proceeded to drive the tractor across the New Bucks Head pitch, which is at a crucial stage of renovation ahead of the new season, leaving significant damage.
The work to repair this damage will now come at additional cost to the club, and places our grounds team under further pressure ahead of the Shrewsbury Town fixture in two weeks.
It should go without saying, but any true supporter of the club would not engage in such mindless destruction.
We urge anyone who may have any information that could be of assistance with the investigation to contact West Mercia Police, citing case reference number 00170_I_27072022. Supporters can also send any relevant information to enquiries@afctu.co.uk
Posting photos via his social media, Football Operations Manager Luke Shelley said: “To scumbags who broke into @telfordutd at the weekend and damaged the pitch with our tractor.
Times are tough for any football club at non league level, especially following the Covid pandemic, and with preparations and a schedule in place to get things done, it’s a huge nuisance, costly and a pain for some idiot to go and make things harder, tougher, something that could have been prevented by sheer common sense.
This comes weeks after intruders managed to break into Plymouth’s Home Park stadium and take a tractor on a joyride – ruining pitch work in the process.
Argyle have slammed those responsible for the ‘mindless destruction’ done to their playing surface after yobs stole the club’s vehicle.
A statement on the League One club’s website has lashed out at the culprits for breaking through perimeter fencing and gained access to the tractor from the storage garage of the grounds team.
Devon and Cornwall Police have issued an update following the recent break-in at Home Park. It reads:
Two teenagers were arrested in connection with a break-in at Plymouth with damage costing thousands of pounds.
Fans reacted as the National League North club fume after culprits cause damage to the pitch with a tractor…
@BrackleyTownFC: Sorry to hear this, we hope the damage isn’t too bad.
@_maggs: Unbelievable, hope those responsible are caught! 🙄
@alanjenkins96: Hope it can be fixed soon. What is wrong with some people??
@InformalEmpire: Scumbags 🤬
@supersonicbri: What the hell is wrong with people , I hope the police catch them but I wouldn’t hold yr breath.
@YellowArmy1881: Sorry to hear this. Hope you catch the culprits and make them sort the damage personally.
@Azzaj_93: What idiots!
@PerStener: What is wrong with people? Why do something like this!
@CarolynMH66: No words 🤬🤬🤬😥😥😥
@DarloTotty: Why would they do such a thing? #vandals Sending my best wishes to you all @telfordutd
@MeaddowsWilliam: Why would people do this???? 😡😡
@TATTOODLES_LTD: This is so sad…… ⚪️⚫️ This won’t stop the bucks ⚫️⚪️ #utb
@jackhurdley_: What’s the point
@ThepidgeNest: Cant say im surprised unfortunately some toss pots about
@wtshrewisaway: 🔔🔚s
@salopcast: This is unacceptable, some proper scumbags in the world.
@RRWB_: Complete arseholes.
@JackSmi33873263: Tramps
@Chris_Tomo75: Didn’t this happen at Plymouth a few weeks back!? Copycat crime! #idiots
@MCRShrewsbury: Surely have CCTV.
@wellyams: Honestly this is disgraceful someone somewhere knows something so do the right thing
@RuytonShrew: This is copycat bullshit, isn’t it? Exactly the same thing happened at Plymouth two or three weeks ago. Complete morons.
Steve Spragg: hopefully hotel cctv will have pictures
Kerry McLean: Disgusting vile people
Charlie Solon: Sc-m hope they are proud of themselves
Jason Lee: Is there any way we can help or donate something for repairs and the damage following the break in, know just how tough it can be for non league sides these days no matter what level they’re at
Phil Oatway: Sorry to hear about this, cant believe anyone would be so stupid #wwfc
Eddie Taylor: Shocking. Hope the wankers are caught and punished, make him pay for repairs #wolves
To scumbags who broke into @telfordutd at the weekend and damaged the pitch with our tractor✌🏻 pic.twitter.com/yNXeANjAwA
— Luke Shelley (@LukeShelley1) June 27, 2022
Hope someone grasses them up. pic.twitter.com/sl2ujHZy3c
— #BucksWriter 🦌 (@BucksWriter) June 27, 2022
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