Hampton Rangers football club has suffered a double whammy from local vandals with another bout of damage and graffiti on their recently refurbished facilities -but they are not going to allow it to set them back in their plans.

Three years ago the club nearly folded, when the training ground changing facilities in Oldfield Road were set alight and smashed up. Further along the road in Hatherop Park, where the club plays its Sunday morning games, the pavilion suffered a similar fate.

"However our fortunes changed dramatically when amongst other fund raising, Hampton Fuel Allotments gave a substantial grant which enabled an all weather training faciity to be built," said Billy Martin, chairman of the club.

"Richmond Council also released funds which secured temporary changing rooms for Hatherop Park."

Things were looking up for at least two weeks - then mindless yobs struck again.

An excavator which was a key piece of plant in constructing the training surface was smashed up and covered in graffiti, causing the contractor to remove it off of site and causing the club great inconvenience.

The same graffiti appeared on the pavilion at Hatherop, almost as if the club's facilities were being deliberately targeted. "It is unbelievable" continued Billy. "We run this club for the sole benefit of keeping kids off the street, giving them a way of spending their energy in a positive way, and we get this thrown in our face."

And he put out this appeal:
"If anyone has an idea who might be carrying this out, please get in touch with the police. The tags which have been passed onto the police are EARN, ERASURE, EVOH, ZOAD, and SH."

Hampton Rangers players and supporters, however, are made of stern stuff. They refuse to take the set-back lying down, and are now in discussion as to whether CCTV is a viable option.

Meanwhile, work continues on the professional standard all-weather practice pitch.

"It is a shame that four mindless youths can spoil it for the eighty kids who now come along to play and train with Hampton Rangers, but we have come a long way in a short time so we carry on," said an undaunted Billy. "We are now in the process of forming a girls team alongside the four teams at varying age groups that we already have. Soon we will be starting a Saturday morning football club for youngsters from six years and up, in readiness for an under Nines team for next season."

If your child, boy or girl is interested in joining Hampton Rangers call Billy Martin on 020 8941 6768

Thursday, October 14, 2004

If you wish to comment on this or other stories in the Journal please go to our Letters Pages

The Journal is produced as a service to the Community by Online Communities Ltd
an independent, non-profit, community group making the community websites for Richmond upon Thames.


www.oncom.org.uk

© 2004 Online Communities Ltd