A SADDLEWORTH football club is celebrating success off the pitch. Well, a couple of feet away from it.
For damaged dugouts at Uppermill FC have been repaired and restored.
The Manchester League side was forced to dip into its coffers after the benches at Churchill Playing Fields, where its reserve and junior sides play, were attacked.
Lettering was torn off and replaced with foul language.
Officials described what was left as ‘an embarrassment to our players and to visiting teams, seemingly showing Saddleworth as an area with zero standards or self-respect.’
Appeals on social media and involving the local police could not track down the culprits.
Now after spending £450, the dugouts are back in pristine condition – even though officials say: “The club is now £450 worse off as a result. £450 that we could have better spent on our local youngsters.”
And Uppermill FC’s chief executive, Steve Southern added: “Not long ago, the club repaired the dugouts and we invested more money in having them dressed in the Uppermill logo.
“We had very smart home and away dugouts. We did that to make our players feel like their club had a clear identity.
“We wanted to make our away team guests feel welcome and we felt it reflected well on the whole of Saddleworth as a community.
“Clubs like Uppermill FC and all the other local rugby, football, cricket, netball and other sports in Saddleworth do an incredible amount of work – all unpaid – for our local children to provide organised sport.
“I’m sure we’ve all been gripped by the Adolescence TV show and without getting too deep, all of our clubs are creating positive male and female role models for our youngsters.
“So, please, help us avoid or dugouts being destroyed again! Many sports, one community!”
Uppermill FC also credited Saddleworth South Councillor Helen Bishop for her support with the repairs to the dugouts.
She said: “The work that Uppermill FC and all our local volunteer sports clubs do is essential for our community, so to see the dugouts vandalised was heartbreaking.
“We must all do our part to protect and support the many positive role models in our local area.”
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