The future of an amateur Scots football club is in jeopardy after vandals caused thousands of pounds worth of damage by driving over the pitch and ripping up the surface.
Ratho Athletic will now have to play home games elsewhere until at least next summer.
Player Ryan Neilson, 28, said everyone involved with the tight-knit club has been left devastated at the wrecking spree.
“Our home ground is more than just a place where we play our matches; it’s the heart of our community”, he said.
“The club has more than 30 years of history and the pitch is in a park used by families, dog walkers and local children.
“Just after midnight on Sunday, someone has driven across the field tearing up the surface from goalmouth to goalmouth, leaving it completely unplayable.
“It’s been destroyed.
“The damage has not only forced us to move all our home games away from Ratho but has also placed significant financial strain on the club.
“As a grassroots team, the cost of hiring alternative facilities is unsustainable and could jeopardise our season.
“Playing in Ratho is crucial for the club, not only for the support we receive from our amazing local crowd but also for our sponsors whose logos proudly feature around the park, pavilion, and on our strips.
“Over the years, we have worked hard to improve our pitch and pavilion, with volunteers dedicating their time and energy to maintain the grounds. These efforts have been widely recognised and appreciated by the community. It’s heartbreaking for those volunteers and the club as a whole to see their hard work undone by reckless, immature behaviour.
“We were all really angry at first but now, we’re just feeling gutted.
“All this for just five minutes of fun for whoever did it. It’s disgusting.”
Ratho, who play in the Lothian and Edinburgh Amateur Football Association Premiership, launched a GoFundMe page to raise cash for repairs as well as extra security measures including bollards and fencing.
In just days, the total has reached £4000.
Ryan said: “The amount coming in and the support being shown is remarkable and proves how much our club is regarded in the community.
“Our wee club means a lot to people and we want to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who has reached out to make us aware of the situation and offer support.
“This act of vandalism is a devastating blow to the club, but with the community’s help, we hope to recover and continue playing in Ratho as soon as possible.”
You can donate at their GoFundMe page.
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