FOUL, REF: Barrie Wade examines the latest vandalism at Shanklin Football Club, which is being plagued by regular attacks, as well as dog mess. Picture by Jennifer Burton.

A FOOTBALL club is calling foul on vandals who are destroying the facilities and thoughtless pet owners who do not clean up after their dogs on the soccer pitches.
Shanklin Football Club feels it is easier to win matches at the moment than it is to beat regular attacks on the clubhouse and the children’s changing rooms, and keep players safe from injury.
Before matches can be played, volunteers clear broken glass and dog mess from the pitches. Discarded used drug needles have been found around the junior changing rooms. The facility is used by eight to 16 year olds.
Bicycles and kids’ scooters are often taken from the clubhouse and changing room roofs, doors are kicked in, drainpipes pulled apart, a TV aerial snapped off and concrete paths destroyed. Vandals even broke a security light, installed to deter them.
Barrie Wade, the club’s secretary, blamed the damage on youths.
He said: “It’s frustrating because the club can’t develop, because we have to fork out on repairs, which runs into thousands of pounds annually. We are on a treadmill.
“The money we get from fundraising and membership fees goes into putting right the things these mindless idiots do.
“Dog fouling is a real problem. There’s plenty of dog bins about but many dog walkers never bother to use them. It’s incredibly irresponsible and puts children at risk of picking up diseases.
“There have been instances where children have fallen in it. We spend time cleaning up as best we can before games.”
• The club has invited the police, Shanklin Town Council and the Isle of Wight Council to discuss these issues at a public meeting at the County Ground clubhouse at 10am on Thursday, October 23.

Reporter: jonm@iwcpmail.co.uk