East Lothian Courier | News | Juniors FC under siege

Tuesday, 7th October, 2008

Published: Thursday, 19th June, 2008 08:10

Juniors FC under siege

FRUSTRATED bosses at Tranent Juniors FC have condemned those responsible for causing thousands of pounds worth of damage to the club’s home ground at Forester’s Park Pavilion.

The sports facility, which re-opened last September following a £1.4 million revamp, has been repeatedly targeted by vandals, with the latest incident occuring only last week, the Courier has learned.

Members of the public spotted youths tearing metal panels from the roof and entrance of the sports pavilion last Wednesday afternoon and alerted police, Tranent Community Council heard this week.

“This is very sad and I’m absolutely devastated at the state of the place – we’re talking about thousands of pounds worth of damage here,” said Fa’side councillor Kenny McLeod, who is also vice-president of Tranent Juniors FC.

The damage wrought on the pavilion since its grand reopening has included graffiti, metal panels ripped from the exterior, broken glass strewn around the football pitches and basketball court and a large hole created in one of the surrounding stone walls.

The facility has also been the target of numerous fireraising attempts over the past few months, said Mr McLeod.

“There’s work being carried out to repair the damage now and it’s moving along quickly,” he reassured community councillors.

He urged the public to be vigilant and report any suspicious activity at Forester’s Park to the police.

Tranent Juniors’ secretary Elliot Morgan told the Courier: “We’re absolutely gutted that there are still people out there who are determined to continue behaving like this.

“This has been an ongoing problem for at least a couple of months and the incidents are too numerous to go into in great detail individually.

“We’re trying very hard to increase the community’s involvement with the club and raise the profile of the Juniors and it is so disheartening when we see this happening.”

Council clean-up teams have visited Forester’s Park twice in the past week to clear debris and broken glass from the pitches and the basketball court, said an East Lothian Council spokeswoman.

She added that a caretaker for the pavilion would be appointed later this month and the local authority was also exploring the possibility of installing CCTV there.

Community council chairman Raymond Strang said: “How is Tranent going to improve as a community if there is still an element, irrespective of age, who are set on destruction and damage?”

A police spokesman said that three boys from Tranent, two aged 14 and a 15-year-old, had been charged with malicious mischief following police inquiries into last Wednesday’s incident.

A report had since been submitted to the Children’s Panel reporter, he added.

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