Travellers have occupied the pitches at Albion Rovers FC in Newport, Wales, with more than 20 vehicles, after the local council allegedly failed to secure the grounds.
The encampment began last Wednesday, disrupting the club's 90th-anniversary season. More vehicles and people arrived over the weekend, with no immediate signs of departure.
The club has been forced to find alternative venues for matches and training, incurring costs of £110 per hour to hire a school's 3G pitch. Club secretary Sarah Yemm expressed concern for the safety of club members, describing the situation as "too dangerous" for training to proceed.
"It's been really stressful because we've had to cancel all the training, including the seniors," Yemm said. "Obviously, we wouldn't want the children or the senior players down there training because more and more caravans were coming in. It was too dangerous."
Matches for the girls' team have also been cancelled, and friendly games relocated. Yemm noted the added difficulty in finding alternative pitches, as many council grounds lack goalposts.
Albion Rovers FC relies on revenue from its clubhouse and coffee shop, but the travellers' presence has prevented access, cutting off this income stream. The club also reported that the travellers have been leaving rubbish around the grounds, with concerns about the pitch's suitability for play due to litter and human waste.
Yemm attributed the incident to Newport City Council, stating that contractors working on the pitch failed to reattach specialized padlocks to the barriers after their work was completed. "The people who left them unlocked were council staff and contractors," she said.
This is not an isolated incident, as similar encampments have occurred at other football clubs. In July, Thetford Town Youth FC in Norfolk experienced an occupation where vehicles drove over the pitches. Burgess Hill Cricket Club in East Sussex and Ludgvan Lions Junior Football Club in Cornwall have also faced similar situations in recent months.
A spokesperson for Newport City Council stated that the council is "still investigating what happened at Kimberley Park."