With the huge help of friends and supporters,  we have a newly revamped ground and facility in which a vast amount of financial and human resource has been invested. I, like many of you was chuffed to bits for the start of the new season and couldn’t wait for it to start.  However, on Thursday evening we started the final preparation for our first match today (30/7/16) – cutting the grass, getting the kit ready, and setting up the new nets (the second set in 3 weeks as the others were cut by some very intelligent foxes!). Mike had some of the players doing some specific drills and at around 9.15pm they warmed down and left, Ronnie stayed until the early morning of Friday.

I returned at 10.00am on Friday to find the referee door kicked in,  the board room door was kicked in and the room ramsacked. The clubhouse’s main door suffered many attempts to gain access damaging the door in the process so that it now cannot be opened. The electricity wires were cut. The Sky TV cables were cut. The CCTV cameras were also cut. The back door to the hall lock was smashed off.  The lock to the garage door was also smashed off.

For the past three years we have suffered from this annual criminal act to our property, which takes place just before the start of the season.

The passion shown at Clapton cannot be equalled or beaten by this annual event! We are working with the Police over this malicious attack, which they are of the opinion was done to look like a burglary. It is unfortunate, as Clapton has always maintained an open door policy. However, we are being forced to put more and more draconian measures into place, which will eventually change the way in which people currently enjoy their football at the ground.

Many acts have been deployed at undermining Clapton, some via social media, some via libellous dis-information and the strategical brutal damage of core resources for the club. This is a senseless act aimed at destroying the will and nature of our club, and will never succeed.

We will now have to install new iron shutters and additional CCTV at time when we should be spending money on the team – we would appreciate any support you are able to offer, by making a donation to support the safe keeping of the ground.

 

Vincent McBean
Chief Executive