A LOCAL football club has appealed for help from the public after their pitch was destroyed overnight by a joyrider.
Ratho Athletic Football Club (RAFC) appealed for the public’s help yesterday following an incident in the early hours of the morning that saw their home pitch in Ratho, just west of Edinburgh, ripped up.
A selfish motorist appeared to have used the local footy pitch as a playground, doing doughnuts and skidding across the turf, leaving it unusable.
The club has now reached out for help from the public, citing the financial strain that has now been placed on them, stating that it would cost £140 a game to rent out a replacement astroturf pitch.
RAFC has since set up a GoFundMe page, hoping to raise £4,000 to restore the pitch, install a fence to prevent any future vandalism, and cover the costs whilst the team is forced to play elsewhere.
The club has also appealed for volunteer fence builders to help out, and for any witnesses or those with possible CCTV footage to come forward in the hopes of catching the guilty vandal that “devastated a public space loved by the entire community”.
Writing to their website yesterday, RAFC said: “It is with great disappointment that we share news of an act of vandalism that occurred on our pitch in the early hours of this morning, around 12:20am.
“A vehicle was driven onto the park, tearing the surface apart from goalmouth to goalmouth.
“This senseless act of destruction has left the pitch unplayable and caused significant damage to a facility that means so much to our club and community.”
“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.”
The club later set up their GoFundMe page, adding: “All donations will contribute towards the park getting repaired and protective fencing to prevent it happening again.
“Unfortunately for us, this will come at a cost.
“This reckless behaviour hasn’t just affected our football club – it has devastated a public space loved by the entire community.
“This park isn’t just a football pitch. It’s where kids play, families spend time together and locals walk their dogs. It’s a space that brings people together, and now it’s been left in ruins.
“We’ve launched this GoFundMe page to raise funds for pitch repairs, protective measures and supporting the club.
“The park has always been a symbol of our community spirit, and with your help, we can bring it back to life.
“Every donation – no matter the size – will make a difference in restoring and protecting this vital space.”
Donations to the club’s GoFundMe page for the pitch’s restoration can be given at: https://gofund.me/52189485
