Dublin schoolboy club Belvedere FC dismayed after playing pitches vandalised

A north Dublin football club said they are “so frustrated” they had to cancel training on Monday after their playing pitches were vandalised by a car and scrambler motorbikes.

Belvedere football club, which has around 350 children in the club, train and play on Fairview Park pitches. However, footage shows the pitches have been destroyed in recent days.

Club chairman John Hayden said the situation is disheartening as it is not the first time the pitches have been left in an unplayable condition due to vandalism.

“The pitches are getting destroyed with scramblers. Last night, a stolen car went on to them and absolutely destroyed them,” he said.

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“The kids turned up for training and we had to send them home. We had about 180 kids due to turn up for training over two slots but we had to cancel the whole thing. The pitches are destroyed badly enough that we won’t have games on them this weekend. I don’t know when we’ll get them back up and running.”

Absolute disregard

Mr Hayden said as the club members were on the pitches inspecting the damage, scramblers were on the field again causing further damage. There are often syringes and broken bottles on the pitches as well, he added.

“The same happened last summer and on and off it has happened. Not to the extent that it has happened recently, now it’s getting really bad. It’s taking away the kids’ outlet. What’s most important is the social outlet it gives them,” he said.

“For the children from the north inner city, they might experience crime, poverty, or drug addiction or alcohol addiction in different ways. This is the outlet for them to stay on the straight and narrow. The truth is, even if it was fixed tonight it would probably be wrecked again tomorrow.”

Mr Hayden said the club is seeking their own grounds in an enclosed area in order to ensure it can continue operating without further cancellations as a result of anti-social behaviour and vandalism.