Could final whistle be blown on football club after vandal attacks?

Mind Over Matter FC has three adult teams based at Wath Road in Brampton Bierlow representing the mental health charity of the same name, which occupies a cabin at the site.

But the charity was rocked by a break-in on June 19 which caused “extensive damage”, with white paint thrown around inside the cabin.

Football club representatives said they wanted the site to be “open to the public” but that any future “attacks” would stop that from happening.

A spokesperson said: “The windows have been ripped off and now the door is off.

“They’ve just thrown paint everywhere and put it all over the windows and benches.

“The gates aren’t shut on a night or day so anyone can walk in, as we agreed with the RMBC to keep it open to play sports on.

“I don’t know how we can keep it open to the public when it’s getting vandalised or we have kids swinging on the crossbars.”

Brampton Bierlow Parish Council held a meeting on last Monday to discuss the damage to the cabin and are now “considering options” to help but, without “community support”, the cost of repairs could force the football club out of business.

A parish council spokesperson said repairs and extra security measures would cost “a substantial amount of money”, adding: “It would be more than the cabin is worth.

“We are going to try and find a proper steel unit that they can use for changing rooms for the football groups.

“The new unit will be placed next to the other one at the bottom of the site and the cabin will be removed.

“If anyone can help in any way please let us know, we don’t want to lose this great set of lads doing such good work.

“If anyone has any information about the vandalism, please come forward.”

RMBC’s acting assistant director for community safety and street scene, Sam Barstow, said he was “extremely disappointed” by the vandalism, adding: “The council deplores this kind of behaviour and this only serves as a setback for our community's road to recovery after what has been a difficult period for everyone.

“We hope that the club will be back up and running as normal very soon so that residents can go back to safely enjoying this space.”