A HAMPSHIRE football club may have to fold after a devastating fire caused an estimated £10,000 damage to vital equipment.
Shipping containers at Hamble United FC’s ground in Satchell Lane, are thought to have been targeted by thieves using a disk cutter, sparking a blaze yesterday afternoon.
Although nothing was stolen, the fire has left players and volunteers counting the costs of tractors and line marking equipment destroyed.
Police are investigating the incident which comes two years after the club fell victim to thieves who stole tools worth around £5,000.
Manager Gary Curtis, 56, who has been running the club since it formed in 2005, fears it won’t be able to cover the costs of the latest blow.
He says it may collapse unless it can find financial help from businesses or the local community.
The club currently has around 34 players on its books and two teams which play in the Southampton Saturday League.
Mr Curtis said: “I am gutted this could stop all of our kids playing football. I think the club could fold because of this. All our garden stuff has gone and we have no way of marking the pitches. We can’t afford to pay the school and we have no way of raising funds without the kitchen.I don’t know what we can do.”
Southampton Saturday League secretary Rod Sutherland said the league was happy to help make things easier for Hamble United to stay alive by delaying fixtures or giving the club only away fixtures at the start of the season in September.
He added: “We share the disappointment and we will do all we can to make it an easier transition for them to get things in place.”
Fire crews from St Mary’s and Hightown in Southampton put out the fire.
A spokesman for Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service said: “We got the call at 2.22pm and it was petrol inside a shipping container on fire.”
“Two breathing apparatus were used, one jet and a high pressure hose reel.”
A spokeswoman for Hampshire police said they were investigating the incident and the cause of the fire was “unknown”.
Anyone with information should call 101, quoting 44160291212.
Anyone who can help the club can email garycurtis@hambleunitedfc.co.uk.
Story courtesy of Michael Carr at The Daily Echo. For further info please click link below.
