It's a bitter-sweet experience for Uppermill FC as they unveil newly-repaired dugouts

It was a bitter-sweet moment for Uppermill FC when they recently unveiled their newly-repaired dugouts, which are situated on Churchill playing fields.

Uppermill CEO, Steve Southern, has revealed that while the dugouts are now sparkling again after a spate of mindless vandalism at the site, it has left the local club somewhat out of pocket.

Steve said: "Not long ago, the club repaired their dugouts on Churchill and we invested more money in having the dugouts dressed in the Uppermill logo. 

"We had very smart home and away dugouts. 

"We did that to make our players feel like their club had a clear identity - we wanted to make our away team guests feel welcome and we felt it reflected well on the whole of Saddleworth as a community. 

"Sadly, persons unknown decided that the best way to showcase the Saddleworth community was to destroy the dugouts by tearing off the lettering in the dugouts and replacing them with various foul language that we can’t repeat in polite company.  

"This left us with dugouts that were an embarrassment to our players and, to visiting teams, seemed to show Saddleworth as an area with zero standards or self respect.

"Despite appeals on social media, and involving the local police, we couldn’t find the people who caused the damage.

"We are pleased to have repaired the dugouts, but the club is now £450 worse off as a result. 

"That's £450 that we could have better spent on our local youngsters. 

"Without getting too ‘deep’ on the subject, clubs like Uppermill, and all the other local rugby, football, cricket, netball and other sports in Saddleworth, do an incredible amount of work – all unpaid – for our local children in providing organised sport. 

"So, please, help us avoid or dugouts being destroyed again - many sports, one community!"

The club would like to thank Councillor Helen Bishop for her support with the repairs to the dugouts. 

Councillor Bishop added: "The work that Uppermill FC and all our local volunteer sports clubs do is essential for our community, so to see the dugouts vandalised was heartbreaking. 

"We must all do our part to protect and support the many positive role models in our local area.”

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