Soccer club hits back

Peter Walsh, chairman of Uckfield Town Football Club says the pitch is unplayable for most of the season which leads directly to any financial problems they face.

He is responding to the council's decision last week to put the club's business plan on hold until past debts are paid.

Mr Walsh told the Express: 'Our basic message to the town council is sort out our pitches; when we play we can pay.

'They refuse to even acknowledge issues regarding the pitch so can only assume there is an underlying plan to push the club out of the premises.'

The club's main source of income is derived from playing matches. The club says that when games take place players pay subscriptions and supporters use the bar, and any profit made meets the club's costs.

It is claimed games are cancelled because the council does not maintain the pitch up to a playable standard with more than 20 matches cancelled this season. FA referees call matches off fearing injury to players.

The club says the town council oversaw the laying of the current pitch '“ funded from Lottery money '“ but mistakes meant proper drainage was not installed.

Members allege the condition has gradually deteriorated, receives the barest maintenance and is scarred by tractor-tyre ruts.

They fear the council have an active policy of drumming the club out of town. 'We have complained for over four years about the pitch and very little has been done to sort out the problems '“ providing and maintaining football pitches is the town council's responsibility.'

Uckfield Town Football Club currently has 90 players registered and has played at the Victoria Pleasure Ground for more than 100 years. The first eleven play in the third division of the Sussex County League.

Mr Walsh said: 'These players are also ratepayers and are getting upset at problems being ignored by their councillors '“ it appears they concentrate on chasing the club for more money rather than understanding or sorting out the underlying pitch problem.

'They also want direct debit payments in advance for pitches '“ such behaviour appears vindictive and places the football club in an embarrassing situation.'