Celebrities pledge support to Salford Junior Football Club devastated by vandals
Gary Lineker and Adam Richman are among those to donate money.
Last updated 14th Mar 2018
Salford Junior Football Club has been completely devastated by vandals who ransacked the clubhouse over the weekend, trashing equipment and writing racist graffiti on whiteboards.
Club bosses have launched a JustGiving page which has already attracted support from the likes of football pundit Gary Lineker and Man Vs Food star Adam Richman.
Lineker donated £1,000 when he saw the scale of the damage.
Our reporter Amy Scarisbrick has been along to see the damage for herself:
The club tweeted their despair over the damage on Twitter saying "When you work so hard, don’t get paid and all you want to do is provide a safe haven for kids to play football & train but the local youths have other ideas, it’s hard not to get so mad! Take a look at some of these images or our home ground clubhouse.
"Not only have our pitches & club house been vandalised but the equipment in there too. Kits, goals, nets, training equipment, changing rooms everything we’ve all worked so hard for - Gone!"
Donations of support have been flooding in since the appeal was shared, with more than 150 people pledging money. Celebrity foodie Adam Richman said: "The depravity and sickness in this world baffles me sometimes."
The club is now hoping that Salford City Council may be able to offer them a temporary home whilst the damage is repaired.
Councillor David Lancaster, lead member for environment and community safety, said: “This is an appalling act of vandalism. It’s unbelievable that people can do this to a junior football team which is simply focused on enjoying their sport.
“If anyone knows who is responsible or has any information which might help catch those responsible and bring them to justice please don’t hesitate in reporting it. You can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or report it online completely anonymously.
“We are working with the club to find them alternative premises as quickly as possible.”