Vandals wreck fundraising fixtures

By David Watters

Aveley have been forced to cancel two charities matches after mindless vandals wreaked havoc at the Ryman North club's Mill Field home.

The Millers and tenants Grays Athletic - set to move into a new multi-million pound stadium at Parkside this summer - were also due to host a number of friendlies at their old home before leaving. The warm-up programmes scheduled by both clubs at Mill Field have also been cancelled as efforts to the clean up the trail of destruction left at the ground continued this weekend, pictured.

Aveley secretary and Ryman League vice-chairman Craig Johnson called on members of the club's local community to help root out the vandals after arriving at the ground last Wednesday morning to discover that yobs had been all over the ground, tearing up tiles, smashing glass and destroying fence posts.

Johnson told the club's website: “We have been forced to cancel two charity matches raising valuable money for great local causes. And also all our and Grays’ pre-season games due at Mill Field have been cancelled. The local community needs to pull together and unite to stop people ruining our village we live in."

A Millers spokesman added: "It is clear that they were only there to do damage, which has come as such a disappointment to all involved with Aveley Football Club due to the work they strived to do to keep the club running and in helping the local community in any way they can to make sure the local village have a football club they can be proud of."

A £4.8 million sporting facility set to open in July after the latest state-of-the-artificial turf surface is laid, Aveley's new Parkside stadium is being part-funded by the sale of the Mill Field, the club's home for the last 65 years until their final competitive fixture against AFC Hornchurch over Easter.

Image courtesy of Aveley FC

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Almost ready: The Millers are moving into Parkside this summer

Where next?

Final salute for Non-League's finest The fans, players and officials of Staines Town are planning to pay a colour themed final tribute to Graham Gould at the funeral of their award-winning groundsman.
Friendly diary is out next week! The Ryman League's summer friendlies calendar is expected to list hundreds of games when it is published next week.

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