Wells blast "mindless morons" after attack causes ?10k of damage

Tunbridge Wells’ assistant manager Steve Gibbons has blasted the people that broke into the club on Saturday night, writes Stephen McCartney.

The Kent League club, who welcome Farnham Town in the second qualifying round of the FA Vase on Saturday, were clearing up the mess today following the break in at their Culverden Stadium clubhouse.

Gibbons was shocked that the club were attacked, causing up to £10,000 worth of damage.

“Unfortunately the society we live in some people are always ready to ruin it for others,” he told the club’s website.

“The clubhouse has been damaged and things stolen and broken. I don’t know the full extent of the damage but I’ll check it out tomorrow at training.

“The club is insured against this sort of thing but it just takes time to get it all sorted out.

“The people who have to sort it out are busy doing other things for the club so they are being pulled in all different directions again.”

A club spokesman told www.kentishfootball.co.uk that he could not understand why the “mindless morons” behind the attack made such a mess, which included staining walls, new playing kits with food and drink and stealing equipment.

The raiders even had the audacity to try to attack the club for a second time the following night, but were thwarted by quick thinking club officials who boarded up the windows.

The club, based at Culverden Down, are being visited by their insurance assessors on Tuesday morning, but the spokesman insisted the club did everything they could to keep out the raiders.

“We will have to see what the insurance company want,” he said. “But it’s finding the money to do it.

“The Police said we’re tucked away at the back. We have to speak to the insurance company and see what we can do.

“We did what we felt was reasonable security wise, but if people want to get in they will, no matter what you do.”

Although this is the first time the club has been raided in this way, he feels the club's insurance premiums will increase, hitting the club, that averages just 84 at their home games, in the pocket.

The vandals, however, didn’t steal any of the trophies in the club’s trophy cabinet, leaving the Courier Cup, which the team won by beating Tonbridge Angels 4-2 in July, covered in cleaning fluid.

But the club insist the John Ullman Cup tie against Ashford based side Kennington on Thursday night and Saturday’s FA Vase game against Farnham Town will go ahead.

The Wells would like to hear from anyone who can donate pitch equipment, which was stolen, and anyone with information on the raid should contact Tunbridge Wells Police Station.

Visit the Tunbridge Wells FC website:  www.tunbridgewellsfc.co.uk