Whitstable Town face financial setback as thieves strike The Belmont

Wednesday 23rd February 2011

WHITSTABLE TOWN chairman Joe Brownett faced a scene of utter devastation as thieves stripped the club changing rooms bare during the night.

The euphoria of last night’s 3-2 home victory over Worthing - a result that takes the club four points clear of the relegation zone in eighteenth place in the Ryman League Division One South table - was brought into sharp focus by the discovery of last night’s raid at the Belmont Road based football club.

A near speechless Mr Brownett, issued the following statement on the club’s website www.whitstabletownfc.co.uk this morning saying, “I have been at Whitstable Town; a club which I and my family have supported for over twenty years and this is by far the worst thing that has ever happened, they have taken every scrap of copper they could find.

“They have stripped the showers, the boiler, taps, pipes you name it they stolen it.

“It’s too early to put a figure on but my gut feeling is that its going to be a minimum of £5,000 to replace what has be stolen.

“We will definitely not be able to fulfil our fixtures for the next two weeks, Saturdays game (a relegation six-pointer against Whyeleafe) is off as is the youngsters Sunday football.

“These people that do this sort of thing are heartless they do not care about anyone else just themselves.

“It goes without saying that we will carry on, but I would ask anyone in the building trade if they can help in any way to get in touch either with myself, Joe Brownett or my vice chairman Gary Johnson our details are on the contacts page on the website.

“The police are investigating and if anyone has any information, scrap dealers or anyone who is offered copper to contact the Police.”

Whitstable Town is a club supporting the local community, it host a yearly Firework display and at the end of the playing season the pitch is used for a ‘Bands at The Belmont’ which is Whitstable’s biggest outdoor music event.

Article courtesy of Tony Rouse - www.whitstabletownfc.co.uk

PERSONAL COMMENT FROM MIKE GREEN WHO COVERED THE WIN OVER WORTHING ON TUESDAY NIGHT FOR THIS WEBSITE...

When I heard on Wednesday evening what had happened overnight at the Belmont, I must confess that it made me sick to my stomach. OK any theft is wrong and cannot be condoned, but for it to happen to someone you know and almost consider as “family” makes it even more galling. Indeed, in all my years of watching and reporting on Kent’s Non League scene, I think that Whitstable Town welcome that you get is the most genuine and sincere and the Club is one of the only one’s in the whole county that I have never ever heard a bad word uttered against!

Of course that welcome is wholly down to the people who actually run the club – Joe and Josie, Bruce and Connie, Tony, Gary and Andy and all the rest of the people (apologies if I haven’t named you personally but you know who you are) who have always made the Belmont such a friendly place to visit over the years.

And so for something like this to happen to them is so so sickening and heart breaking, especially as on the field Peter Nott and his players seem to have finally turned things around. Lets not forget Tuesday’s win over Play Off chasing Worthing extended their great recent run to just two defeats in fourteen and has really given the side a fighting chance of survival…

The one thing I would like to say to these heartless @@@@@@ who have taken the copper from the Belmont – I sincerely hope that you choke on your rewards. Because if you think that they have won, I’d just like them to be told from someone outside the club that the Oystermen will have the last laugh as if there’s one thing that I have learned from knowing the people behind the club (and being able to call them friends for now over two decades), is that this act of cowardice will make them stronger when they come out on the other side – and believe me they will!

Long live WTFC!