BY MIKE O’GRADY
Egham Town or ‘The Sarnies’ (as they are known) are a local grass roots football club who play in the Combined Counties Premier Division. A friendly club who encourage the local community to come and watch their local team play. To help engage further with the community admission for Under 16’s is free. The team attracts a modest crowd each week but with the help of devoted volunteers and the fans the club operates on a tight budget where every penny counts. Like most community clubs we have suffered years of vandalism, immense damage and at least five acts of arson in the last four years.
The club has had to report over fifty incidents in the last four years, along with many incidents reported by local residents who have seen this ongoing vandalism. It has left the club in a very delicate position and insurance companies no longer provide cover for things so often targeted.
Over the early May Bank Holiday at least three incidents were reported to the local Police and on Monday 3rd a row of seats was burned and left it all melted on the floor of the main stand. Despite being reported again and a plea on Social media to keep kids away from the ground, kids returned on Tuesday 4th May 2021 and set fire to the main stand.
With smoke pouring out there was fears that it could spread to the neighbouring residential houses.
The emergency services soon arrived but the stand was so badly damaged by the fire that all the 200 seats were gone, the metal framework twisted, the home and away changing rooms (underneath the stand) completely ruined along with the showers toilets etc.
With the pandemic the Combined Counties league was called off and therefore the club has had no income during this time and yet the bills continued to come in.
This fire has ruined the main (Brian Askew) stand named after a life-long supporter who sadly passed away and this affects the ground grading requirements which requires all clubs at this level to have a set number of seats for the fans to use. With four months until the new season starts this leaves the club in a precarious position and up against the clock to get a new stand in place.
A local resident has set up a Go Fund Me page to help raise monies to assist the club.
The club is somewhat overwhelmed and so very thankful for all the kind donations that have been received so far and from as far away as America but we have a long what to go before being able to bring safety and security back to Egham Town FC.
Since the Bennett family took over the running of the club, in terms of security they erected 2m high walls and fenced the whole ground in and gates securely padlocked. However perhaps inevitably local kids still manage to clamber over and gain access, many of whom leave again without causing any damage.
However over the last few years things have changed and the vandalism has progressively worsened. Fences smashed down, memorial plaques ripped off walls, lights smashed, break-ins to the tea bar and referees rooms completely trashing the place but the club carried on regardless with the football traveling around the country putting Egham on the map.
From this sad situation the Club chairman has stated that the club must come back stronger and carry on supporting Non-League Football.
This stand was a memorial for the much loved Brian Askew and as such from these ashes the club is determined to rise again.
Please feel free to contact me or send your support through our Go Fund Me page. We very much appreciate it.
Mike O’Grady
ogradymoggie@yahoo.co.uk
EGHAM TOWN FOOTBALL CLUB, The Runnymede Stadium, Wards Place, Egham Surrey TW20 8XD
01784 437055 | www.eghamtownfcltd.co.uk
Facebook: Egham Town Football Club