Liverpool Daily Post and Echo, 6th April, 1962

Liverpool Echo, 6^th April, 1962

Senseless vandalism on pitch

GOALPOSTS CHOPPED DOWN

Havoc at Sefton R.F.C ground

One of the worst reported cases of wanton vandalism occurred last Saturday, at the ground of Sefton R.U.F.C.

When the groundsman arrived to prepare the pitches for the afternoon games, he found that both the posts at one end of the first team ground had been chopped off three feet above ground.

This could hardly have been the work of small boys, as the 40ft. posts, deeply embedded in concrete, are strong and substantial. Rather did the cuts suggest a forester’s axe.

The cost of replacement, removing the old bed, and resetting may amount to £40, no small amount for a small amateur club already hard hit by pavilion break-ins, of which there have been three lately. Fences and walls have been damaged.

HELPS YOUNGSTERS

The irony of the wanton damage is that the club have given every possible encouragement to youngsters participating in the R.U game or wishing to do so. The ground has been loaned repeatedly for such events as County schoolboy trials, under-15 inter-city matches, and junior schoolboy sevens.

The annual match between the teams representing Liverpool and Birkenhead grammar schools is due to be played there a week today, the 13^th, kick-off at 5 p.m.

Recently the club have been considering the running of a colts’ team, which would cater for the boys leaving school, until the time they were ready for inclusion in normal senior teams.

Senseless wrecking

Vandalism of the most senseless kind has been hitting Sefton Rugby Club at their West Derby headquarters.

Three times in the past months their pavilion has been broken into and subjected to wrecking, and on Saturday the first members to arrive at the club found that a set of the goalposts on the first team pitch had been chopped down about a yard above the ground.

To put up new posts as they are set in concrete and expensive in themselves - will be a considerable financial blow to the club. Such wrecking, which must be viciously premeditated, is poor reward indeed, for a club who have been in the vein of the movement for helping and encouraging youth in Rugby.

Sefton did, however, have one ray of light at the weekend. Their first team went away and beat Orrell 15-12 after trailing 13-8 at half time - only the second side to beat the doughty Orrell men (highly successful once more and conquerors of St Helens, too) at home this season.