Scottish Power van will be held until company pays for serious damage
Well offside. Van driver rips up Renton youth club’s playing fields.
By Bill Heaney
A thoughtless electricity company van driver caused outrage today when he drove his vehicle across the carefully tended football pitches of one of West Dunbartonshire’s best youth clubs.
The Scottish Power van left deep muddy tracks which it gouged out of the turf and left some parts of Tontine Park in Renton unplayable on the eve of today’s games.
Messages of support streamed on to social media for Craigandro Youth Club of Renton, whose coach, Joe Mulvenna, has worked tirelessly to keep the club afloat despite huge challenges.
Craigandro, which also runs a women’s football section, took over their pitches and pavilion when West Dunbartonshire Council said they could no longer afford to maintain the complex.
The club have done some significant fund-raising and upgraded the pavilion with new double glazing and brought the pitches back to a playable state.
They even bought the village Christmas tree in December after the cash-strapped Council said they had no money for that either.
And they were big contributors to the local Food4Thought food banks at St Augustine’s Episcopal Church in Dumbarton.
The club have a large number of young players ranging from around five to 21 on their books.
Joe Mulvenna, who looks after the running of the club with pals, including Brian Gillies, is the nephew of John O’Hare, the former Derby County, Sunderland, Nottingham Forest and Scotland international players who won European Cup winners medals alongside the likes of Martin O’Neill and John McGovern.
Renton, of course, is the home of the eponymous team who were declared Champions of the World after they beat West Bromwich Albion in the “World Cup Final” at Lesser Hampden Park in 1888.
Some of the comments on what happened to the pitches included: “Shocking mate … Bill them for damage … Omg that’s terrible … That’s bloody unacceptable Joe. Selfish ignorant bastards … Omg that’s absolutely shocking … after all the hard work and time you all take to keep pitches in good condition … Poor show Scottish Power.”
Joe Mulvenna said last night (Friday) that Scottish Power Energy Networks “decided to traipse vans and machinery over our parks without even asking us.
“They have a machine stranded at the west end which we have now told them they are not getting out until repairs have been made and [we have been] compensated”
Joe added: “Had we not had a coach who witnessed what happened, we would have put this down to vandals or joy riders.”