A hockey coach has said his team’s success is in jeopardy because the council is neglecting the pitch.
Richard Nixon, treasurer of Croydon Schools and Youth Hockey Association, said his team regularly played without goals and pitch markings.
The team recently competed in the London Youth Games but failed to get past the first round.
Mr Nixon, although accepting the team could have played better, said their chances were not improved by the state of the pitch they practised on.
He said: “If we had proper goals we might have had a better chance. The council need to do something.”
Mr Nixon, 42, said he had seen pitches set on fire and holes in the fences surrounding the pitches at Monk’s Hill sports centre and Selsdon High School.
He said: “Our pitches are not fit for purpose. It costs about £800 for a new set of goals and we have already had four sets vandalised. The council does not have its finger on the pulse.”
Mr Nixon has been campaigning since 2001 to get better facilities but claimed nothing has been done. He said that in 2005 the then Conservative opposition told him they would not allow the pitches to become damaged like they were under the Labour administration.
But now a Tory council is in control Mr Nixon said nothing had changed.
A council spokesman said: “The condition of the pitches has been a concern for some time and talks have been held with the school which owns the facility.”
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