ALBION MADE TO PAY THE PRICE OF CIARA
TADCASTER ALBION chiefs fear the club may have to fold after 125 years after Storm Ciara ripped through its Global Stadium, causing at least £42,000 worth of flood damage.
The Brewers have been left devastated after the adjacent River Wharfe burst its banks for the second time in the space of 12 months, leaving the pitch under 1.6 metres of dirty water and floors, carpets, and even the roof, damaged in the clubhouse.
The North Yorkshire club have been hit by storm damage in the past but have either had flood insurance or enough in their cash reserves to undergo repairs.
But at a Directors’ Emergency Meeting on Wednesday, it was revealed that last year’s flood had used up all the contingency funds, leaving them unable to foot any more repair bills.
The storm hit the BetVictor Northern Premier League North
West promotion chasers at the worst possible time, just days after a group of volunteers had spent time painting and cleaning areas of the stadium to prepare for the club’s routine ground grading inspection at the end of the month.
Response
Thankfully, their next scheduled home game is not until the visit of Widnes on March 7, giving them time to assess the extent of the damage and begin the clean-up.
But they have been forced to cancel two Leeds United U23 fixtures next week at the loss of much-needed revenue.
Tadcaster chiefs are meeting with the Football Foundation & West Riding County FA next week to discuss emergency contingency plans, while a JustGiving fundraising page has been launched in an attempt to help cover the cost.
“Storm Ciara has been the worst yet for us,” chairman Andy Charlesworth told The NLP: “Previous storms have only flooded the pitch but this time it has penetrated through the floor of the clubhouse and caused damage to carpets and upholstery.
“Ground maintenance equipment has been damaged, the new visiting officials’ facility that was nearing completion has been wrecked and we have yet to find out if the floodlights still work. That’s the biggest concern for us.
“We are sticking plasters on sticking plasters but it has now come to the stage where we are facing the potential of closure of the club.
“It’s a devastating time but we have had a fantastic response from local businesses and the community of offers of help. We even had one pensioner give us £100 cash! That’s what this club means to people.”