Fans pitch in to spare Hare

BOLTON supporters have called for the reinstatement of Southend groundsman Ken Hare after he was sacked following the postponement of the clubs’ League One match last Saturday.

Hare, who had served Southend for 27 years, was held responsible for the frozen pitch that prompted the game’s cancellation and news broke of his dismissal on Monday.

But Bolton fans have shrugged off the disappointment of their fruitless 492-mile round-trip to Essex by starting a petition to get Hare reinstated.

A petition on Change.org reads: “Head groundsman for Southend United, Ken Hare, has since been sacked after 27 years in the job for what was probably a simple error of judgment.

“We Bolton fans are disgusted with this and want to work together to get him his job back.

“It is always disappointing when a match is postponed but he does not deserve to lose his job, which we are all sure he was very good at, just for this.

“Stand up for Ken and let’s show what a fantastic fan base we can be.”

More than 1,700 people had signed the petition calling for Hare’s reinstatement by yesterday.

The SouthendBolton match was one of four English Football League games, all in the South-east, which were called off on Saturday because of the cold weather.