A FOOTBALL club chairman has bemoaned the “nightmare location” of the council-owned pitch where they play matches.

Michael Chappell is chairman and manager of Westhoughton-based team Pretoria Football Club, who play their home games at a pitch off Cricketer’s Way.

Mr Chappell slammed the state of the facilities and said he is not comfortable setting up a youth team until it is resolved.

He said: “The state of the pitch is hit and miss with the council sometimes cutting it and marking it but not often enough for all fixtures to go ahead.

“The changing facilities are not just filthy and old, but also dangerous, as one heavy door has already fallen off, almost taking out a player. The posts are several years old and no longer go up straight or clamp together.

“It’s a nightmare location where we wanted to but cannot in good faith start a youth team.”

Mr Chappell claimed that neighbourhood services at the council “refuse to address” the issues.

The Town Hall said it is aware of Mr Chappell’s concerns and that factors beyond the council’s control have caused some of the problems.

A spokesman said: “We have been communicating with Mr Chappell about the issues he has raised.

“The field has seen some investment with new posts, and we do act when we receive complaints of vandalism, including replacing the damaged door.

“There can be a number of reasons which affect the state of pitches, and unfortunately the recent wet weather has limited our ability to make them playable. It has not been possible to use the machinery required to mark and cut pitches without causing damage to them.

“The facilities are used by a number of teams who are responsible for keeping the area and the facilities tidy.”