AFC Portchester Fixture Saved as Travellers Moved On by Police and Council
A last-minute drama threatened to wreck a charity football match after travellers stormed the sportsground car park at Wicor Recreation Ground in Portchester.
Travellers Break In, Threaten Big Game
Late on Tuesday night (May 24), a convoy of eight caravans broke through wooden bollards to access the site. The invasion sparked fears the scheduled clash between Portsmouth footballers and Glasgow Rangers, set to attract up to 1,700 fans, would be cancelled. The game supports Help for Heroes.
Paul Kelly, Chairman of Portchester AFC, revealed, “We had a text message saying they had broken through one of the gates on the far side of the field. Our concern was the game we’ve got coming up at the 1. If they were on the field, there would be no game because that is where we were going to park.”
Police and Council Step In
Police and Fareham Borough Council officers were quick to act, arriving on the scene Wednesday morning to handle the situation. The travellers were warned they faced a section 61 notice if they failed to vacate by 2pm.
Officials successfully moved the convoy on before they could cause major disruption, securing the future of Saturday’s high-profile charity fixture.
Local Residents on Edge
Nearby residents also felt the impact. Debbie Mills, who keeps horses in a field close to the sportsground, shared her fears. Kind-hearted managers allowed her to move the horses onto the football pitch overnight. She said,
“We would have been sleeping in the stables last night and it’s my little girl’s birthday today so she wouldn’t have been waking up with no mummy. We had a fear that they would either be riding them or potentially taking them.”
Mills added, “I think the council did the right thing in letting them stay one night and then moving them on because they haven’t got anywhere to go but it puts a massive strain on us locals. It affects us in so many ways that people don’t realise.”
Looking Ahead to the Big Game
Paul Kelly praised the swift work of authorities and expressed relief that the charity match is back on. “I want to thank the local authorities and the police as they did a fantastic job of getting them off so quickly. We just want to move on now and look forward to the weekend’s game and welcome all the supporters who are coming from Glasgow, Ireland, and Portsmouth.
The community now hopes for a smooth event, celebrating football and supporting a noble cause.
