A women’s football team arrived for their final home game of the season only to find a bouncy castle had been put up on it as part of coronation celebrations.
Colney Heath Ladies were meant to play their last home game against Bowers & Pitsea Ladies on Sunday, on a pitch they regularly use at Colney Heath FC, in the Hertfordshire village.
However, players were surprised to find the bouncy castle on the pitch, which organisers refused to move.
Players had to play on a different pitch at the venue, which resulted in a “sour end” to their league campaign.
We are genuinely upset to have to inform you that @ColneyHeathFC decided that a bouncy castle takes precedence over a Women’s Football Match at tier 5.
We were informed that we had to play on a park pitch today.
We apologise to our opponents @bowersladiesfc.
After… https://t.co/P2V3HjclZo pic.twitter.com/dhQKy3Zikr
— Colney Heath Ladies (@ColneyHLadies) May 7, 2023
“We were aware of the fact that there was an event happening, but we didn’t know that it would be to the effect that we wouldn’t be able to use the pitch”, a club spokesperson, who did not wish to be named, told the PA news agency.
This resulted in a “sour end” to the ladies team’s tenure at the ground, the spokesperson said.
“While there was another pitch we could use, it doesn’t meet our league rules and regulations.
“We totally get that the club want to engage with the community and want to celebrate a national event, but there was ample space and other spaces where they could have put this bouncy castle.”
The spokesperson added: “There’s a massive glass ceiling at the minute because when we went there (Colney Heath) we were just one team, and now we’ve grown and developed and have a reserves team.
“But there’s only so much that can happen at that area, so we’re trying to develop both teams by finding a place for the first team to move to, which allows the reserves team to have the potential to develop and grow themselves.
“We only reacted like we did to help women’s football so others can continue to enjoy it.”
The spokesperson said they had hoped the match would be a “big” event – but it is “now being remembered for all the wrong reasons”.
Colney Heath FC issued a statement on Monday, apologising to the club.
“We would like to apologise for the unfortunate events that unfolded yesterday”, it said.
“This was all a misunderstanding, as we believed our communication with the ladies team was that they were allocated the second pitch, as we had a community event which had been scheduled since the coronation weekend was announced.
“Colney Heath FC are fully supportive of everyone participating in all kinds of sports.”
