A football club has suffered "a kick in the teeth" from yobs who went on the rampage at its ground over the weekend.

The management team at Faversham Strike Force were preparing to welcome back young players at The Mount in the town and are distraught at the trail of damage caused.

The vandals smashed down goal posts and fencing, and damaged the pitch and seating benches.

"This is a real kick in the teeth for everyone who puts so much time and effort into nurturing this club," said furious club manager Gary Axford.

"It will be the taxpayers of Swale who will ultimately foot the bill for the damaged posts which could run into thousands of pounds.

"Next time you wonder why your council tax bill has gone up, these idiots could provide you with some of the answer.

"The club will now have to pay to fix the fence and it’s our volunteers who will be forced to pick up litter, clear up graffiti and do the repairs. And all this at a time when they should be preparing to welcome back hundreds of the town’s children to play football in a few weeks."

Only last week, the club, which manages almost 25 teams, received a substantial grant from the Football Foundation to invest in new facilities at The Mount, including refurbished changing rooms, a new kitchen, storage and security measures.

But Mr Axford says the vandalism "has really knocked the wind from our sails" and caused it to question the plans.

He added: "There has been so much talk in Faversham about the need to beef up security at the Rec, but The Mount – our home – seems to have been completely forgotten.

"Anyone who uses it regularly, from footballers to families and dog-walkers, can see the state that it’s frequently left in and in a way that’s no surprise because there is very little to deter anyone who wants to cause problems.

"We are going to be seeking permission from Swale Borough Council to allow us to install CCTV as it’s abundantly clear that, if we’re going to invest thousands of pounds in our home for the good of the town, we need to make sure that investment is properly protected from these morons."

The vandalism has also sparked outrage on the club's Facebook page.

Tony Caldwell wrote: "Appalling! I'm not a football fan but the facility provides a great outlet for the youngsters. The perpetrators of this should be ashamed, but of course they won't [be]."

Derek Cole added: "The words ‘mindless’, ‘morons’ and ‘senseless’ spring to mind. Unfortunately, there are a few in our society who have no sense of community or understanding of the words ‘decency’ or ‘respect’."

Mr Axford is urging anyone with information about the vandalism to contact police.

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