Barnsley soccer team forced to move after gipsies take over pitch

Sunday League side Commercial FC have been told to “avoid confrontation” by their local council and not play a crunch Cup game.

About a dozen caravans straddle the length of the pitch off Broadway, Barnsley and some have their own generators and aerials outside.

The team was due to play there on Sunday but have now been forced to switch the game to an away venue.

Manager Michael Thomas, 29, said: “We played last Sunday morning and the travellers came that night or Monday morning.

“I’ve spoken to Barnsley Council and they told me not to play the game to avoid confrontation.

“It is a Cup game and we were supposed to be at home and now we’re having to play away so will incur travel costs for that.

“They are driving their cars and vans on the pitch and ruining it. It is annoying because last week was the first time I have seen the pitch looking so good.”

The club is now calling for Barnsley Council to make the site more secure.

It is not the first time Commercial FC have been forced off their own pitch by gipsies.

Mr Thomas said: “It happened a while ago and we had to cancel games before the season so that disrupted us.

“We played a friendly and had to go and knock on the caravans to ask them to move.

Barnsley Council said legal action was being taken to remove the travellers.