Ian Wright has slammed a non-league club after their women’s team were forced to play on a “park pitch” due to a bouncy castle erected on the club’s stadium pitch as part of King Charles’ Coronation celebrations on Sunday.
Colney Heath Ladies, who play in the FA women’s fifth tier, arrived at Colney Heath's Recreation Ground on Sunday afternoon to discover a large inflatable castle sitting on the corner of the pitch ahead of their Eastern Region Women’s Football League clash with Bowers & Pitsea Ladies FC.
The women's team took to Twitter to air their confusion ahead of kick-off, before tweeting their disappointment that their fixture was forcibly played “on a park pitch” after the celebratory bouncy castle “took precedence”.
The decision incurred considerable backlash and condemnation from Twitter users and notable figures within the football community, including Wright, ex-Arsenal star Gilly Flaherty and England centurion Casey Stoney.
Wright said: “What’s happening here @ColneyHeathFC? Absolutely ridiculous. An embarrassment.”
Stoney, who currently coaches in the United States at San Diego Wave, added: “And yet we think the game has moved forward. So many positive strides at the highest level but yet these attitudes still exist in the game. DO BETTER @ColneyHeathFC.”
Colney Heath men’s account originally replied to the unfurling drama in a tweet that has now since been deleted, which read: “Best wishes to our Colney Heath Ladies first team who played their last game at the Recreation Ground today before their move to another club. It’s a shame that they chose to politicise a community event of which they were fully informed and aware. We wish them every success #UTH”.
And Flaherty criticised the club’s initial post, writing: “Get in the bin @ColneyHeathFC what a poor tweet. @ColneyHLadies I really hope you find a new place you can call home & where you won’t end up being second fiddle to a bouncy castle.”
The men’s club released a follow-up statement on Monday morning explaining the situation and insisting that the women’s team were “fully informed” that they would be playing on the club’s second pitch, while citing “health and safety” reasons for the venue change.
The statement reads: “Yesterday the club hosted a community event celebrating the Coronation of King Charles. It has been months in the planning and was attended by many young families in the club's picnic area.
“Our Ladies team had been fully informed that they would be playing on our second pitch at the Recreation Ground, which satisfies the requirements of the Eastern Region Women's League and the referee of the day.
“The match was moved for health and safety reasons and the presence of the inflatable castle was incidental.
“We have enjoyed a positive relationship with our Ladies team for over ten years, after taking them in when their very existence was in doubt, and we have been a keen advocate of women's football in Hertfordshire ever since, happily hosting Hertfordshire girls football matches this season.
“We are sorry that our departing Ladies team were inconvenienced yesterday, and genuinely wish them every success for the future”.
Hours later, the club released an open apology. “We would like to apologise for the unfortunate events that unfolded yesterday. 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. We hope we can now put this behind us & wish you the very best in your future.”
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