Andover Town Youth Football Club has confirmed it has been the victim of a significant fraud, resulting in the loss of more than £30,000 from club accounts and placing the organisation in an extremely difficult financial position.
The money was intended to cover essential running costs, including pitch hire for training and matches, referee fees and other day-to-day expenses. Its loss has left the not-for-profit club, which supports more than 130 local young players, facing serious short-term challenges.
Despite the situation, the club has stressed that its priority remains the children. Training is continuing as planned, and every effort is being made to ensure teams can complete the current season. However, the club has acknowledged that some fixtures may be disrupted while finances are stabilised.
Volunteer coaches and committee members have already paid a number of costs out of their own pockets to keep teams playing. In response, the club is pursuing emergency funding and has launched a crowdfunding appeal to help cover outstanding debts and immediate expenses. Around £10,000 is urgently needed to allow the season to be completed, with any additional funds going towards traditional end-of-season trophies for players.
A police investigation is currently underway, led by Hampshire Police. Due to the active nature of the investigation, the club has said it cannot share further details and has asked the community to avoid speculation or naming individuals, warning that this could jeopardise legal proceedings and any potential recovery of funds.
The club has also expressed its gratitude to ASC (Charlton Astro), Knights Enham School and John Hanson School, which have shown flexibility and understanding by allowing football activities to resume in January despite outstanding debts. Local leagues have also offered support where possible, with the club describing this as a powerful example of the spirit of grassroots football.
A JustGiving page has been set up to support the appeal. While parents are not being asked to donate, as subscriptions have already been paid, the club has encouraged members of the wider community to share the link and contribute if they are able.
Supporters seeking further information have been asked to direct all queries to the club committee via official channels to prevent misinformation.
The crowdfunding page can be found at:
https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/andovertownyouthfc
The club has thanked the community for its patience, understanding and continued support as it works to safeguard the future of grassroots football for local children.