THE chairman of a football club has claimed his team is becoming a “laughing stock” due to the poor state of its council-owned football pitch.

Chris Murray, chairman of Hartlepool Football Club, has warned players are “going to get hurt” due to the condition of the club’s playing field, which he says is regularly overgrown and covered in holes and divots.

The club, which competes in the Wearside League, plays home games at Grayfields Enclosure, which is maintained by Hartlepool Borough Council.

Speaking to The Northern Echo, Mr Murray expressed his “frustration” at the condition of the pitch.

“It is always in a poor condition – the grass doesn’t get cut and there are holes in the surface.

“It has been an ongoing issue for a number of years – we thought last year things were starting to improve, but it has become embarrassing for us now."

Mr Murray said the grass at Grayfields Enclosure had been cut once in the last week.

“One of these days someone is going to get hurt and turn their ankle.

“It effects the quality of the football – we play some big teams in this division and we are becoming a laughing stock," he said.

“We share the pitch with Hartlepool Ladies and we expect a better standard – you would imagine the pitch would be the least of your worries.”

Hartlepool FC compete with the likes of Darlington Reserves, Redcar Athletic and Sunderland West End in the Wearside League.

Mr Murray says the club has even contacted the council and offered to take the pitch “off their hands", as it costs them £6,000-a-year to maintain.

“I understand in this day and age councils haven’t got the money or resources to go out and cut the grass every day.

“We have got a great team of volunteers and committee members who are more than willing to step in and help out.

“They (the council) have got the fixtures and they know when we have a game – some weeks they will cut it when we haven’t got a match so by the time next week comes around it has grown back.

“They are always putting obstacles and saying 'who is going to pay?'" he added.

A spokesperson for Hartlepool Council said: "We strive to do our best with the resources available to us, and this includes carrying out an annual programme of out-of-season pitch restoration.

"Evaluation of this has always found it to be very good.

“We note the concerns expressed, we will look into them and take up matters directly with representatives of the club."