Football fans to get refund after 'dismal' away game

Louis Dennis (left) scored a hat-trick for Torquay as they thrashed Eastbourne

A decision to refund football fans who had travelled 250 miles to watch their side lose 7-0 was made at half-time, the club's owner has said.

A total of 45 Eastbourne Borough FC supporters made the 10-hour round trip to Torquay to watch the National League South team who now sit second bottom of the table on 12 points.

Owner Simon Leslie admitted Saturday's showing was "pretty dismal" and said the club was working tirelessly to reverse their fortunes this season.

He told BBC Radio Sussex the club already subsidised the coach travel but made the refund decision "at half-time, before the extra three goals went in".

Mr Leslie pointed to recruitment, injuries, and management upheaval as contributing factors.

He said: "When has Eastbourne Borough ever bought a player? It's just free transfers, it's always been free transfers."

He identified Brayden Johnson, sold to Middlesborough after a stellar season, and former train driver Yahya Bamba, now with Forest Green Rovers, as examples of "fabulous talent" uncovered and sold on.

Meanwhile, a change in management has seen Tommy Widdrington return after Matt Gray was relieved of his duties last month.

Mr Leslie said: "Within a week Tommy has brought in three new players.

"We're not sitting here going, 'oh, never mind, these poor fans, let them suffer'... We're all suffering together, we're all disappointed, and we're all trying to fix it as quickly as we can."

Eastbourne's club owner Simon Leslie warned that criticism should not stray into personal comments

On a separate post to the club website, Mr Leslie called out some of the comments made following the 7-0 defeat, some of which he said had "moved from frustration into personal hate".

He wrote: "You can question decisions. You can challenge performances. You can expect more and you should.

"What you can't do is attack people with vile, personal comments.

"That doesn't make the team play better. It doesn't move the club forward."

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