Photo: @MKDonsFC/Twitter
As you may recall, MK Dons fans recently clubbed together to help non-league Hyde United pay for the damage done to their pitch during a recent FA Cup first round tie between the two sides.
A flare, incidentally let off by a Hyde fan, burned a hole in the club’s artificial pitch literally minutes before the game at Ewen Fields was due to kick off.
Photo: Who Ate All The Pies/BBC Sport
Hyde estimated that the damage will cost roughly £12,500 to fix, with the club having to claim on their insurance to cover the bill.
However, the National League North side were assisted in their plight by a group of MK Dons fans, who dug deep into their own pocket and managed to raise £1,350 – money initially earmarked to put towards the repairs.
After the idea was first floated on MK Dons supporters forum AFC The Concrete Roundabout, fan David Drysdale created a GoFundMe page with the aim of raising £1,000. Donations quickly filtered in and soon the goal was surpassed.
As such, Dons fans Adam and Margaret Faiers made the trip back to Hyde this week to present their cheque to director Steve Hartley.
“They were all so thankful for what we’d done”
Learn more about the fan-led fundraiser which collected over £1,300 for @hydeunited following the incidents at Ewen Fields back in November…https://t.co/m3BKxkiDTw
— MK Dons FC (@MKDonsFC) December 8, 2017
Speaking to the official MK Dons website, Adam Faiers explained just how their donations are going to be put to good use:
As soon as we arrived we were welcomed into the boardroom with open arms. We also visited the social club for a drink and the immediate reception was so appreciative.
With the repairs to the pitch being covered by insurance, Hyde informed us that the money raised will be going into their community fund to help provide the programmes that we are used to seeing from our Sport and Education Trust.
I’m sure all those that donated will agree, it is brilliant to know the money will be used to really good affect.
Smashing stuff from all involved. Simply smashing.