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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Footballs over our fence

116 replies

thekingfisher · 29/03/2015 12:31

This may very well out me - but well I'm feeling so irritated I don't really care!

Our house sides onto a village football pitch. When we bought the house circa 5 yrs ago the vendors told us there was a match maybe once per month. The reality was that at least one football match is held most sundays for the entire football season. This was fine until 18 months ago we bought a further piece of land at the back of our house which we incorporated into our garden. This means our garden and house plot now runs the entire length of the pitch.

There is a gate right at the very end of the piece of land which we bought which historically was used by the football team and unlocked by the farmer each sunday morning for them to retrieve their balls. The land was unused agricultural land (i.e. old orchard and asparagus field not farmed anymore and mostly weeds) so this didn't really have a bearing on us - plus we had a large boundary hedge which separated us from this piece of land.

Since we bought it we have spent considerable sums of money( i.e. many thousands) opening it into our garden, taking down and replanting hedging, cultivating the lawn, revitalising the orchard etc etc. so it is now very clearly part of our plot.

However we now have footballs coming over into this field often 5 or 6 times every sunday morning. As our entire ground floor is most glass and open plan this means anyone coming into the garden or the land at the back has an open view into our house.

I asked the football manager to knock before coming over - this morning he knocked and asked me to get the balls ( 3 had been kicked over) I said i can but not yet as I was still in my PJ's and it was peeing down. He asked if he could and I said yes. 20 monists later a spectator ( young lad who I know) came round and asked to get a ball - again I said yes. However it then transpired he let himself out of the top gate ( which should have been locked) and then let himself back in two more times to fetch other balls - meantime I'm pottering around in my kitchen when I just see someone wandering around the garden.

Would IBU to basically say that they can only come and get balls at end of the match ( or half time if they're a bit crap and kick too many over)? The Manager said they only had 3 balls - so would I be additionally unreasonable to tell him to buy more so they don't need to come around every 2 mins or just let themselves in ( or worse still climb over the wire fence which incenses me as it bends and its about 6 ft tall. ).

It feels like every sunday morning we are invaded and I have been caught wandering around in my underwear which again I don't think is fair.

OP posts:
maliaki · 29/03/2015 14:49

The OP has also made it clear that her son's toys and balls have been stolen by people coming into her garden for balls so if she leaves it open, it's a free for all. I'd padlock it tight, not just for the things being stolen, also the dog as well, plus if they left open while OP was on holiday that's a big security risk for her- someone could use the back garden to break in rather then be seen sulking at the front.

On the basis of things being stolen, the security risk because someone has taken the severe piss, I would tell them to buy more balls, come round at half time, ask for a list of games and chuck any balls back you see. If she's 'bitch woman' because she's upset people by being upset at things having been stolen then those people should look to their own for blame instead since one of them stole childrens toys.

Sparklingbrook · 29/03/2015 14:50

DH says a Mitre match ball would be about £20.

MovingOnUpMovingOnOut · 29/03/2015 14:52

I know this is not radical, but how about taking to the football club and working something out?

Philoslothy · 29/03/2015 14:56

I would buy them another six balls and ask them to collect at the end.

FitouForMe · 29/03/2015 14:56

This^ for crying out loud.

Drama llama

MythicalKings · 29/03/2015 14:56

If the op wants to, she can of course make this a major fight. And yes, she will win (legally) but she will also lose because the entire population of the village, children and parents, will hate her.

Not this village. We'd be right behind her. The people who play football on our park aren't even local. They bring their dogs along, that shit everywhere. They park all over the lane blocking people in. Their language is awful and their children run riot.

Take the gate out and make them walk all the way round, OP. Build a stronger, taller fence and tell the football club that they will be held responsible for any damage caused .

FitouForMe · 29/03/2015 14:56

That was to Moving.

FitouForMe · 29/03/2015 14:57

Okay, who had dogshit pre 3pm? Anyone?

Sparklingbrook · 29/03/2015 14:59

Grin Fitou, actually that wasn't on my bingo card.

Maryz · 29/03/2015 15:00

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

londonrach · 29/03/2015 15:02

Id simply say collect the balls at the end of match when op is there and happy to let them in. No way should they be coming in every 15 minutes. Also what if op had a glass greenhouse. They need to move the pitch further away. Any balls not collected when op says at end of match are disposed of. Im cruel but imagine this happening every weekend and what if op is away. She has people coming into her garden, knowing shes away! Its not your problem, its theres. You kind to let them collect the balls at all. End of match only!

Maryz · 29/03/2015 15:04

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Sparklingbrook · 29/03/2015 15:04

Any plans for a glass greenhouse you haven't told us about OP? Grin

Maryz · 29/03/2015 15:06

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SpinDoctorOfAethelred · 29/03/2015 15:06

Mythical it's not a park.

it's an actual football pitch. I bet it has goalposts and everyfink.

MovingOnUpMovingOnOut · 29/03/2015 15:08

Op might be lucky. The pitch might be sold off for a fuck off housing estate. Maybe even overlooking her garden!

Or she might see how keeping a community football ground there is actually very good for her.

Sparklingbrook · 29/03/2015 15:10

I am assuming it's a proper football pitch where they have goals they have to erect every week, and it's all marked out, and the team pay their subs every year to use?

Am I wrong?

SpinDoctorOfAethelred · 29/03/2015 15:10

Anyway, what I want to know is the house prices. A football pitch is typically around 110 yards, really. I'd love that much land!

MythicalKings · 29/03/2015 15:10

Our park has a football pitch on it, I should have made that clear.

Village DCs don't get a look in at weekends because it's rented out. The people using it aren't from here, hence them blocking the lanes and drives with their cars.

Maryz · 29/03/2015 15:13

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

EatShitDerek · 29/03/2015 15:15

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

CallOfTheRiled · 29/03/2015 15:17

I think children should all stay indoors on their X-Boxes. Then no one will be inconvenienced. Honestly, give them a break.

MythicalKings · 29/03/2015 15:18

The council owns the land, Maryz. The pitch and changing room is rented out at a loss.

SpinDoctorOfAethelred · 29/03/2015 15:21

Yes, the chances the actual teams will let you play on their pitch on matchdays is generally the square root of fuck all. On the other hand, in my childhood experience as one of the local kids, they let us (and kids from small schools without a pitch) come on their land on weekdays. And we knew that if we got good enough, that might be us on matchday somewhere. Halcyon circle of life, mate.

Costacoffeeplease · 29/03/2015 15:26

YANBU keep the gate locked, and let them knock and collect them at the end of the match. It would be a shame if they landed in a bit of your own dog's poo, wouldn't it??

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