Non-league team subjected to ‘vile and personal’ abuse after refunding fans following heavy loss

English sixth-tier side Eastbourne Borough faced a double blow, not only suffering a humiliating 7-0 defeat but also having to refund travelling supporters' tickets.

The 45 fans who made the arduous journey across the south coast to Torquay United on Saturday endured a torrid afternoon as their team conceded four goals before the interval.

The rout continued after the break, with Eastbourne left second-bottom in the standings with a dismal record of just two wins from 18 games.

In an unusual gesture of accountability, the club confirmed players would cover the cost of admission.

"Following today's unacceptable result, Eastbourne Borough's players will be reimbursing the cost of match tickets for all travelling supporters," a statement read.

However, this act of contrition was overshadowed by a wave of online vitriol.

The club issued a subsequent statement condemning "vile and personal" abuse directed at the team.

Club owner and chairman Simon Leslie addressed the issue directly, stating: "In the last 12 hours, some of the comments aimed at our players, staff, and our club have moved from frustration into personal hate and I'm not going to let that go unanswered."

He added: "There is a clear line between criticism and abuse and some people have crossed it.

“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. It harms individuals, it worries their families, and it damages the community we are trying to build.”

Eastbourne have taken just 12 points from their opening 18 matches in the National League South this season.

They are the lowest scorers in the division, having found the net just 14 times, and they drew another blank on the weekend to remain in the relegation zone.