A football team conceded a winning goal after a kit blunder left them a man short.

Volunteers have been asked to help wash Tooting and Mitcham United’s kit after the clothing disaster struck during an away match on February 14.

Tooting and Mitcham United’s outfield players had to borrow shorts from the opposition, Cray Wanderers, because their kit had not been packed.

This led to the players having to swap shirts and shorts with their substitutes as they came off because there were no spares.

Worse still, the team were a man down for several minutes during the first half after a sub was unable to perform a quick swap with an injured player.

Watching from the sidelines, Tooting and Mitcham fan Stan Churchillmann said: “Somebody had to go to the changing rooms and bring the substitute shirts.

“While all this fiacso was going on, Cray scored what proved to be the winning goal.”

On February 22, a message on the football club’s members website said: “For those of you at the Cray game, it will be obvious that we have real challenges around the washing and transporting of the team’s kit.

“With Nigel’s retirement, we have no one to do it.

“Without support from the fans we cannot overcome this problem.

“The paid staff are stretched to the limit and all the funds are going into the squad, the new pitches and covering the shortfall in gate receipts.

"Many clubs are in the same boat, but we are investing for the future.”

Concerns have been raised about the financial state of the football club after The Hub, its non-profit sister company, went into voluntary liquidation in June after running up debts of more than £100,000.

But happier news was announced by the club last week, with a new message that said: “We are pleased to be able to tell you that there has been a donation of a washing machine to the club and that it was installed yesterday.”

"Who would like to be the first one to use it? We still need volunteers to help with the washing and also getting it to away games. Can you help, please email."

"Previously there were many contributors on the forum saying they wanted more say in the running of the football club – well this is where the rubber hits the road so here’s your chance.”

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