The chairman of Bridgnorth Town Football Club today claimed T Mobile’s plans to build a phone mast on its ground are detrimental to what the club is trying to achieve.

Eric Eagles said he was worried a 17m mast could turn people away from the club and sour relations with the community – even though it has nothing to do with them.

His comments come after T Mobile’s application to build a new floodlight with a telecommunications antennae at the Crown Meadow ground was finally registered with the district council.

The phone giant lodged its proposal at the start of July but a delay in the planning process meant it has only now been formally registered with the authority.

Bridgnorth Town FC, which leases the ground at Innage Lane from the town council, has already voiced its opposition to the scheme.

Shropshire Playing Fields Association has also said it is against the plans on health grounds, while the town council itself has said it could block the move.

Mr Eagles said: “We have not been involved at all with the planning application. It is detrimental to what we are trying to do as a club.

“We don’t want something like this at the cost of losing members who are against it. We are trying hard to build a good relationship with the town and get kids involved.

“Public opinion is totally against this. We have had nothing to do with it whatsoever and only found out about it from a resident.”

A similar move from mobile phone company O2 was rejected by the town council two years ago.