WEYMOUTH FC chairman Nigel Biddlecombe was left devastated after ugly scenes on the terraces marred one of the most significant events in the club’s recent history.

With 25 members of his family in attendance at the Bob Lucas Stadium, the lifelong fan and club historian signed the club over to a community trust ahead of yesterday’s kick-off against Frome Town – only to see the momentous occasion turn sour both on and off the pitch.

Not only did the Terras lose 3-0 but a fracas also broke out amongst rival supporters in the second half which at one stage threatened to get out of control.

The club bar was also closed at half-time to curb potential trouble.

The police were eventually called and although no arrests were made, Mr Biddlecombe could not hide his disappointment, particularly after ploughing £13,000 of his own money into the club over the past month in a bid to secure its future.

The 55-year-old, who also sponsored the game, said: “I am absolutely devastated.

“What transpired both on and off the pitch was an embarrassment and I am extremely disappointed.

“Signing the club over to a community trust was supposed to be a momentous and happy occasion but a massive dampener was put on it to say the least.

“Some of the Frome fans were an embarrassment and even when I spoke to some of their club directors, they would not get involved.”

Mr Biddlecombe, who claims he was showered in beer by visiting supporters in the corresponding fixture between the two clubs at Badgers Hill on Boxing Day, added: “It was not solely Frome supporters that were causing trouble yesterday but they certainly did their bit and the fact eight or nine coppers had to be called in is going to cost us dear.

“I had 25 members of my family at the game. My father had come down from Scotland and I had relations over from the Channel Islands yet I was unable to sit with them because of everything that was going on.

“Couple that with another dreadful display on the pitch and it really was a huge disappointment and a real kick in the teeth.”

Five police vehicles were spotted at the ground.

One of the Weymouth directors, Mark Coleman, said: “It was just a bit of a scuffle. The police turned up and it was all sorted out quite quickly.

“We closed the bars as a precautionary measure while it was going on."

Frome fan Derek Strudwick said: “There was a bit of jostling and I got knocked in the head. The police had to separate some fans but it all calmed down quite quickly.

“It’s just people looking for trouble, coming to have a few pints and cause a bit of aggro. They're not real fans.”

A Frome fan, who did not wish to be named, said: “I don’t think it was anything serious, just a bit of banter. There was a bit of it before the match, then it kicked off at half-time. The police were really good, but it was just youngsters having handbags at dawn.”

A Weymouth fan, who did not want to be named, said: “I couldn’t see much from where I was, but it just looked like a bit of pushing and shoving, nothing serious.”

A spokesman for Dorset Police said officers were called to the ground but that no arrests were made.

He said: “It was verbal banter, there were no clashes or fighting. It was just a case of officers monitoring the situation.”

He added: “No arrests were made and there was no report of any offences.

“It was just a case of keeping officers in the area until the groups disbanded.”