Local Tradesman Hit With Abuse After Sponsoring Football Team
Local carpet fitter Thomas McCormick, a dedicated tradesman in North Belfast, has spoken out after being targeted with unnecessary and distressing abuse simply for sponsoring a local football team. A couple of years ago, Thomas was happy to offer sponsorship support to Westland Young Men FC after being asked by a friend, purely as a way to help a local club in the area. He stresses that his involvement was financial only and he has never had any active role in the club’s operations. Following a recent altercation involving Westland Young Men and Kelvin Old Boys U21 teams, Thomas has found himself the victim of serious harassment. He reports receiving threats via phone calls from withheld numbers, alongside malicious text messages and social media posts aimed at slandering his business and reputation. Speaking about the impact, Thomas explained that he is now being connected to the team’s troubles, despite having no part in the incident. “A couple of years ago a friend of mine asked me if I would help out a local football team that was struggling a bit and needed some support with sponsorship, which was something that I was happy to do in order to help people in the community,” he said. “Since then I have had no involvement with the club, but it seems people are now connecting me to the team and threatening me. This is having a real impact on my mental health and also slandering my business over something that I have had no part in.” Thomas emphasized that his goal has always been to support the community, stating he is always happy to help out local people "on both sides of the divide." This commitment is clear through his recent charitable actions. Just last Friday, Thomas posted on his Facebook page that he had donated £100 to three different local shops—in Ballysillan and Ardoyne—specifically for residents who needed an energy top-up during the colder months. He is also currently running a crucial Christmas Toy Appeal to support families struggling this festive season. Charity boxes for the appeal are currently located at Brian's Newsagents in Ballysillan and the local Co-op, initiatives which have already received widespread community support.