Former organiser of Sheffield Wednesday supporter's club, 77, heartbroken after being scammed out of thousands

Carole Slack, 77, who together with her late husband Bill ran a supporter’s group out of the White Hart pub in High Green from 1974 until the late 1990s, had organised some landscaping work in her garden, but was left crestfallen when a man who claimed to be working for the company stole £5,000 in cash.

Having told the Wednesday-mad pensioner that he needed the cash up front because of cash flow problems during the pandemic, the scammer said he needed to write up a receipt in the van parked outside. He was never seen again.

The company claim to have been hacked on Facebook, where details of the work were provided.

With police investigations underway, football supporters from both sides of the city divide are coming together to support a fundraising page hoping to reimburse Wednesday-mad Carole.

“She’s a pensioner,” said Carole’s daughter Jill, who thanked those who have contributed to a pot of over £3,000 so far. “It’s a lot of money to her, she’s nearly 78.

“She invited him into the house, you can imagine the situation could have been worse had she realised what was happening while he was there, it’s scary.”

Bill died two-and-a-half years ago and having been through spinal surgery Carole is not well enough to attend matches regularly, though she still watches every match from home.

And as is typical for fans of both clubs across Sheffield, football is an obsession that has spanned generations.

“It was something they always did together,” Jill said on her memories of growing up around the supporter’s club. “When they stopped running the supporter’s club, they went home and away watching them.

“Many, many years ago my mum’s grandad was in the old Infirmary with double pneumonia. He climbed out of the window to go to a match! He just couldn’t miss a game.

“It was the same with my dad. When he was coming towards the end when Wednesday had a pre-season friendly against Villarreal.

“Well he told the staff he had to go. It was two or three weeks before he died. They said it would be impossible to leave the ward with a catheter and a chest drain. He didn’t listen to them and we got him there. He stayed until half-time and was so pleased he was able to say goodbye to the place.”

The supporter’s club at the White Hart used to put on player of the season events and regularly welcomed the likes of Howard Wilkinson, Ron Atkinson and a number of Wednesday players to their social events. Bill would drive coaches full of supporters around the country at a time that saw Wednesday challenge – and win – major honours.

“We’re a family of supporters,” Jill said. “They used to take my son, and he takes his son now. Sheffield Wednesday is part of the family.”

Anyone who would like to contribute to Jill’s fund can do so at the link HERE.

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