Dorchester Town chairman Eddie Mitchell in new death threat

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Dorchester Town Football Club chairman Eddie Mitchell remains defiant and refuses to be ‘frightened away’ after receiving a second death threat.

The Dorset property developer received a letter in the post saying ‘he would not live to see the new season’ if he did not leave the club.

Mr Mitchell received a similar letter in February and has reported both to Dorset police. He said the second letter, is signed but the name is difficult to make out.

Mr Mitchell said: “I think it is a bit more threatening this time. I don’t really know what to make of it all, to be honest. I can’t make out the name and I don’t know who it could be. It annoys me because I put a lot into the club in terms of energy and thought and it makes me wonder whether I’m really wanted down here. Football is about achieving and enjoying any achievement, but I’m starting to get the impression that people would rather write death threats and whinge than enjoy themselves. We’ve not delivered the results as much as we would have liked but things need to be built over time and I’ve always been in it for the long term.”

The note was handwritten and warned Mr Mitchell that he had failed to listen to ‘good advice’ in the previous letter. It said that it was not a threat but a ‘guarantee’.

The Dorchester Town chairman said, “The threat doesn’t worry me at all. It’s more about the mentality. It’s reading between the lines of the general public and whether I’ve poked my nose into something where it’s not wanted. Maybe I should get out, I just don’t know.”

He went on to say, “What I would like to see is the people who want the club to go forward to get behind the bloke who wants to take it forward. I’ve got to write a cheque today to pay for the players’ wages and it makes me wonder why I bother. But it won’t frighten me away from anything because I don’t know how the club would survive if I pulled out. I’ve always enjoyed coming down to the club but I won’t keep doing it if people don’t want me here. I can’t see anyone wanting to put several thousands of pounds into the club every week.”

Yesterday afternoon Mr Mitchell spoke to detectives from Dorset Police about the letter. A spokeman from  Dorset Police  said: “A second letter has been seized by one of our officers and it is being examined by detectives, who are continuing their inquiries. Someone, somewhere – perhaps several people – knows or suspects that they know who has been responsible for these letters. We appeal to that person or people to search their conscience, do the right thing and come forward.”