Footballer asked to fix floodlights after scoring goal

A star striker stepped in to fix his stadium's broken floodlights within minutes of scoring the second goal of the game.

Charlie Clover, an electrician by day, was asked by bosses at non-league Rusthall FC if he could take a look at the lights when they stopped working at half-time on Saturday.

The 27-year-old, from Gravesend, Kent, wasted no time in getting up a ladder to see what he could do.

Despite his best efforts the number nine couldn't get them back on without his tools - and the game at Jockey Farm Stadium was called off.

"They needed [the lights] on for the second half but they were having an issue and informed me at half-time in the changing room," Charlie said.

"[I was asked] 'Can you just run over and have a look and see what you can do?'."

Charlie said he had been gobsmacked by the reaction on social media.

According to the club, based in Rusthall, near Tunbridge Wells, more than 1.5 million people have seen a post it made on X revealing what happened.

"Everyone is just shocked about how quickly it has blown up," said Charlie.

"I'm surprised, to me it did not seem like a big deal but the interest has been madness.

"My football manager has called me up and they're saying, 'We're being asked would you do this and that', and it's all a bit surreal."

The first half ended with Rusthall leading 2-0 against Charlie's former club Corinthian FC, based in Fawkham.

It was, said Charlie, "a shame" it could not go on - especially when Rusthall were winning.

"When you're at the level we play you're never 100% sure you're going to get a game the next weekend," he said.

"You might go three weeks without a fixture."

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