The parents of a Paterson youth football team say that their children have had to play on a “subpar” field.

Parents say that on Monday night, the lights near the football field off Chamberlain Avenue did not come on while the kids had practice. The parents were forced to drive their cars onto the field so they could use their headlights to illuminate the field.

The lights were on during practice Wednesday, but a spokesperson for the city says that the lights need to be fixed.

But the parents say that this is not all. There is garbage on the field, and often the grass is not cut.

The grass was cut on the field Wednesday, once city officials knew that News 12 New Jersey was doing a story on the field.

Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh says that there hasn’t been a master plan to improve the city’s athletic fields for years. The newly elected mayor says that he is working on it.

Parents say that for some of the city’s children, football is all that they have.

“This is their family. This is their every night routine,” says Jessica Schunk.

Mayor Sayegh tells News 12 that if there is another issue with the lights on the field, he will make sure that portable owns are made available.