More robust body to run the local leagues

For the last five years, the League Management Committee has been run as a sub-committee of the GFA and was responsible for running the various leagues and cups.

But after various discussions between the GFA, the LMC and the local senior clubs, it has been unanimously decided to form the GFLM to replace the LMC.

Although it will be affiliated to the GFA, it will be responsible for its own decisions, funding and day-to-day running and administration of the leagues and most cups.

Nick Graham will head up the new GFLM as chairman after doing likewise with the LMC and he will be joined by three fellow directors – company secretary Andy Robert, treasurer Paul de la Mare and GFA liaison officer Glyn Smith.

Also heavily involved is Chris Lihou, who will continue as league administrator in a role that has seen him organise the recently-released fixture list.

Graham says that the move is an important one and he is looking forward to the future.

'The format of the League Management Committee last season was not robust enough and, by doing so, it put massive stress onto Andy Robert when the weather started to cause problems,' he said.

'This new organisation will be more robust and we will also work a lot closer with the clubs, with Chris Lihou meeting them on a weekly basis throughout the year.

'We realise that the communication was one issue that wasn't good enough last season, but now we have a clearly-defined structure that everybody knows and things should work much smoother.'

• More in Tuesday’s Guernsey Press.