Official link between Guernsey and Bristol City announced

In his roles at both the Guernsey Football Association and Guernsey FC, Tony Vance is the driving force behind the partnership, which comes after discussions with Bristol City owner Steve Lansdown.

Part of the deal could mean a couple of Bristol City's young professionals turning out for the Green Lions if needed, as they are aware of the problems GFC face, particularly in midweek away matches.

But primarily, the announcement means that Guernsey's Aztec Foundation and Louvre Development Academy teams will have the opportunity to travel to the UK for matches against Bristol City's Academy sides and participate in training camps.

Vance says it is an important step in moving forward Guernsey football.

'I think it is an element of Guernsey football that we haven't fully developed up to this point and ultimately we want to ensure that all footballers over here can benefit from this,' he said.

'Also, another big thing is that we want to be able to send across local coaches to learn new skills and new methods from their coaching team.

'Bristol City are a club who are going places at the moment and to finalise this link is fantastic news for us and can only benefit Guernsey football as a whole.'

• More in Thursday’s Guernsey Press.