Sylvans and football the ones to suffer from ruling

THERE are so many good, forward-thinking people in football that my heart goes out to them when indirectly they are punished by the foolhardiness of others. I was not the only observer who did not know whether to laugh or cry when GFA released a statement to say that the Cable & Wireless Priaulx League game between Rangers and Sylvans at St Andrew's had been called off because of a missing toilet door in the ref's changing room.

Who needs a misbehaving footballer to bring the sport into disrepute when such decisions are made, albeit in good faith?

What were they thinking about, for goodness sake?

Certainly not Sylvans who could lose the Priaulx title on the back of the postponement and certainly not the image of the game and the GFA which, through its league, cups &grounds sub-committee, has been made to look the biggest fool.

Its frustration with Rangers surely was no reason to punish a revived Sylvans who have virtually all their big guns available again, but may well not have whenever the match is rescheduled.

Might it have been better for GFA to simply insist that until the door had been hung, match officials would have use of the home dressing room. Rangers would have to change in the bar or their cars.

Had the game gone ahead, it was a banker three points for the league's in-form team, currently making the most of the return of the Nobes brothers.

Who is to say that John and Paul won't have returned to the physio's table ahead of the re-match and who is to say that Sylvans won't be suffering from a weather-created backlog made worse by the stupid postponement?

But, no. Rangers had to be punished, it seems.

But do they care? Probably not.

On current form - nine straight losses - they are very poor, but they might just have Dale Garland and Ross Allen available to them come the re-match.

Sylvans might have some cause to worry then.

If the GFA can call off games because of a missing door in a room out of sight of the general public, what next?

Games off due to ref scalding tongue on boiling half-time cuppa; no toilet paper; no Sky Television to catch up with the half-time Premiership scores.

At the Corbet Field, the match officials have to walk at least 15 yards from the dressing room to the public outhouse. Will Vale Rec be instructed to build a covered walkway for the inconvenienced refs or face penalties?

Of course not.

Yes, referees are important and there cannot be a game without one.

But, unlike the players, they do get paid and, I might say, very well: £17 for a whistle and £14 for a line.

In local hockey, umpires officiate for the love of it, as they do in local cricket for which every weekend championship umpires stand for up to six hours for the price of a cup of tea between innings and a piece of cake if they are lucky.

As for Rangers, who for many years have struggled to match the off-pitch administration requirements, and attract new talent and club officials, the whole incident reflects badly on them, too.

But in these days of extensive admin and fewer and fewer volunteers, Rangers require a degree of understanding and a helping hand, not be made an example in a battle of oneupmanship.

JUST who is Vale Rec's number one all-time goalkeeper?

Following our suggestions as to who should feature in the best ever Vale XI, it was the position of goalie that attracted the most debate.

While we plumped for Chris Hamon, some Vale stalwarts argued the case not only for Dave Jones, but also for the man-in-black, Mick Falla, Steve Ingrouille and the latest incumbent, Jody Bisson.

All five won Muratti caps and all had their own particular strengths.

Falla, for instance, was a marvellous shot-stopper but was the least cool of the candidates.

But I have no doubt for consistency and overall excellence in all areas, Hamon gets my vote.

As for who would win a fantasy game between Vale's all-stars and their St Martin's equivalents, I would edge towards the green-and-yellows.

In Kevin Allen, Colin Renouf, John Herpe and the oft-forgotten Alan Bannister sitting in front of the 'Gerve' Brazier, Saints can boast the better defence, but Vale win the day both in midfield and up front.

This week the spotlight is on the island's two oldest clubs, North and Rangers.

What do you, the readers, think?

Comments can be made by post to the Sports Editor, Guernsey Press, Braye Road, Vale, GY1 3BW; or by email to sport@guernsey-press.com