Bye bye Brehaut

A STALWART of women's football in Guernsey has kicked her last ball in the local game. Sally Brehaut was involved for 25 years, as a player, coach and notably as an administrator.

She was heavily involved in bringing women's football under the umbrella of the GFA, the introduction of the women's Muratti and women's involvement in Island Games football and the switch to a winter season.

Brehaut's final match was last Sunday as Sylvans crushed Rangers 7-0. The following day she left for a new life in France.

'I'm sad to be leaving, particularly football and the girls at Sylvans, but it's a new start, a new life, and in a way I'm glad to be going too,' she said.

Brehaut, 39, started playing football inspired by her father and various family members. 'It's a football family,' she said, simply.

Her playing career embraced Bluebells, the famous Knickers United, Saints and Sylvans and she has won every possible pot in the women's game.

'I always happened to play for the right team at the right time. I can't tell you how many medals I've got.'

Her greatest moments were three Muratti caps, all as substitute, earned in the first three Guernsey-Jersey clashes - all victories for the Sarnians.

'The Muratti medals mean more than all those other trophies. It's the highlight of your season to be in the island squad.

'I was lucky to play those and it was great. To win all three was even better.'

Brehaut, president of the Guernsey Women's Football Association for nine years until recently, is delighted at the way women's football has pushed on in recent years.

But as a minis coach at Sylvans she felt that there is a missing link in the chain taking girls from minis football to the Muratti.

'It's a bit weird. Minis covers Years 6 to 9, but then there's a gap. Girls at 12, 13, 14 are too old to play with youngsters, but too young to play seriously.

'You see 14-year-olds up against senior players and they can be a bit stand-offish. There are some good nippers coming through but I think there needs to be something more for them. I'd like to see an under-18 or even an under-16 Muratti.'

She would also like to see more island challenges for the women beyond the annual Jersey match and Island Games tournaments.

'But it's money. It would be great to go away and play other teams but you need more sponsorship for that. It's a shame to have just one game a year.'

Although the move to winter football is expected to rejuvenate the Guernsey Muratti challenge following three successive defeats to Jersey, Brehaut feels that something is missing compared to those summer evenings at Blanche Pierre Lane.

'The atmosphere was better in the summer,' she said. 'People knew games were on in the evenings and would go along to watch. Now you don't get many people coming to watch, and sometimes all the clubs are playing at the same time.

'As a player I prefer the winter, but you just don't get the support now.'