Clubs left in dark over suspension

NEXT season's fixtures are out, but a shocked football community probably doesn't much care. The suspension of Guernsey Football Association president Dave Dorey is akin to a defensive wall being hit full in the collective face by a Bobby Charlton piledriver.

The GFA are tight-lipped but the sport is reeling.

Tony Blondel, president of the Vale Rec and a former GFA vice-president, probably echoed the view of the entire football community when he expressed deep shock at the news.

'When I heard it yesterday I just couldn't believe it,' said Blondel.

'I couldn't believe that David has been suspended. I was flabbergasted.

'I don't know what's going to happen.

'The executive made the decision to suspend him. Where it's going to go from that I don't know.'

The GFA has confirmed the next step in the investigation into its suspended president.

David Nussbaumer, the senior vice-president, returns to the island today and is understood to be out of the island again some time on Friday.

Given the enormity of the situation and the need for all the executives to be present, Nussbaumer's busy diary means that the GFA executives will meet tonight.

In other football news, champions Sylvans and FletcherSports Guernsey FA Cup winners St Martin's will kick-off the new season with the Martinez Cup clash at Blanche Pierre Lane on Tuesday 16 August.

The opening Priaulx League fixtures are just four days later with six of the seven sides meeting on the afternoon of 20 August.

Sylvans start their title defence with a home game against Belgrave Wanderers, the team who finished last season in better form than any other local side.

At the Corbet Field, Vale Rec entertain Saints and in a 4.30pm kick-off Rangers are at home to Rovers.

North and their new first-team coach, Phil Corbet, have to wait until the following Saturday for their opening match, an away date against Bels at the Track.

Other key dates in the schedule include Guernsey's first game in the National League Systems Cup.

Playing under the banner of the Guernsey Priaulx League, the Muratti Vase holders entertain Reading Football League at the Corbet Field on Saturday 24 September.

The opening matches in the second staging of the FletcherSports Guernsey FA Cup are pencilled in for Saturday 15 October, the final on Saturday 8 April at the Corbet Field and the Upton Park Cup on 22 April.

The Muratti will be on Monday 1 May at Springfield.