Football Association reward local trio's dedication

HOW many of us could do more to help run our favourite sports in Guernsey? The majority of people would say that they could. Most of us take for granted the people behind the scenes who put hours into administration.

Many associations in this island are struggling to find people to help but in the face of such apathy, amazingly three men have just been acknowledged for giving 50 years of continuous voluntary service to football in the island.

One of these is former Vale Rec Priaulx manager Tony Smith who is now general manager at the Corbet Field.

But the two other men are not as much in the limelight. They are Dave Le Noury of Rec and Stan Robilliard of St Martin's.

With Smith, they each received a special medal from the English FA in recognition of their achievement.

'It's amazing really,' said St Martin's chairman Henry Davey about Robilliard's achievement.

'You just can't get them now. He's retired now and he goes up and does this and that.'

Next month, Robilliard will be 77. He has actually given more than 50 years of service to St Martin's but he took a break to get married to his wife, Phyllis.

They are celebrating their golden wedding anniversary this year.

'I played in the Jackson and the Railway and I was a reserve for the Priaulx when we won the championships in the 1960s,' he said.

'You can count the number of medals I've won on one hand. It was the taking part that was more important.'

Davey remembers playing with attacker Robilliard when he started his own playing career.

'If you passed the ball to him you never got it back,' joked Davey.

'He wasn't a bad player although he argues about anything. What do you expect? He's an Arsenal supporter.'

Robilliard's favourite St Martin's player since he's been involved at the club is Colin Renouf. He said it was a pleasure to play on the same pitch with the Muratti legend.

Le Noury, like Robilliard, did not have the most distinguished of playing careers.

Now 71, he joined Vale Rec as a 14-year-old in 1948.

He was also a keen motorcycle trialist. A badly broken arm while riding curtailed his playing days as a goalkeeper when he was 19.

He went on to join the committee and these days you can find him helping out around the Corbet Field.

'Unfortunately my wife died six years ago, which means I can spend my time down there,' he said.

'I was one of the first juniors to join and I've been there ever since. I had a break for two years when I went motorcycle trialing.

'Without that break I would have been there 57 years. I had only one game in the Jackson, I spent most of the time in the Railway.

'But they had another keeper. They kept calling me the judge because I was always on the bench.'

Le Noury's favourite Rec team over the last 50 years was the all conquering 1981 Priaulx side that contained the likes of current Rec boss Chris Hamon, his assistant Johnny Reid, Mark Le Tissier, Chris Dyer, Lawrence Graham, Ray Blondel, Mick Marley and Alan Bougourd, to name a few.

'My favourite player was Alan 'Tich' Bougourd,' said Le Noury.

'He was booked once that whole season and that was only for saying to the referee that the ball was in the wrong place at a free kick.

'He never swore.'

They have both seen a lot of changes in football over the years. They both know what they prefer: the modern game or the way it was.

'I preferred the old way, it's so different now,' said Robilliard.

'It's more about fitness nowadays. There's not the skill there was but there are still some good players about.

'There is no doubt about it.'

Le Noury is concerned about where the administration of football is going with directives from the English FA and the GFA controlling the clubs.

'The fun is going out of football,' said Le Noury.

'Between the FA and the GFA, their rules are mucking football up. They are making a hell of a lot of work for secretaries.

'There is so much paperwork and there is no more council. The clubs can't say anything.'

Both men have fond memories from their respective clubs over the years. But to stay for 50 is a big ask.

'What's the use of going elsewhere?' asked Le Noury.

'I like the Vale Rec and that's why I've stayed.'

Le Noury and Robilliard were taken back when they received their very special accolade.

'It was tremendous,' said Robilliard.

'There are only three of us in the Channel Islands who got it. I was very proud.'