Untimely irony to playing the power card

THE irony should not be under-estimated or ignored.

All because of the GFA ban on affiliated players indulging themselves in some extra-curricular indoor five-a-side.

It's yet unclear just how big the 'Hooper Scandal' will become, but the early portents were that here is a story that's not going to go away quickly and quietly.

Blimey, we've even got a diehard Guernseyman with a true Sarnian name to match, threatening to tell all to the Jersey Football Association if we manage to do what we haven't done very often of late, actually beat the crapauds.

Vale Rec, Hooper's club, are scathing in their criticism of the GFA who, of course, are headed by two of their favourite sons, chairman Mark Le Tissier and secretary Neil Laine.

Oh the joy of steering football these days.

Good people holding office must seriously wonder some times if it's all worth the hassle.

I confess to feeling very sorry for the GFA on this matter.

Hooper, smashing lad that he is and talented all-round sportsman, has been a little silly in this matter, having been given the chance to extricate himself from an embarrass-ment and chosen not to do so in the pursuit of some personal glory – a five-a-side league golden boot.

I can't see what more the GFA can do than ban the player after choosing to de-affiliate the FRM Five-a-side League.

But 10 months on from making that decision to split local football, the association may be regretting that they took their power a step too far and wishing they had left the 'fun fives' alone.

Was it worth it?

Did it really matter if good players wanted to play a little fun indoor football?

ON Upton day it would be totally remiss not to give some serious credit to the man who has steered North to the title.

Mick Le Prevost (pictured) may be short on badges, but he's got an awful lot of commitment, very sound football knowledge and a desire to send out attacking sides.

On top of that he's also a good boss, always helpful to us Press boys.

He's given the club stability and seems to connect with what is a very young squad.

But, his biggest challenge starts after today's Springfield showdown.

Win or lose, it will be tougher for North next season, not least because he will have more players to satisfy and a reinvigorated St Martin's breathing down their necks.

Saints may have lost two cup finals in a week to remind them starkly that they are not as good as some think they are, but in their defence both those games were played without key

cup-tied or suspended players.

Their exciting and to be applauded-pledge to seek entry into the FA Vase will also help them when it comes to the annual scramble of player recruitment come 1 June.

IT'S scarcely believable that island life has changed so much in 30 years that fastpitch softball has bitten the very dust that used to be thrown up every summer's evening on the Beau Sejour diamond.

Losing shove ha'penny was a terrible pity, but losing softball is a real shame in that it provided so many with quality entertainment and column inches for Press readers of past generations.

The writing had been on the wall for fastpitch for years after cricket won the battle of the summer team sports. But why? I cannot completely put my finger on it.

Suggestions to rbatiste@guernsey-press.com please.