A Social breakthrough?

THE answer to the GFA's long battle with the social leagues lies with the five-a-side league at Beau Sejour.

That is the view of an anonymous social league diehard who is desperate to get his weekend team into an expanded GFA pyramid, the likes of which they have been pushing for from the day its controversial four-year plan was released.

'If the GFA are willing to guarantee my players can continue to play five-a-side next season, we would sign up to the GFA league tomorrow and would encourage other social league teams to do so,' he stated, adding: 'For me, this is the only thing I see that would stop us joining the GFA league next season.'

It is an interesting observation and one, surely, the GFA and its new county secretary, Mike Kinder, would do well to follow up.

The GFA leagues and the Clydesdale Bank Guernsey FA Cup would be far more worthy competitions if they embraced all those sides currently playing in the two weekend social leagues.

The viewpoint that five-a-side holds they key is an intriguing one.

Coupled with the fact that the Sunday Soccer League is on its knees with just seven teams and rumours of more withdrawals, and the bigger IAG Saturday League reportedly not being as organised this past season, the GFA should strike while the iron is hot.

'Five-a-side football is potentially the largest stumbling block you face,' Inside Track was told.

It is not so much about money and the cost of being an affiliated GFA club, he insisted.

He added: 'I understand that the elite island players should be discouraged from playing five-a-side and my club endorse such a policy, but if you let the local clubs police their own players on who they will allow to play five-a-side then I believe this will not be an issue as the top players will not want to risk their club or Guernsey FC ambitions.'

Chris Murphy spoke this week of not only saving but bolstering the Sunday League, but it would appear the odds on this league folding are shortening.

Given its history that would be a shame, but there is no reason why SSL and Saturday League clubs cannot get exactly what they want within a GFA structure of at least three divisions with promotion and relegation.

Nobody is demanding these teams to train once a week or turn up an hour before games for a bout of rigorous warm-ups. If they want a fag at half time, that's their prerogative.

But, of course, if the Sunday League folds then the option of playing 'socially' on both Saturday and Sundays will no longer exist for unaffiliated players.

The one-club, one-player rule will then come into place for the social league fraternity, which has not previously occurred, with the upshot that the remaining social league would become weaker and perhaps more vulnerable.

The would-be new GFA affiliate man insists that his players continue to choose the social leagues over the GFA simply because they enjoy the odd game of five-a-side.

'If the GFA are really keen to start getting players and numbers back into their leagues, then I personally think allowing teams in the lower divisions of the GFA structure to play five-a-side would not be such a bad idea and would not affect11-a-side football at all.

'At the end of the day, some players just want the choice of being able to play both five- and 11-a-side.

'If you give them the choice the GFA will benefit from the decision.'

Meanwhile, it was also interesting to hear that same team manager's views on how he believes the GFA leagues would work with all the social sides on board.

He envisages these sides playing at Division Three-Four level with senior club over-35s sides, plus the likes of Herm and Sark.

By playing Divisions Three and Four largely on Friday nights and Saturdays, it would maintain the social element of those accustomed to playing in the social or veterans leagues.

As for GFA affiliation costs, which clubs such as Port City believed were too high to warrant staying in affiliated football, he suggests that perhaps some commitment should be made by the GFA to ensure that fees are not immediately increased after the first year back in the GFA fold, which is what some social clubs fear will happen.

Watch this space, as there quite obviously is a move about in social league circles to come aboard a more attentive and understanding GFA hierarchy.

THAT was one heck of a result for Bels and their new coach this week.

I have to hand it to 'Belgrave

Wanderers', whatever its travails at any particular time the club retains a remarkable spirit and identity which has been there as long as I can recall and, I daresay, from its very early days.

In the matter of a few weeks Glyn Smith has rekindled the club's natural spirit and to beat St Martin's when an FA Cup final spot is the reward for the winners is a phenomenal effort.

Smith knows all about the old Bels spirit, as he was introduced to it as a junior.

He is also a wise cookie, who is able to adapt his approach to handle the wide range of characters a football dressing room often throws together.

Smith, alone, cannot put right the whole club and despite the recent revival it really does have issues at development level, but he is a solid, no-nonsense man who has the respect of all in the game.

Bels may have found their man to take them through to new successes.

ROLL on June. The Clydesdale Bank International 'GPL' is a sporting event that has the potential to take local cricket to new heights.

This week's auction fanfare was encouraging enough, but more important in my mind were the words of James Kirtley, the former England fast bowler, who gave a very decent impression of a man who really will bend his back to make the project work.

This is very much a project and it requires the proper commitment of the designated professionals to make it work.

The watching public will soon see through it if the UK stars simply roll up for a good social weekend.

I want to see Kirtley send stumps cart-wheeling, the Aussie Ian Harvey smashing big sixes, Shaun Udal turn the ball square and Charlie Shreck utilising every inch of his 6ft 7in. frame to bounce out batsmen with a hostility we seldom see at the old KGV.

We need to see Guernsey's finest players tested in the extreme, otherwise there is no point.

Who will win?

In truth, it doesn't matter a jot. As long as it is hard cricket and entertaining.

THERE is a new star women's bowler on the island, well capable of challenging Alison Merrien and her fellow elite.

Her name is Lianna de la Mare and if you think the 25-year-old has a familiar face, well you would be right.

Until very recently she was Lianna Bichard, Guernsey's regular

representative in the world and British indoor under-25 competitions, who was married to Commonwealth Games bowler Dan de la Mare in the Caribbean.

Congratulations to both.