Teams don't have free ride

I recall a few years ago (due to my involvement with one of said social league teams) Rob personally contacted a number of then social league teams to encourage them to leave the social league structure and move across to GFA, at that time he seemed very keen for clubs to move under the GFA umbrella but now he seems despondent/negative about the recent additions to the GFA leagues.

In his column of Saturday 5 November he makes reference to these teams being set up for the sole purpose of giving players an easy, cost-free ride/access route into local football. This is a very strange remark to make when I am not sure he is fully aware of how these clubs are run. I can speak from experience with regard to Manzur FC in particular. All players that play for Manzur contribute an annual fee and then a fee for each match they play. This amount over the course of a season amounts to around the same as players of his so-called 'proper clubs' pay for the season, so I am not sure where this comment comes from.

He also made reference to players only being interested in a new kit each season. Once again I am not entirely sure what fact that is based on, but the comment in itself is a little insulting and embarrassing to think someone such as Rob, an avid sports fan and local fountain of knowledge, would raise such a remark without having any basis for it.

As always I try and read between the lines and assume that Rob's column was intended to support the more established local clubs such as Northerners FC. Let us then agree on that point. Manzur as a club are extremely fortunate and grateful to Gary Cortez and all involved at North for assisting us in calling the Northfield our home. In turn we are extremely supportive of North as a club, attend the bar/clubhouse after every training session/game and as you can probably imagine, coming from the social league and not being proper footballers, we are very good at enjoying the amber nectar after our sporting endeavours.

We also attend North's first team fundraising events that enable them to compete in the Hampshire Cup and try in any way possible to assist them in being such a successful organisation. I would like to think that they as a club enjoy having us around and perhaps even see us as the annoying younger brother that is starting to get on in the world. Maybe one day we can find our own premises suitable for running three senior football teams but, with local planning laws as they are, this may be difficult. So for now we will remain Manzur FC found at home at the Northfield.

With regard to us being named after our sponsor – we are extremely grateful to be assisted in being able to provide football to 40-plus individuals on a weekly basis. This is of course no mean feat and although we are very well supported by Manzur we also pay our own way. He of course helps, but we like to give back to him like he has so kindly given to us and as such being named Manzur FC is the least we can do.

Let's round this off with inviting Rob to come and watch any of our teams on a regular basis. I am sure that he would be able to write a slightly more positive, honest article and will see that we are only here to play football at a suitable level and hopefully improve the local GFA structure and set-up after what has been a difficult few years since the very positive introduction of GFC.

GUERNSEY FOOTBALL'S

BIGGEST FAN