To be 'United' or not
AFTER weeks of speculation, it has finally been officially admitted that 'Guernsey United' will look to play in off-island cups.
However, no specific time-frame or competition was given in an e-mail sent out to all local clubs yesterday morning, although it is hinted that a cup may be entered next season.
That release has no mention of potentially entering the Jersey leagues that had concerned so many locally and so far has drawn a sceptical response by officials across the water. But rather the release says the project 'is to offer a new challenge for players on Guernsey without compromising the domestic game' and that 'GFA club loyalty is paramount'.
The release came from the League Management Committee and more specifically one of its executive members Andy Robert, who says that expanding the games programme was always on the agenda.
However, he says that the banner this team will enter competition under is not Guernsey United as referred to on the GFA's own website in the build-up to the Muratti semi-final, but rather the Priaulx League XI that plays in the FA Inter-League Cup.
Steve Sharman and Colin Fallaize are coaches of that team and according to the release, it says that any games programme would be specifically designed to build towards the next edition of the FA Inter-League Cup– in 18 months' time.
He admitted that the link with GFC would be close and that the 'Guernsey United' tag would be a 'club identity' that allows 'all aspects of Guernsey football to work together'.
'During the process of appointing Steve and Colin as coaches, the LMC – with the support of the GFA board –were determined that there should be a planned programme of regular fixtures for this squad in readiness for the next Inter-League campaign in 2017,' said Robert.
More in Wednesdays Guernsey Press.
