All set for first over-50s ‘Muratti’

TWO charities that care for some of the Channel Islands’ most physically disabled people are to benefit from the first ever Over-50s Muratti football clash.

Guernsey’s first super-veteran ‘Muratti’ representatives: Back row, from left – Paul Keltie, Mark Harrison, Darren Cooley, Adie Byrne, Cameron Ingrouille, Paul Philp, Stuart Coburn, Paul Ockleford, Steve Bougourd. Front – Kevin Burgess, Ian Coutu, Colin Ozanne, Lee Manning, Neil Fitchet and Robbie Dover. Rob Sheppard was unavailable for the picture. (Picture by Chris George)

The match, in aid of Jersey and Guernsey Cheshire Homes, will take place at Springfield this evening with a 6.30pm kick-off and will feature some well-known names from local football of the past.

Everyone who dons the famous red and green jerseys of the respective islands will pay £100 as a donation to the two sister charities, which are both part of the international division of Leonard Cheshire Disability.

There will be no charge at the gate but there will be pitch-side collections and an informal fundraising dinner afterwards at St James Wine Bar to boost the amounts raised.

The idea came about as a result of the close Cheshire Home connections of the founders of popular over-50s football team the Guernsey Super Veterans.

GSV chairman Paul Ockleford has been a board member of Guernsey Cheshire Home since the middle of last year and the chairman of the Sarnian charity is fellow GSV player Rob Sheppard. Among their Jersey contacts were St Peter FC stalwart and boss of CI Engravers Jon Welsh, who managed the island’s junior side at the same time as Ockleford held that job in Guernsey.

They spoke about the possibility of an over-50s Muratti when they both watched a St Peter match in Guernsey last year and the idea moved on from there.

Welsh hoped the game will become an annual fixture and already GSV are ready to invite a Jersey team over to play a triangular tournament with England over-50s in September.

The GSV team was affiliated with the Guernsey FA in November last year and was set up to provide opposition to an England over-50s team that wanted to play in Guernsey.

Initially there were 16 players available to GSV, who each played two-thirds of the first game.

However, Ockleford said that the popularity of over-50s football had grown significantly and between 40 and 50 players now meet monthly for an 11-a-side game. ‘The benefits of playing and being involved have surprised me and the comments of enjoyment, feeling healthier by joining in, are nice to hear,’ he said.

The Guernsey team will be coached on the day by former Muratti boss Phil Corbet.