LISTEN: Guernsey Football's All-Time Top 100 countdown
WHO has been the biggest star of the Guernsey football scene?
The title of the island’s best-ever footballer is one that fits perfectly on the striped shoulders of Matt Le Tissier. A true great, renowned across the modern footballing world.
But if you are an octogenarian your view might well be that Len Duquemin was our finest, perhaps ‘Flip’ Le Flem even, and, if you wish to push the best female footballer argument, then Maya Le Tissier wins hands down.
But, who was the island’s best non-professional? It is a question the Guernsey Press sports desk have pondered many times and now, with the support of DWA, we are running a countdown of Guernsey Football's All-Time Top 100 footballers who, at one time or another, have played senior club football on island or returned to play it after a professional career – a ‘rule’ that allows us to acknowledge the capabilities of those like Chris Tardif, the current Guernsey manager.
For our choices, we have gone back to the very start in the 1890s and we come bang up to date by including a few of the stars of 2020. In the 100 you will find at least one player from both ends of that 125-year spread.
To reach a conclusion to which player sits where on the 100-step ladder and those who failed to mount the first step onto it, we have used a simple criteria which saw players scored on the number of Muratti caps achieved, their technical ability, longevity and sheer star quality.
There have been bonus points for those who achieved professional status and yet stepped back into the Priaulx League and give us a peep at what we were missing when they were away in the UK.
It’s a long list. It is a broad one also and we will be updating it regularly until revealing who has come out on top.
100 – Sydney Cotton
99 – Les Arnold
98 – Roger Hemery
97 – Ryan Tippett
96 – Kevin Allen
95 – Jan Renouf
94 – Arthur Broadribb
93 – Charlton Gauvain
92 – Trim Morgan
91 – Alan 'Bonny' Eldridge
90 – Tony Williams
89 – Rodney Webb
88 – Ray Blondel
87 – Brian Knight
86 – Glyn Dyer
85 – Bill Huelin
84 – Ken Carter
83 – Henry Davey
82 – Bob Brehaut
81 – Micky Ogier
80 – Ken Giles
79 – Colin Le Page
78 – Dougie Mechem
77 – Joel Avery
76 – Kevin 'Goosey' Gleeson
75 – Geoff Rowe
74 – Martin Gauvain
73 – Art Le Page
72 – Stan Noel
71 – Harold Chapell
70 – Fred 'Ratter' Cleal
69 – Keith Jeffreys
68 – Freddie Willcocks
67 – Ryan Zico Black
66 – Tommy Le Prevost
65 – Jim Eker
64 – Arthur Pugh
63 – Micky Duncan
62 – Alex Le Prevost
61 – Nigel Le Page
60 – Craig Young
59 – John Herpe
58 – Neil Hunter
57 – Matt Warren
56 – Colin Reeve
55 – Stuart Polson
54 – Bill Le Page
53 – John Mahy
52 – Harold de Garis
51 – Lloyd Duquemin
50 – Colin Hargreaves
49 – Vince Tostevin
48 – Derek Mechem
47 – Walter Down
46 – Sam Cochrane
45 – Willy Barrasin
44 – Ernie Sauvage
43 – Dave Rihoy
42 – John Nobes
41 – Laurence Graham
40 – Paul Nobes
39 – Barry Mahy
38 – Gary de Carteret
37 – Jody Bisson
36 – Dick Vaudin
35 – Johnny Martel
34 – Alan 'Tich' Bougourd
33 – Mick Marley
32 – Darren Martin
31 – Chris Hamon
30 – Harold Dorey
29 – Kevin Le Gallez
28 – Jamie Dodd
27 – Chris Tardif
26 – Marshall Carre
25 – Richard Harvey
24 – Percy Bougourd
23 – Harry Stranger
22 – Wally Torode
21 – Harry Falla
20 – Alan Hunter
19 – Dave Lesbirel
18 – Tony Vance
17 – Craig Allen
16 – Les Robilliard
15 – Grant Chalmers
14 – Carl Le Tissier
13 – Walt Freeman
12 – Danny Mauger
11 – Dominic Heaume
10 – Colin Gervaise-Brazier
9 – Ross Allen
8 – Colin Fallaize
7 – John Loveridge
6 – Chris Dyer
5 – Peter Blondel
4 – William 'Busty' Warr
3 – Kevin Le Tissier
2 – Les Collins
1 – Colin Renouf
