‘Where is our cup?’ – GFA and Saints angry at missing historic trophy
JERSEY'S top football club St Paul's have been slated for not returning the Jeremie Cup trophy to be presented to new champs St Martin’s at the weekend.
The cup it is not thought to be lost – just stuck somewhere in the postal system, 11 days after it entered it just 20-odd miles away.
‘It is an embarrassment,’ said GFA chief executive Gary Roberts yesterday morning, who had a string emails to prove he has been chasing St Paul’s, the previous holders, for the past seven months for its safe return.
Presented to the GFA in 1902, the prestigious inter-island cup is worth several thousand pounds but, in real terms, is irreplaceable even though insured against loss or damage.
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Roberts, who first contacted opposite number Dave Kennedy at the JFA in December, said he has no doubts the cup will be returned at some time soon, but is furious.
‘It shows a lack of respect to the GFA, the competition and the club that won the trophy.’
The postal tracking system shows that it was posted in Jersey on 27 May, just nine days before the final which saw St Martin’s win it for the 12th time all told and the first time in a decade.
‘We were bitterly disappointed that the real trophy was not presented,’ said the winning coach, Leon Meakin.
‘There were a few rumours going around on Saturday as to what had happened and it certainly would have been nice to pick up the real trophy.'
Meanwhile, a spokesman for St Paul’s said they regret that the trophy did not make it to Guernsey on time and offered their apologies.
‘The club had hoped, with best intentions, that someone they knew would be able to take the trophy to Guernsey rather than send it by courier, but when it became apparent that the latter was the only option they had expected that it would make it in good time.
‘The club are investigating why the trophy has been stuck in transit but unfortunately control of the matter was out of their hands.’
An added disappointment for Meakin was the likely loss of goalkeeper Jason Martin for this weekend’s season-concluding Guernsey FA Cup final against Sylvans at the Corbet Field.
The keeper was injured late on in a late challenge by the Rovers sub. Dale Webb and was due to have an X-ray on a swollen knee yesterday.
