FNB Priaulx League preview: Firepower key to title success

Equality and egalitarianism have ruled. The quality may not be as it was before the arrival of GFC, but the competitiveness of the league has trumped that to the benefit of all.

In that past decade we have seen titles for North, St Martin’s, Rovers, Belgraves in the first of those years, and, last year, Vale Rec came to the party. There was Alderney’s heroic tilt at the title in 2018-19. Sylvans were runners-up a decade ago and are on their way back with a young squad.

This year, things are changing somewhat, and yet still staying the same.

The concern is at the bottom of the Priaulx League table. Last year there was a noticeable split between the haves and the have-nots.

Rangers, Alderney and Bels were cut adrift at the bottom by some distance, yet there were signs of hope. Rangers beat North and, famously, were the first to beat Rec. Alderney were always hard to beat on their own patch, where they held North and Rec and beat Saints. Bels had a decent start to the season, pushing Saints and Rovers hard in early exchanges.

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But now Alderney have gone, their Priaulx adventure over, for the time being at least, as a fragile, ageing and tiny squad eventually got the better of them and they decided it was better to continue lower down the leagues than give up altogether.

And the writing was on the wall for two of the league’s oldest clubs long before the end of the season. They have got through to the start, but there are genuine fears about just how robust Rangers and Bels will prove to be this season.

Both have got through tough times before – and been cut-adrift wooden-spoonists over this past decade – but there is an argument that football is no longer the draw it was as a participation sport and player numbers could be suffering.

It will be intriguing, if potentially macabre, to see how they fare.

At the other end of the table though, it could be that we are set for a treat.

The new fashion in professional football at least is to disregard what happens in August. ‘Nobody wins the league in August,’ they say.

But North and their young new boss Charlie Le Prevost will beg to differ. They have had a great start with success in the Rawlinson and Martinez and, it has to be admitted, look to have a squad with both depth and talent that could go all the way.

However, Vale Rec will not give up anything without a fight. They swept the board last season, and deservedly became Channel Island champions, too, with a combination of commitment, talent, being very tactically astute, and, importantly, goals.

I have long contended that the team who wins the league tends to be the one who scores the most goals, or at least has the most consistently potent attack.

Last year Rec had a consistent three from Will Fazakerley, Marlon Jardim, Jacob Masterton-Pipet and Louis Travis. The year before Rovers ran riot with the combo of Fin Whitmore, Martin Savident and Max Simpson-Cohen.

But seemingly potent strike forces can dry up. One injury, loss of form, lack of depth… certainly Rovers have tried but never successfully replaced Whitmore, which has hurt them.

And the return of Keene Domaille for a full season at Northfield, and now Paris Pereira after what seems to be an age out of the game, could prove decisive. Especially if Dave Rihoy maintains his early-season form.

St Martin’s carry an increasingly youthful look but also have some squad depth and should pose a decent challenge to all. But their front line does not look the strongest and that could hold them back.

The dark horses can be found out at St Peter’s, where Jon Collenette supervises a production line of young talent that, while it may not be of the vintage of the spine of that all-conquering 1990s group, certainly has potential and scope to grow.

So this season I am still seeing an intriguing contest across the league, except now reduced to a five-horse race rather than eight runners.

A mix of entertainment, excitement and uncertainty is what the spectating public crave. 2024-25 has the ingredients to deliver that.