Priaulx to get 8-week break
NO PRIAULX LEAGUE football in January and February and an end to the Jackson League has now been confirmed.
The Guernsey Football League Management annual meeting confirmed the end of the Jackson, first played for in 1896, and an expanded Railway which will pick up the remnants of the old Jackson second division structure within a new three-tier league below the FNB Priaulx.
GFA clubs were unanimously behind the move to a three-division Railway (eight in One, nine in Two and nine in Three) with the over-riding feeling behind the move that it will increase participation on a more consistent and competitive basis.
Not everything is rosy and bright, though, with the decline of youth football teams between the ages of 14 and 18.
As things stand just three clubs have confirmed entry to the U16s division next season and the likelihood is that the U18s will stay at five, including two Sylvans sides.
North will have neither an U16 side or U18s.
GFLM chairman Nick Graham is aware of the difficult challenges ahead for the youth game.
‘The meeting was aware of the consultation process currently under way among youth coaches and it was agreed that this work be picked up prior to the start of the [2018-19] season.’
Clubs present welcomed Alderney’s continued role in the nine-team FNB Priaulx League and were supportive of a proposal that the Stranger Cup be played entirely on the KGV 3G in the months of January and February 2019 in a bid to minimise bad weather disruption to the fixture schedule.
‘The Priaulx will stop in the period leading up to Christmas and then return in March,’ said GFLM director Andy Robert, who said the question of a youth break will be revisited once a clearer picture of numbers is known.
