- Famous old football club folds after taking season out of Combination.
- Second club in three years to end affiliation with Island league system due to a lack of players – following in the footsteps of Jersey Nomads.
- What needs to be done to end the decline in participation? Have your say below.
MAGPIES Football Club, three times Channel Islands champions in the 1950s, has folded.
Having taken a season out to regroup, the once proud ‘Pies have been unsuccessful in their bid to find officials to run the club, so have decided to call it a day.
Upton Park winners: 1954, 1955, 1957.
Jersey champions: 1939, 1954, 1955, 1957.
Wheway Cup: 1939, 1953, 1954.
Championship (old Division II) winners: 1987, 1996.
P W Touzel Memorial Trophy winners: 1997.
E H Willis Memorial Trophy winners: 1994, 1996.
Charity Cup: 1936, 1939, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1956, 1957, 1960, 1972.
They almost folded two years ago due to a shortage of money, but a plea for funding from club supporters helped them raise £2,000 to pay essential bills.
Magpies kept their affiliation to the Combination this season but did not enter a team due to insufficient signings and lack of a manager.
Supporters of the club received letters this week informing them of the club’s decision to disband and thanking them for their input in various capacities over the years.
Club president Bernie Perrier said: ‘It’s a very sad end after 90 years, but without officials and players we can not continue.
‘It’s hard to believe really and difficult to understand because there are a lot of young coaches qualified around, but no-one wants to take on the responsibility of coaching a senior side.
‘We’ve explored all possible channels to solve our problem but, unfortunately, no one has emerged willing to take on this important responsibility, so we have to accept that the re-emergence of the ‘Pies into Jersey football is a situation that will not arise.
‘We advertised for a coach several times and although we did have someone interested, something in his personal life stopped him and we have not been able to find anyone else.
Perrier, who has been club president for 30 years and a club member for 60 years, passed on his thanks to everyone who has been involved with Magpies.
The club are still to decide what to do with their current ‘club’ trophies and any funds are likely to be given to charities.
