Gibraltar 0-7 Poland
Republic of Ireland 7-0 Gibraltar
Gibraltar 0-3 Georgia
Germany 4-0 Gibraltar
Scotland 6-1 Gibraltar
Croatia 4-0 Gibraltar (friendly)
Gibraltar 0-7 Germany
Gibraltar 0-4 Republic of Ireland
Poland 8-1 Gibraltar
Georgia 4-0 Gibraltar
Gibraltar 0-6 Scotland
*** 60 goals conceded … two scored ***
‘I would have to say yes – include as many teams who wish to come in and who are eligible, but I think they should have to play in a preliminary tournament first, before the main qualifying groups,’ said Brown, who managed Scotland between 1993-2001 after acting as Sir Alex Ferguson’s assistant at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico.
‘One of the main reasons for that is there is a proliferation of international fixtures now, and club managers are moaning about their best players being away and hoping they come back fit. You want to keep a good relationship with club managers, but if there was another game to play against teams like Jersey it could cause more problems.
‘It would be great for the community in Jersey and it would give guys the experience of playing international football, but I do genuinely believe qualifying groups are distorted when a team is being beaten by everyone. I don’t want to offend people in Jersey as I have a great affection for the island, but is Jersey against Russia, who have a population of 150 million, a fair game?
That said, Brown, who spent his honeymoon in the Island in 1965, did admit Jersey’s results may not always be foregone conclusions.
‘Teams like Gibraltar, San Marino, Malta and the Faroe Islands are perfect examples … and Jersey could do that to somebody as well. When we used to go to the Faroes it was always very difficult. The elements didn’t make for a good game, and when you won there you were a little relieved.’
Brown added: ‘When I started in football there were maybe 33 or 34 teams in European football. Now there are 53, and to be honest I’d be quite happy if Jersey made it 54.’
