SATURDAY’S thunderstorm might have put paid to a much-anticipated football tournament, but inter-island amity won the day when a fitting alternative was hastily arranged.
Jersey Wanderers Football Club were hosting a football tournament on Saturday for children in Years 1, 2 and 3 – which included Guernsey Rangers FC bringing over four teams involving almost 40 young players.
However, the late morning thunderstorm brought proceedings to a sudden close after two matches, which left the previously dried out pitches in St Peter dangerous and unplayable.
The Sarnian visitors had spent months raising £21,000 to bring their contingent over for the weekend – which threatened to be a wasted trip with the tournament having to be cancelled.
However, thanks to a quick and coordinated effort – led by football coach and Jersey Sport Community Outreach Officer Laura Riley, whose son Hudson was playing in the competition – a friendly alternative was arranged for Sunday.
She said: “Wanderers already had another tournament for another age group on Sunday so their pitches were busy, so I rang around – helped by my husband Chris, who works for the Jersey Football Association – and we were able to organise what we called a ‘friendly football festival’ at St Clement Football Club.
“There were no winners or losers; just two hours of great football with St Clement, Wanderers and Trinity joining the Guernsey teams. We had eight teams across the islands, so seven games were played.
“The Guernsey coach was so grateful and he has just written such a lovely thank you note. Everyone was so supportive that it wasn’t that difficult to arrange in the end.
“It was a wonderful example of the community coming together to make sure that the children still got to enjoy the experience despite their earlier disappointment.”
Mrs Riley added that this week she was helping to run another event, which was not quite so ad hoc as Sunday’s.
The Butterfield Liberation Games is taking place at the FB Fields, Springfield and Les Quennevais, with approximately 700 Year 4 primary school pupils taking part in the four-day event. Today the games are taking place at Springfield Stadium.
