Former Muratti player Russell Le Feuvre is pressing ahead with plans to form Jersey Bulls FC and enter the side into the English league system.
Their initial application to the Combined Counties League has been accepted and the Bulls now need to find the funds to secure their future if they are to join the English football’s tenth tier at the start of next season.
However, despite the high cost of funding the venture, Assistant Economic Development Minister Steve Pallett, who has responsibility for sport, has said the States will not be offering a grant to get the club started.
Instead, Jersey Bulls FC is seeking sponsorship deals to provide the funding.
Senator Pallett said he was ‘extremely supportive’ of having a Jersey-based football team join the English leagues and that the States had agreed to allow the club to use Springfield Stadium as its home ground at a reduced rate.
He said: ‘The cost of running these teams back and forth to the UK can be quite expensive. They [Jersey Bulls] feel that the money they need to run the club is achievable through sponsorship.
‘From an economic point of view, it is great to have another team playing and bringing people across to the Island and it is an opportunity for some of our supporters to go to England and support the team.
‘I have been quite clear that I don’t see this as something that government is going to provide funding for. I see this as a project they have to fund themselves and to be fair, that is what they want. They want to be independent.
‘What we have done is be as supportive as we can in terms of things like rent for Springfield Stadium and advertising around the stadium to make sure they can get the support and sponsors they need.’
He said the Bulls had been offered a ‘preferential deal’ but that the States had to be fair to the existing Jersey Combination League in allowing it to use Springfield.
‘There will be some cost to us [the States] in terms of things like improvements to Springfield to meet the standards required by the league,’ Senator Pallett said. ‘That, equally, will be offset by the benefits of improving the stadium for the Island to make it a better experience for everyone.’
He added that the grant offered to the Jersey Rugby Club was a ‘different kettle of fish’ as there were ‘huge economic benefits’ associated with having a professional rugby side.
Senator Pallett said: ‘The rugby club are a well-formed, well-established club going through a difficult period. What they offer to the Island economically would be damaging if we lost it.
‘The rugby club showed us the economic model and when we looked at the numbers they were bringing in it was clear that it brings a big benefit to the Island.
‘The aim for Jersey Bulls will be to grow and see what level they can climb to.’
