The Government of Jersey has unveiled a proposal to develop an elite-standard sports stadium – costing between £20-40 million – to accommodate both football and rugby, serving the likes of Jersey Bulls and Jersey Reds. With football relocated, Springfield would then be developed into a new public sport and wellbeing hub and the existing football pitch split into two five-a-side venues.
However, Bradley Vowden, president of the Jersey Football Association, is yet to be convinced by the project and believes that if a new stadium is built, it should be at Springfield. The St Helier facility has acted as Island football’s premier ground since the end of the Second World War, and has been a key venue for over 120 years. It hosted the first-ever Muratti Vase final in 1905.
‘I genuinely think it will be difficult to accommodate both rugby and football,’ said Vowden. ‘We have over 1,000 children a week playing football at Springfield.
‘My understanding is that the preference is to have an Island stadium outside of St Helier. I think this will have such a detrimental effect on the thousands of children that Springfield caters for every week. We have a lot of local schools, classes and children with disabilities that use our facilities. Not everyone will have the means to drive out of town, so I think it would be very difficult from a logistical perspective if the [stadium] facility is not at Springfield.’
The ‘Inspiring Active Places’ strategy states that the larger new stadium – with a proposed capacity of over 2,500 – will help manage spectator demand for the Muratti and other home fixtures, which it says are oversubscribed.
But Vowden believes existing plans would already be sufficient.
‘They’ve agreed to move back the fencing that currently surrounds Springfield,’ he explained. ‘That will provide us with enough space to put in seating so Jersey Bulls can continue to play, if promoted, for two or three seasons at the required ground-improvement levels.
‘The Muratti is not an annual fixture,’ he added. ‘So I think it is a huge investment for one game every two years, when actually developing Springfield would be adequate for what we need.’
A six-week public consultation has been launched following the release of the strategy, with Islanders being encouraged to share their thoughts. To complete the public survey, visit www.inspiringactiveplaces.je.
Full story in Friday’s JEP.
