IT was not that long ago that imagining a football team from the Island playing on the hallowed turf of Wembley would have been regarded as too fanciful.
But after an impressive 6-0 dismantling of Romford in the FA Vase at the weekend, Jersey Bulls are just three wins away from stepping out at football’s most famous stadium.
Yesterday, they were handed a tough away draw to the south Midlands against either current holders Newport Pagnell Town or Leighton Town in the last 16 of the competition, but players, coaches and fans of the Bulls are daring to dream of a Wembley appearance.
Chairman Russell Le Feuvre said: ‘It is a fantastic competition with the final being played at Wembley, which for football players is the holy grail. It is such a huge, iconic global football stadium.
‘There is still a long way to go but the team and the management have been fantastic.
‘Our supporters have also been amazing and they get right behind the team.’
The Bulls were helped to their 6-0 victory on Saturday over one of the competition favourites by 17-year-old winger Sammy Henia-Kamau, who scored a hat-trick.
Every member of the team, bar right-back Frank Tobin from Bristol, is a homegrown Islander and Mr Le Feuvre was keen to emphasise that Bulls’ success is indicative of a wider Island effort in the football community.
‘I think this is a great reflection on local football, the fantastic work that goes on in local league clubs and the Jersey Football Association’s Performance Centre.
‘All these players went to primary schools on the Island. They’re representing their schools, their clubs, local businesses,’ he said. ‘The Island is coming together and getting behind the team and we appreciate and understand the hard work and dedication given to support these guys to get where they are.’
The fifth-round match is scheduled to take place on the weekend of 11 February, with the winners of the match between Newport Pagnell and Leighton, just 15 miles apart, to be decided this Saturday.
