THERE is always a degree of uncertainty when a club steps into a higher level of the football pyramid, but what the Jersey Bulls have produced this season has gone well beyond simply holding their own.
In truth, this has been a campaign that has exceeded expectations even if, internally, there may have been a quiet confidence that it was possible.
A third-place finish in their first season at Step Four, capped by a play-off semi-final that was only decided on penalties, tells part of the story. But the reality is this: the standard has now been set. Jersey Bulls are no longer newcomers finding their feet, they are a side expected to compete at the top end.
Much of that is down to Elliot Powell. His side has been controlled, exceptionally fit and, above all, well-drilled. Alongside Dan Garton and Dave Kennedy, there is a clear structure in place and it shows.
Out of possession, the Bulls have been defined by their defensive solidity. Conceding just 35 goals across a 46-game season is no small feat, and when placed in the wider context, only five teams across all 192 Step Four sides conceded fewer, it accentuates just how impressive that record is.
It is no surprise that Euan Van Der Vliet and the defence were recognised with the Mitre Golden Glove Award.
But this has not been a side built solely on resilience. In possession, Powell’s team have shown a clear identity, often using the pace of Rai Dos Santos and the trickery of Miguel Carvalho in wide areas to create decisive moments, with Lorne Bickley providing the cutting edge through the middle.
Bickley’s 24 goals led the way, while Dos Santos added 14 in all competitions and captain James Querée contributed 12, many from the penalty spot.
What stood out most, though, was mentality. Time and again, particularly at Springfield, games that hung in the balance tilted in Jersey’s favour.
The home support, averaging 992, comfortably the highest in the league, proved a genuine factor, acting as a 12th man and helping drive the Bulls to the league’s second-best home record.
Their form since the turn of the year only reinforces that point. Unbeaten in 90 minutes throughout 2026, 46 points from a possible 54, and not a single goal conceded in April, this was a side that found another level when it mattered most.
That exceptional record in April earned Powell his second Vita Risk Solutions Manager of the Month award this season – very well deserved.
The question now is what comes next. With experienced figures such as Querée, Luke Watson and Luke Campbell not getting any younger, a transition feels inevitable. That brings both excitement and uncertainty.
Jamie Watling has already established himself as an important figure since joining at the start of the season, while 17-year-old Stan Dunne has demonstrated clear potential in his limited opportunities. Casey Nixon and Will Yates also remain in the picture, poised to be integrated further.
Either way, expectations have shifted. Promotion is no longer an ambitious target – it is firmly in the conversation.
If the men’s season has been impressive, the women’s campaign has been nothing short of extraordinary.
In their first season on the mainland, Chad Morris, alongside Harry Walker and Laura Riley, guided the side to 18 wins from 18. A perfect record, built on relentless attacking football and unwavering organisation, saw them score 144 goals and concede just 15.
In truth, they were rarely tested. Aside from a handful of more disciplined opponents, most notably Horley Town, the Bulls simply overwhelmed teams. Their approach was uncompromising, waves of attacks, sustained pressure, and a refusal to ease off regardless of the scoreline.
The quality within the squad was evident. Anita Tavares delivered a remarkable 42 goals and 36 assists, captain Holly Sundby added 25 goals and 20 assists from midfield, and Leah Morris contributed 24 goals and 16 assists. Just as telling, however, was the depth, something many sides at that level simply could not match.
This is a team that already looks ready for the next step. Much like the men in their early years, they appear to have outgrown their starting point, and their entry into the FA Cup next season will offer a far clearer indication of where they truly stand.
Their title-clinching victory, played in front of 440 supporters at Springfield, felt like more than just a celebration. It felt like a moment, a sign that the appetite for women’s football in Jersey is growing, and that this team has captured attention.
Taken together, both teams point to something bigger.
Jersey Bulls are not just building successful sides, they are building a pathway. From academy level through to senior football, for both boys and girls, there is now a visible route into the game at a higher level. Young supporters waiting for autographs after matches are seeing players they can aspire to become.
This season has shown that Jersey football is not just participating, it is progressing. And it is doing so with a squad and staff built entirely from within the island, competing against sides operating with paid players.
If this is now the standard, the rest of the pyramid may need to start taking notice.
On a personal note, I have thoroughly enjoyed watching the side grow in confidence throughout the season. I’ve even tried to enjoy all six of Toby Ritzema’s questionable celebrations, it has genuinely been a pleasure to cover a team representing the island so diligently.
Finally, fair play to Rai Dos Santos for making sure all his goals were scored at home – a true man of the people.
