As the former JFA vice-president settles into his role at the helm of the local league following his election on Monday, he has outlined his plans to bring Island football into the 21st Century. And with online technology now playing a crucial role in the way football is consumed, Browne is excited by what the future holds.
Founded: 1975
Previous winners: First Tower (8 titles); Jersey Scottish (11); Jersey Wanderers (5); Oaklands (1); Sporting Academics (1); St Paul’s (10); St Peter (3); Trinity (1).
‘It’s 40 years old this league now, and it’s showing its age a bit,’ he said. ‘It’s having a bit of a mid-life crisis and is feeling unwanted, but everyone says life starts at 40, so from here it’ll be onwards and upwards.
‘I want the league to embrace change and technology is one of the areas that is changing for everybody. We have got a generation of players who are used to technology like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram surrounding us, and we need to give them what they want.
‘Because I work with C5 Alliance I ran this idea past them about getting a dedicated Combination league website, using Microsoft 365 as vehicle to help communication and bring it all together.
‘The front end will be light with features like pictures and YouTube videos and behind that will be an area for the administrators of the league to get details on who’s suspended, who’s registered, and to get minutes of meetings there and then.
The Jersey Football Combination currently uses an external website for results and fixtures (above). Browne wants to introduce a new, interactive site friendly to players, coaches and fans alike.
‘We’ll have a library of information on the clubs and the league and we can have player profiles on there too. The Island Games has thrust some of our stars into the limelight, and there are football fans out there who maybe can’t get out of the house but are still interested and want to see these things. At the moment we seem to neglect them.
‘I also want to introduce “Combination TV”, which will be our own channel with little snippets of games. For instance in an under-18 game if there’s a cracking match we can get the immediate reaction of coaches and players when their adrenaline is running, and we can get that on the website in an hour. We can also have “coach cam” with GoPros and put a field microphone on them … some funny things happen in the dugout and it’s about sharing these experiences – it’s all about the enjoyment of it all.’
Moving on to discuss his plans to improve footballing standards, Browne added: ‘I am going to focus on improving discipline on the field … I’ve got to. It’s taking players away, referees away, fans away and it’s not on.
‘Bringing more ladies and girls football into the league is also important, particularly following the success of the girls team in the Island Games. I want to encourage more teams to enter, we’ve only got five at the moment but there is a plethora of footballers who are interested and fired up about what has happened in the last few weeks.
‘It’s the players’ league, not mine, so we’ve got to try all these different things. When I came to Jersey in 1977 the league was so good to me and it helped me integrate with Island life. I’ve got a great fondness and affection for it and I don’t want it to fall.’
‘Clubs sometimes have three, four, five weeks without a game, which is sad really, and players have always asked for more games … this will give them just that.
‘Yes we have some very good teams and some teams who aren’t so good in one league, but when you know you’re up against someone good you up your game. It will gradually bring players up another level and make them stronger.
‘Some people may be against it and the first cut will be the deepest, but I think they’ll gain from the experience. I saw a game last year between St John and St Paul’s and if you were on holiday here or were a total neutral you would never have thought there was a league’s difference between them. St John were up for it and it was a cracking match.’
And what of kick-off times?
‘I’d like to see earlier kick offs, and not just at Springfield. Why is it always 3 o’clock kick offs? They spoil your day in a way as you can’t do anything in the morning before it and after the rugby’s already done and it’s too late for a round of golf of something like that.
‘We’ve got players out there who have busy lives, so if they play at 12 o’clock, for example, they can still watch the rugby or the Premiership football matches on television later.
‘I’m not fond of the graveyard shift at 4.30 pm – the day is finished by then and adrenaline wouldn’t be as high. If we get games in earlier we might all have the chance to see Ant and Dec on a Saturday night!’
