With Government of Jersey Covid-19 guidelines forbidding spectator attendances at Springfield until October at the earliest, the Island club are gearing up for an away-day feast in Combined Counties League Division I – starting with two matches in the shadows of Heathrow Airport on 5 and 12 September.
A trip to face Bedfont & Feltham will kick-start Bulls’ second stab at promotion to the ninth tier of English football, after having their perfect record – featuring 27 league wins from 27 – scrubbed from the history books last term. They will return to Bedfont’s home ground a week later to meet British Airways FC, before travelling to Hampshire to face Fleet Spurs on Saturday 19 September.
Logistical complications regarding Covid testing for visiting players are also likely to delay Bulls’ ability to host league fixtures, although playing away games for an indefinite period does not come without challenges.
Player availability could be an issue for Freeman until same-day Covid-test processing is achieved, due to a potential clash between work commitments and isolation recommendations until results are received.
‘Our players have had to go to their employers to double check – because they can’t go in on the Monday if they haven’t had their result – and a few have said that they won’t be allowed for next week’s game,’ Freeman explained.
‘This will no doubt test the squad and we will have to go even bigger than we did last year. We will have to speak to potential new players over the next few weeks.’
He added: ‘We’ve requested away games until the end of October, so fingers crossed by November we can have games in Jersey.’
Bulls’ pre-season friendly against Risborough Rangers – initially due to take place on Saturday at Springfield – was cancelled due to government restrictions on sporting events, which at present cannot be held specifically for UK participants. However, it is understood that Risborough’s players are still travelling to the Island as their flights were already booked when the cancellation was announced.
