Page 11 - Raynes Park Vale vs Jersey Bulls

TODAY'S VISITORS
T ODA Y ' S VISIT ORS
JERSEY BULLS

Only founded in 2018, Jersey Bulls
is the most southerly football club in
the English football league system.
Following the footsteps of Guern-
sey F.C., the Bulls was conceived by
Chairman Russell Le Feuvre to give
Island players an opportunity to test
their abilities in a more competitive
environment on the mainland. It
also gives islanders an opportunity
to support a club side in Jersey that
competes nationally like the Jersey
Reds and Team Jets do in rugby and
netball respectively. the remainder of the non-league foot- nearer to France (only 14 miles) than
Combined Counties League U23 Academy before a further leap into ball season and render all of it null and England (87 miles) at its closest point
On 30th November 2018 the Bulls got history was made when Bulls hosted void, in effect expunging Bulls’ record and entering a club in the national
official F.A. approval for their bid to join their first ever league match against Ash breaking season as if it never happened. league presents a major challenge both
the English football leagues and a month United, winning 3-0. Barlow once again 2020-21 meant Bulls had it all to do logistically and financially. Bulls and
later the Combined Counties League opened the scoring, followed with goals again in Division One of the Combined their opponents will have to fly to or
approved their membership bid to join from Karl Hinds (penalty) and Harry Counties League but after four league from Gatwick airport to play each other
Division One for the 2019-20 season. Cardwell. wins and an opening round victory in so the club has to rely on the generous
Since then, Bulls announced ex-Island Attention of the national media their first F.A. Vase match it was anoth- support of their commercial partners
representative player Gary Freeman as That win began an unexpected and sen- er lockdown. However promotion was to survive. With a population of just
Manager and signed up 32 local players. sational run of 27 league wins out of 27 eventually gained to the newly formed over 100,000 people on an area of only
On 6th July 2019, the Bulls played their matches, with Bulls sealing ‘promotion’ Combined Counties Premier Division 45 square miles, Jersey is classed as a
first ever football match in a friendly at to the Premier Division with their 27th South under the F.A. re-structure of the ‘crown dependency’, independent in
their home ground at Springfield Stadi- victory, a 2-0 win at home to British “non league pyramid”. This was based status from the U.K. and having its own
um against E.F.L. League Two team Ste- Airways, their amazing achievements on the points per game average gained in laws and government. It also has its own
venage, losing 3-4. Striker Fraser Bar- bringing the attention of the national league matches over the two abandoned currency and its own language, Jérriais
low made history when he put the Bulls media. Then the world went into lock- seasons and with the only 100% record – a dialect of French, though you will be
in the lead to be the clubs first ever goal down due to the global pandemic, all the Bulls were ranked first nationwide. hard pressed to hear anyone still speak
scorer. Another friendly ten days later league football was suspended before With a population of just over 100,000 it unless you find yourself down at the
saw a 0-3 reverse against Leicester City the F.A. made the decision to cancel The island of Jersey is geographically Farmers Club! continued...