The Jersey Football Association have pulled out at the request of Island manager Peter Vincenti, who on Tuesday announced that he is to stand for one of the two vice-president positions at the association’s annual general meeting next month.
JFA president Charlie Tostevin said: ‘Peter told council that he felt it was not the right competition for us to be playing in.
It was discussed and council decided to withdraw from it.
‘Unfortunately, the championship has never caught the imagination of the players or the public, but it was a standard higher than our players compete in week-in, week-out.
‘We have never won it, so personally I would like to have stayed in it for our players to progress further.
It has proved very expensive, but without enthusiasm from the manager and the players there was no point continuing.
My hope now is that a new competition can be found to provide matches in its place.’ It cost the JFA £3,500 to fulfil each fixture they played last season – home and away.
Vincenti said: ‘We need a games programme to spark the imagination of the paying public, which will bring revenue through the gate.
The working party’s report is completed and we need to move on to a higher plane over the next five to ten years.
‘We should now be looking to play at a higher standard coupled with a better programme for all our teams.
If we see ourselves as international, we must look to play against continental teams as well as English opposition.
‘I am standing for vice-president because I want to be in a position to help Jersey football move forward.
I want to be part of the development on the organisational side and help Jersey football to have a better product.’ JFA president Charlie Tostevin added: ‘It’s absolutely superb that there will be elections for the presidency and the vice-presidencies.
The number of volunteers wishing to give time back to the higher echelons of the game is something I’ve encouraged since I came in as secretary all those years ago.
Having choices can only be healthy for the game.
‘There is nothing in our rules stating that the Island manager can not be on council, and I don’t see it as a conflict.
I would see more of a conflict if a club president was elected because of their interests they would show towards their club.’ Vincenti is keen to have a back-to-back travel plan with other sports to minimise costs, and he also wants a concise development plan for all Island coaches at all levels.
He says there is currently a gap in the development of coaches at top level and he would like to see a development plan purely for these individuals.
The Island manager would also like to see commercial sponsorship for the ‘Jersey product’.
This, he says, could be developed through a separate designated committee.
He would also favour Jersey’s league winners entering the FA Cup, backed by the JFA with the relevant profit coming back to the JFA.
And Vincenti would like to see the JFA benefit financially from any Jersey player’s transfer fees should the Island produce a professional player in the future.
Should this happen, the revenue received by the JFA would have an agreed percentage split to the JFA, all associated clubs and the club last played for by the player so that all JFA and Jersey Football Combination participants get a share of the revenue.
