The Barber NUFC 0-0 Actonians Association

History

Guernsey County Football Association is the guardian of the national game in the Bailiwick of Guernsey, was formed in 1893 when affiliating to The Football Association, and celebrated its 125th anniversary during the 2018/19 season.

The first competition to be delivered by the Guernsey FA in the 1893/94 season was the Priaulx League, which was won by the Band Company, 2nd Batt. Royal Fusilliers. This link with the British armed forces playing competitive football in Guernsey continued for many years, with the Yorkshire Regiment being the last armed services winner of the Priaulx League. The first Guernsey based Club to win this famous trophy, which remains the senior league competition, was Northerners AC in the 1899/1900 season.

During both World War 1 and World War 2, football in Guernsey stopped due to the number of local residents that bravely went to serve Britain in these conflicts. After the end of the First World War, the
following extract from the report of Henry F Sallin, Acting Secretary of the Guernsey FA, was recorded at the first Association AGM following the end of the Great War, which was held on Tuesday 1st July 1919:

“This Association has every reason to be proud of its record in the war. From the early days its members flocked to the colours and played the game on the battlefields in the same spirit in which they had played the game on our football grounds. Many have returned and will figure again on the field. Others have returned but, through injuries, will no longer be able to take part in our great winter game. The remainder, too many alas! Have played for the last time and have fallen in the service of King and Country. Too numerous to mention, and if the name of most could be recorded some would I am afraid, be omitted, and in such a cause no distinction can be made, better that not one individual be mentioned than a single name omitted. All died in the same cause; officer or private, all did their duty and did it nobly. Though they are no longer with us their memory shall not perish and when we are playing or watching our games their names will recur to us and we shall feel their presence

Delivery of league and cup football for all age groups has remained the principal responsibility of the Guernsey FA but outside of local football competitions, great importance is given to Representative football, and in particular the annual competition for the Muratti Vase trophy. This competition, and trophy, is one of the oldest in British football and is competed for by the senior teams from the Guernsey, Alderney and Jersey Football Associations.

In addition to this annual competition, the Guernsey senior team has had great success in the bi-annual Island Games tournament and also won the FA National League Cup competition in 2009/10, which led to the Guernsey FA representing The Football Association in the UEFA Regions Cup. subsequent to that tournament, the Guernsey FA was instrumental in forming Guernsey Football Club, the first, and only, club from the Channel Islands and outside of the mainland to compete in the FA's National League system.

Ahead of the 2016/17 season, the Guernsey FA supported the formation of the Guernsey Football League, as an independent and autonomous body to oversee the running of league and cup football in the Bailiwick of Guernsey. The Guernsey FA continues to work closely with, and support, the Guernsey Football League and Member Clubs, but is now focussed on ensuring that football development, governance and safeguarding are the primary delivery areas.

Get In Touch

For more information regarding the history of the Guernsey FA please contact Chief Executive Officer, Gary Roberts:

By Phone: 01481 200443

By Email: Gary.Roberts@guernseyfa.com

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