POP down to Rovers AC’s sports ground at Port Soif and you come across arguably the best set of facilities an ‘athletic’ club can boast in the island. Modern clubhouse, two football pitches, designated training area, archery, boules and cricket nets.
Before September is out a nine-strip grass cricket square will be laid to supplement the existing artificial one. Rovers’ cricket section will have facilities worthy of the island champions.
Cricket success is synonomous with the club.
Football, for some reason, has struggled to match their colleagues in whites.
Since their elevation to the Priaulx League in 1971, virtually every point won and the rare cup success have been a struggle.
And while Rovers’ cricket manages to attract top players, the opposite is largely true of the football section.
Rovers produce and nurture fine young talent, only to have it stolen away from them before they reap the benefits.
There is no better example than their truly excellent Kevin Gilligan and Ryan Tippett-inspired Youth Two championship side of 1994-5 which went on to thrash First Tower 5-1 in the inaugural under-16 ‘Upton’.
Not one player remains and the big breakthrough in footballing terms has yet to be seen.
Typical of their luck was Matt Drillot’s decision to leave for Sylvans in the summer months.
The big midfielder was the blue-and-whites’ best player last season but has been lured to supposedly greener pastures.
Graham Hockey, the first-team coach, remains defiant and confident.
‘It’s not all doom and gloom,’ he says.
The side is making progress, he argues.
‘We doubled our points last year [23]. That was an achievement in itself and we reached two cup finals.
‘It wasn’t an unsuccessful season and our aim is to improve further.
‘Three years ago, when I took over, we had just lost 13-0 to Sylvans. Last year we beat them 4-1 and 3-1. That’s a turnaround that is quite pleasing.’
He says, and it is hard to disagree with his assertion, that the club is going in the right direction.
Apart from the cricket square, the main playing area has improved markedly thanks to a very effective new irrigation and watering system.
Past Augusts would have seen scorched brown and rock-hard turf welcoming the players back to training.
This year the pitch is ‘unbelievable, totally green and looking great,’ says Hockey.
But will the players match up to the facilities?
While Drillot departs, the club welcomes in former Sylvans junior Robbie Holden and former island under-18 Chris Le Noury, who was a regular in the Rovers team two seasons ago before he tried his luck at St Martin’s.
Le Noury’s availability will be restricted by university demands as is the case with several other promising youngsters - notably Barry Rowson, Jason Oliveira and Simon Tostevin.
The good news is that Jake Ellis and top defender Keith Quertier are back from their travels.
On the Youth One front coach Steve Duckworth has targeted a mid-table finish and is expecting good things from new acquisitions Will Spoelstra and Tom Cutts-Watson.
Article posted on 10th August, 2004 - 12.00am
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