GUERNSEY football clubs will save hundreds of pounds by playing inter-island cup matches early in the coming season. The Wheway, Jeremie and WJ Collins cups’ opening rounds have been brought forward to October to take advantage of Condor Ferries’ Saturday day-trip service that ends at the start of November.

According to Bels vice-chairman Andy Robert, it would cost about £1,200 to send their team and support staff over to Jersey by plane for a Saturday match.

‘It’s usually £60 per head, and that is if you can get a charter,’ he said.

‘In an ideal world you can get back-to-back planes. By boat it is about £30 per head.

‘The boats are more reliable as well and the clubs are left with the option of going by boat or by plane.

‘There was encouragement from the clubs to get the [two] associations to move them forward otherwise we’re always forking out money.

‘Fair play to the associations.’

GFA vice-president Jeff Vidamour, who is also a director of Condor Freight, was instrumental in bringing about the changes.

‘It was done to try and get people back and forward on a better rate,’ said Vidamour.

‘We planned to get the most economical trip down to Jersey and vice versa.’

Another development brought about at the recent inter-insular committee meeting is to award the manager of the winning Muratti teams with a medal.

‘The winning managers of the men’s, women’s, under-21 and under-18 Muratti teams will receive medals, like the players do,’ said JFA president Charlie Tostevin.

‘This was carried by the meeting, together with bringing the early rounds of inter-insular club matches forward. This move will help financially and I’m sure this is a big plus for the clubs of both islands.’

Meanwhile, the GFA’s proposal that a player can represent only one island in any one season was also carried by the inter-insular committee.

This was brought about after St Martin’s Steve Concanen represented Guernsey at youth level and then went on to play for Alderney in the senior Muratti in the same season.

The meeting also saw Tostevin, Charlie Binet, a stalwart of Jersey football, and former GFA president Dave Dorey put forward as patrons of the committee.

Dorey said he was delighted with the honour.

He was also recently elected as vice-chairman of the South-West Counties Champion-ships committee.

‘We’re looking forward to next season,’ said Dorey.

‘The biggest disappointment was Jersey withdrawing, especially after all the fixtures have been drawn up. But we’re all delighted that Guernsey will be in the women’s and the under-16 boys’ competition.’