Stone gets the call
Thursday 30th August 2007, 12:00AM BST.
KYLE STONE has received his first senior island call-up. The 20-year-old winger is in the C&W Guernsey Priaulx League squad for the first round of the FA National League System Cup against the Jersey Combination League a week on Saturday.
Stone was the one notable addition to the island regulars in coach Steve Ogier’s 16-man party.
The sublimely talented North star came back to the game last season after serving a ban for a drug-related offence.
‘He’s a door opener for us – he can create something,’ said Ogier.
‘He’s creative going forward and we’re putting him in there to give him an opportunity.’
The competition is strictly for amateurs so any players that have or have had a professional contract cannot play. That rules out strikers Neil Clegg and Ryan Tippett, who have both signed professional terms with clubs in the past.
Jody Bisson and Scott Bradford are also unavailable, as are Kevin Graham, who recently got married, and Michael Wilson, who is still out through injury.
That leaves the team light of defenders with Bels pair Leighton Chainey and Sam Cochrane as the only specialist centre backs chosen and with Chris Mauger, Darren Martin and Ollie McKenzie as possible full backs.
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Ogier is not concerned, though.
‘When you look at games of football, to change a game you don’t change the back four,’ he said.
In the cup two seasons ago, Guernsey reached the semi-finals and Ogier would like another good run.
The winners of the national tournament represent England in the Uefa Region Cup.
‘It’s a nice competition to have a run in,’ he said.
‘The first hurdle is Jersey and we’ve got to get past them. It’s a knockout competition so if you lose you’re out.’
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