THESE are critical weeks for the Guernsey Football Association. The sport, locally at least, is on the verge of its greatest competition upheaval in more than a century and has to get it right for the big night – its annual meeting on 19 June.

The board has made itself distinctly unpopular for having – as some see it – the audacity to enforce change, but this newspaper wholeheartedly supports its effort to breathe new life into an ailing number-one team sport in the island.

It has to be done or standards will continue to fall, interest in the game diminish further and media coverage reduce.

The intention is to make a vibrant new start and keep more of the young within the GFA structure, make them better and more focused players, while stopping the growing trend of players heading off to the more relaxed social leagues.

Football has to fight back and stand its corner if it is to remain Guernsey’s top sport.

Branding is important, not only to capture the imagination of players and supporters, but also that of potential sponsors.

The words ‘Premiership’ and ‘Championship’ are appropriate for the multi-million pound national leagues.

It will have cost the UK Football Association huge sums to best describe the product it is selling not only to the country but the world.

‘Premiership’ and ‘Championship’ reflect the importance of the product in the eyes of the masses of fans.

And that is why the new-look Guernsey leagues should take a leaf out of the same book.

Senior County League Division One and Senior County League Division Two, the proposed names, simply will not do.

In no way do the recommended names do anything to refresh the standing of Guernsey’s favourite sport or put a spring back into its step.

There are many who doubt the GFA board and those doubters will not be won over by such feeble titles.

Local soccer desperately needs an infusion of pride. Which is why such fundamental changes should lead to the formation of the Guernsey Premiership.