WHEN talking Guernsey sport there is nothing more irritating to hear the words ‘we can’t do that because . . .’

Those behind Guernsey United – sorry Athletics – press ahead with plans to play in the UK league pyramid despite knowing full well they may be unable to fund their dream as the credit crunch deepens.

It may be they can’t find the cash to fund a desperately needed exercise for local football, but at least they are trying.

Boxing’s authorities used the ‘we can’t because . . .’ excuse when this time last year I enquired about the feasibility of reviving Channel Islands championship belts and even the old inter-insular.

The excuse was tame enough that I can’t exactly recall what it was, but it had nothing to do with money.

Sadly, co-operation between boxing in Jersey and Guernsey has been close to non-existent for too many years and as 2008 ends it seems it is the turn of  the sister isle for the sport not to be in the best of health.

It remains ridiculous, though, to see fighters flown in from all over the UK and Alderney for our dinner boxing shows, but so seldom Jersey.

But, the good news is that the two sides are at least talking.

Amalgamated Boys Club head coach Graham Guilbert said this week he would be happy to see CI championship contests come back and revealed he had been talking along the lines of using Jersey lads at the local shows with Leonis head coach, Dave Thompson.

It stands to reason that the CI boxing fans would get behind a good old Guernsey-Jersey showdown and just imagine the media hullabaloo if Jersey had someone to take on Matt Jennings for the CI area heavyweight title or we had a lad good enough to box Jersey lightweight star Ben Murray.

A full scale Guernsey-Jersey senior team match may be impractical but you can’t tell me it is impossible to stage individual championship contests.

HIS grey barnet suggests he should stick to coaching, committee work or simply watching his boys, but Bobby Loaring (pictured) refuses to hang up his football boots and fair to play him.

He’s my sportsperson of the week but sadly, Bob, the recipient of nothing more than a few written words of nostalgic praise.

On Monday he played alongside his elder son Jonny as North’s second team deposited Bels’ under-21s out of the FA Cup at the Track and in doing so once again showed a remarkable engine for a 50-year-old whose solitary Muratti cap came as a sub in the 5-1 semi-final win over Alderney in 1982.

Had he been playing as a 24-year-old now it would have been more than one cap, I’m sure of that.

So while we look forward to his son Matt earning a string of Muratti caps in years to come, perhaps even as early as 2009 such is his talent, one final tribute to the North veteran masterminding Office Maker’s FA Cup charge with coach Pete Stables.

If only every current Division One player had your eye for a pass and touch, the league would be better for it.

• Footnote: If you know of any other father and sons to play in the same GFA team, please notify us at sport@guernsey-press.com