A MONTH before a new football season, the Guernsey Football Association seems no closer to enticing the social leagues back under its wing.

And without the social leagues, or at least one of them, any chance of the FA Cup operating with the sparkle and financial reward which set it apart from any other local cup competition for the first four of its five seasons, appears non-existent.

If the GFA wanted proof that it is no nearer bringing the IAG Saturday League back into the fold, it came with the words from the latter’s new president Nigel Staples this week, who told the Press that if the GFA wanted them back then it would have to be a ‘strong proposal particularly on the financial point of view’.

Why should we return, he asked?

His league is operating fine and it is hard to argue against that.

His motto for the Saturday League, which has four new teams for the coming campaign, is ‘Simply Football’.

The point he was trying to get across was that by going alone, the Saturday League did not have all the admin. and FA directives, Child Protection issues and the raft of legislation that the GFA now has to adhere to, to contend with.

He said: ‘We just turn up and simply play football, hence the ‘‘Simply Football’’ message. There are no other rules and regulations other than our own league rules and the FIFA Laws of the Game which we all play to.’

Put that way, you have to have some sympathy with the direction the Saturday League has taken, especially now it seems clear that they are quite capable of running a league which is not out of control.

It is less’ Mickey Mouse’ than I, for one, imagined it would be.

Money, though, and the cost of operating under the GFA direction, still seems to be at the heart of the matter and the social league’s unwillingness to revert back to a more understanding, less dogmatic GFA under Mark Le Tissier.

But, and Staples won’t be surprised to read this, Inside Track still argues that the Saturday League should share some responsibility for the overall health of the game in Guernsey and talk seriously with the GFA about a return.

It is certainly needed.

As I have written many times before, Guernsey football is in dire need of a more competitive system at ‘senior county’ level.

That means more teams, at least one more division, preferably two, and promotion and relegation between them all.

But will the GFA drop its costs to entice the Social Leagues back?

Sadly, I doubt it, as I suspect the GFA is not in a financial position to provide the sort of cheap football the Saturday League, for instance, can offer.

And, there seems to be growing evidence that more and more players are happy to go down the cheap route.

Serious talking between the two organisations still needs to be done and I would lock the lot into a room until such time they came up with an agreement to work together. Call me a wishful thinker, but there must be a way to solve this issue.

TWICE in 149 years, Guernsey shooting has celebrated a Queen’s Prize winner. But, sadly, still not a Grand Aggregate champion.

For much of the past week it seemed Peter Jory might become our first winner of the prestigious Grand Aggregate at Bisley’s Imperial meeting.

It may not be as big as the silver stunner – the Stock Exchange trophy – which Nick Mace is seen holding here, but to even challenge for the Aggregate, second only to the Queen’s Prize in importance, is an amazing achievement.

Ultimately, Jory’s sights on the prize went astray, but he had performed outstandingly well yet again. And his efforts once again highlight how Guernsey rifle shooting is up there with the very best across the world and, all things considered, is probably our most successful sport alongside athletics and bowls.

Incidentally, if you think the Stock Exchange trophy (pictured) was big, Bisley has one even bigger.

It is the China Challenge Cup, which I’m reliably informed is about eight-times larger than the one you see here. It is so big it takes a team of four to lift and four cases of champagne to fill. Unsurprisingly. it is left stashed away.