TONY VANCE will put a comforting arm around the shoulders of three players at Blanche Pierre Lane this evening and quietly tell them, ‘thanks… but no thanks…’ or words to that effect.

The island manager revealed yesterday that he would trim his 19-man squad to 16 for Saturday’s FA Carlsberg National League System Cup final against the Liverpool County Premier League at the Track, a match many, including Vance, suggest is the biggest Guernsey football has ever played in terms of the prize.

It is not a task he relishes, but it has to be done at some stage as the System Cup competition rules allow for only 16 players in the squad.

Two of the axed trio will, however, have the comfort of knowing they will be needed for another match equal in the eyes of many of the Guernsey footballing public – the Kleinwort Benson Muratti final against Jersey the following weekend, when 18 will be required for duty.

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