| Full name | Guernsey Football Club | |
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| Nickname(s) | The Green Lions | |
| Founded | 2011 | |
| Ground | Footes Lane (Capacity: 5,000 (720 Seated)) |
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| Chairman | Steve Dewsnip | |
| Head Coach | Tony Vance | |
| League | Combined Counties Football League Division One | |
| Website | Club home page | |
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Guernsey F.C. is a football club located in St. Peter Port, in Guernsey. The club was formed in 2011 and became a member of the Combined Counties Football League Division One for the 2011–12 season. The proposal to establish the club and join the league was developed by the Guernsey Football Association in an attempt to offer the island’s senior elite players the opportunity to progress further and test themselves in the English non-league pyramid system.
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The Guernsey Senior County League, currently operated by the Guernsey Football Association, has been the top level of football on Guernsey since 1893.[1][2] In addition, a Guernsey team has competed in the annual Muratti trophy against fellow Channel Islands sides since 1905[3] and at the Island Games since 1991.
In 2010, the league's representative team won the FA National League System Cup and, as a result, qualified to represent England in the 2011 UEFA Regions Cup.[4] This was the catalyst which inspired the creation of an island team to compete in the National League System[5] and in June 2011 the Combined Counties Football League accepted Guernsey FC into its Combined Counties Football League Division One.[6] This makes Guernsey the first team from the Channel Islands to compete in mainland British football, and the club will be funding the cost of both its own and other teams' travel to and from the island.[7]
Matthew Le Tissier is the club's President, whilst his brother Mark is the Vice-Chairman.
Guernsey F.C. played their first game on 16 July 2011, a pre-season friendly against AFC Wimbledon, who joined the Combined Counties League in 2002, and were promoted to the Football League in the 2010–2011 season. The game ended in a 6–5 win to AFC Wimbledon.[8] Guernsey also played pre-season friendlies against Bristol City U19 on 23 July 2011, winning 6–0 and away against Horley Town on 27 July 2011, losing 3–1.
They won their first league game of the season 5–0 on 6 August 2011 at home to Knaphill,[9] before drawing 2–2 in their first away league game at Hartley Wintney on 9 August 2011. They are now top of the league having only lost one league game all season.
The team plays its home games at Footes Lane, a 5,000 capacity multi-use sports facility in St Peter Port, Guernsey. The stadium is also used as an athletics track and was the venue for the 2003 Island Games.
The team is coached by Tony Vance, who also coaches the Guernsey national football team and is assisted by Colin Fallaize and Steve Sharman. The club’s physiotherapists are Mike Thomas and Dan Guillemette, and the consultant club doctor is Richard Weiler.
The club chairman is Steve Dewsnip and club secretary is Mark Le Tissier, brother of former England international footballer Matthew Le Tissier, who has agreed to be club President. The club’s patron is Sir Geoffrey Rowland, the Bailiff of Guernsey.
For the 2011–12 season, the team is to be composed of players from the seven senior teams of the Guernsey Football Association (GFA). The first player officially signed was the Guernsey national side's captain, Sam Cochrane. Following this, all twenty members of Guernsey's 2011 Island Games squad which earned a silver medal were signed. The club currently operates a squad rotation policy, allowing the players to represent their respective GFA league clubs when called upon.
Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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