As you all know Guernsey Fc have been voted into the Combined Counties Division 1 for the 2011/12 season. Therefore the league have sent officials to the island to check out the ground and facilities. As we will be travelling there at least once this season then this report shows what process we will be going through.
Here it is.................

REPORT UPON VISIT TO GUERNSEY WED 18/THU 19 MAY 2011

Three members of the League Management Committee, namely Messrs. S. Collins, D. Havenhand and myself travelled to Guernsey on Wednesday 18 May 2011 for the primary purpose of inspecting the ground at which Guernsey FC intend to play CCL matches in season 2011-2012. It was also useful for our Referees’ Secretary to meet a refereeing delegate from Guernsey FA.

There was a choice of three morning flights, leaving Gatwick at 8.30 a.m., 10.00 a.m. or 11.50 a.m. We chose the 11.50 a.m. flight arriving at Gatwick at approximately 12.30 p.m.

Although I had checked in “on-line” the evening before, we still visited the Check-In desk to deposit a small case (mine). David and Stuart took only hand luggage. There was no queue of any kind at the check-in desk.

We then went through Security which is unavoidable these days. I was “collared” in that I was the only one asked to remove my shoes but David and Stuart also suffered because they were carrying their shaving lotion in tubes that were too large to be acceptable and they were confiscated. That is one thing to be aware of, therefore, – if you are carrying “cosmetics” of any kind, it would be wise to send them through the hold, rather than carry them as hand luggage. Also they were very keen upon the checking and confiscation of any sharp objects. (if trainers or the like are carrying scissors, for example, they must be in the hold). All in all, the Security procedure took some fifteen minutes.

We then suffered a short delay having boarded because all of the luggage had to be taken off and re-loaded, apparently a very unusual incident, judging by the complaining from the two stewardesses behind us.

The plane was a turbo prop but was by no means old. There were around 72 seats but not all of them were taken. It still struck me though that, certainly in the warmer months, it would be wise to allocate Guernsey’s home and away matches, even if only in terms of home or away, so that provisional bookings can be made at the earliest opportunity. My intention will be to do this for August and September immediately after the AGM if they are elected into the League.

The flight took just 40 minutes and there were no delays in leaving the airport.

We were met and conveyed to our hotel (the same one in which visiting teams will be staying) in about seven minutes from door to door. The hotel was a “proper” hotel, as opposed to being a boarding or guest house, and very pleasant. The proprietor is an Italian gentleman, who supports Lazio, and is a football fanatic. Guernsey FA frequently use this hotel when other rep sides come to Guernsey and visits from our teams are warmly anticipated. There is a large garden outside the hotel, along with a small swimming pool and the rooms were very comfortable.

Match officials travelling from the mainland will be accommodated in a different hotel along the road and will also be conveyed to and from the airport, and the ground.

After lunch we were taken to Footes Lane Stadium, where Guernsey will be playing and again it was a short journey of less than ten minutes.

We carried out our usual inspection and can report that the playing surface was absolutely superb. The full-time groundsman was on hand and obviously takes great pride in his work. There is a stand with 720 seats all under cover, with all necessary facilities and the word “stadium” accurately reflects the description of the ground.

The only possible drawback, depending upon your point of view, is that there is an athletic track around the ground, although it is only a six-lane track.

We went into St. Peter Port in the evening and whilst it was quiet at the time of our visit, one sensed that it would be fairly lively at weekends, with plenty of clubs and pubs around.

On the morning of our departure, we were taken on a tour of the seven grounds whose clubs contest the Island League through the season. These were of varying standard but at least two, Vale Rec and Belgrave would not look out of place in our Premier Division and it will be recommended to the Management Committee that prior approval be given to allow matches to be switched to these venues, should Footes Lane be unavailable for any reason. Once again the surface at these two and most of the others was immaculate and this was at the end of the season.

Our flight home was on time and uneventful, again taking just 40 minutes. One could check in right up to ten minutes prior to flight time although it would obviously be sensible to allow a little more time than that.

Although this short dialogue has been written by someone (me) who supports the proposal to bring Guernsey FC into the League, it really is difficult to see that it will generally be anything other than a rewarding experience for most of our players and clubs, who will have the opportunity to play on an excellent surface in front of a large crowd, at minimal or zero cost.