Jersey Football Association

The Jersey Football Association (JFA) is the body which co-ordinates football in Jersey.[1] The Jersey FA acts as a County football association of The Football Association, although in 2015 it applied to join UEFA as a full member.[2] The Jersey Football Combination is overseen by the Jersey FA, as is the Jersey official football team.[3]

Jersey Football Association
Founded1905 (1905)
HeadquartersSpringfield Stadium
PresidentBradley Vowden
Websitewww.jerseyfa.com

History

The Jersey Football Association was founded in 1905 and affiliated itself with The Football Association based in England. This became a practice that the other British Crown Dependencies would follow. Though The FA treat Jersey like a county football board, the JFA run their own league system independent from the English football pyramid.[4] During the Occupation of the Channel Islands by Nazi Germany, the JFA was not permitted to function by the Nazis and their pitches were confiscated. At the Liberation, the JFA organised a celebratory match between local Jerseymen and the British Army.[5]

UEFA application

In 2015, the JFA applied for membership in FIFA and UEFA which would allow them to play against other international teams, independent of England. They opted to choose this route versus creating a club side for the English leagues, as neighbouring Guernsey had done with Guernsey F.C. They based their application on the success of the Gibraltar Football Association in the latter's application for Gibraltar to join UEFA. However, UEFA changed its rules following Gibraltar joining to state that membership would only be granted to independent countries.[4] UEFA rejected JFA's application without presenting it to their congress on those grounds.[6]

The JFA took the case against UEFA to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which ruled in their favour that UEFA must give the JFA the chance to apply.[7] Though Jersey was initially hopeful, the FA, which Jersey had viewed as a key body, declined to support them.[8] Jersey lost the vote in congress with 49 out of 55 against, Iceland abstaining and five not registering a vote.[9] Despite losing the vote, the UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin said he would be prepared to look into assisting Jersey.[10]

Aftermath

In the aftermath, Jersey player James Scott applied for a Jersey team independent of the JFA to join ConIFA. The application was accepted for the Parishes of Jersey football team to play in ConIFA matches.[11] Also as a result, Jersey Bulls were founded to enter the English football pyramid and were affiliated to the JFA.[12] In 2019, the JFA merged with the Jersey Football Combination, with the JFA taking over the running of league football in Jersey.[3]

In 2023, it was rumored by Greenland Manager Morten Rutjkær, that Jersey were interested in joining CONCACAF.[13]

Presidents of the Jersey Football Association
N° Name Périod
1 Jersey Thos.F Adderson 1905–1920
2 Jersey H.A Dupre 1920–1921
3 Jersey J.Marquis 1921–1928
4 Jersey C.W Duret-Aubin 1928–1934
5 Jersey W.P Le Bas 1934–1938
6 Jersey P.Le Quense 1938–1946
7 Jersey G.C.H. Le Cocq 1946–1951
8 Jersey T.F Garnier 1951–1964
9 Jersey C.J Dupre 1964–1976
10 Jersey J.A. Sherry 1976–1988
11 Jersey V.A Tomes 1988–1991
12 Jersey G.A. Mourant 1991–1994
13 Jersey Brian Ahier 1994–2000
14 Jersey C.Tostevin 2000–2006
15 Jersey R.T. Weir 2006–2012
16 Jersey Phil.J Austin 2012–2019
17 Jersey Bradley Vowden[14] 2019 - ....

Football stadiums in Jersey
StadiumCapacityCity
Springfield Stadium2,000St Helier

See also

References
  1. "Jersey FA • Jersey Sport". Jersey Sport. Retrieved 10 May 2019.
  2. Pilnick, Brent. "Jersey bids to join Uefa to play international football". BBC Sport. Retrieved 26 July 2016.
  3. "Jersey Football Combination merges with island's FA in historic tie-up". BBC Sport. 27 February 2019. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  4. Rumsby, Ben (11 May 2016). "Why Jersey have high hopes of joining Fifa's exclusive club". The Telegraph. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  5. "History". Jersey FA. 24 July 1905. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  6. Pilnick, Brent (3 October 2016). "Jersey to appeal to CAS after Uefa rejects membership application". BBC Sport. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  7. "Court of Arbitration in Sport orders Jersey case to be heard by Uefa congress". BBC Sport. 28 September 2017. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  8. Pilnick, Brent (22 December 2017). "Jersey's hops of Uefa membership 'minimal' after FA refuses to back island's bid". BBC Sport. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  9. "Jersey's bid for UEFA membership rejected". Jersey Evening Post. 26 February 2018. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  10. "UEFA chief has time for Jersey". Jersey Evening Post. 14 February 2018. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  11. "'Parishes of Jersey' accepted into Conifa". ITV News. 11 September 2018. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  12. "Jersey Bulls get FA approval for Combined Counties League bid". BBC Sport. 30 November 2018. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  13. The Greenland national team joining CONCACAF? | Interview with Manager Morten Rutjkær, archived from the original on 21 June 2023, retrieved 21 June 2023
  14. "Bradley Vowden become new JFA President as Phil Austin MBE steps down". Jersey FA.
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