Jersey Bulls make "hard decision" to withdraw from FA Cup draw

Wednesday 06 July 2022

Jersey Bulls have made the "hard decision" to set their FA Cup ambitions to one side this season.

The club said removing themselves from the FA Cup qualification round draw on Friday was a "pragmatic approach" that would help them to achieve their "ongoing ambitions".

Among the issues, the Bulls said, was the "lack of foresight of fixtures, the regularity of flight cancellations and ultimately the realisation that any successful campaign results in a back-log of matches at the end of the season."

Putting the demands on the club into context, the squad explained that they had played 58 matches last season - 28 of which were away from home and 11 of which were mid-week.

"The current FA Cup replay set-up favours clubs on the mainland rather than island teams, in addition to the limited reclaim of travel expenses. The Bulls will channel club funds into prioritising the first teams footballing commitments," Jersey Bulls said in a statement.

News Update | Bulls withdraw from FA Cup

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However, they are not ruling out a return, adding that they "fully anticipate taking part next season, providing these issues are laid to rest."

For now, they said they would be focusing their attention onto the Combined Counties Premier League South and the FA Vase. 

Chairman Russell Le Feuvre said the board, management team and players had "agonised" over the decision.

"Everyone naturally wants to take part in the FA Cup – it's such an amazing competition and we thoroughly enjoyed our run last season," he said.

Mr Le Feuvre went on to explain that the FA Vase is "managed differently to the FA Cup, with matches played just once a month, with no replays until you are successfully through to the final or knocked out" - a format which "just makes more sense for us right now."

Manager Gary Freeman added: "As a group we have made the decision not to take part in the FA Cup but to focus on the league and vase competitions. We understand that many of our supporters will be disappointed, we are too, but it's the right thing to do for the club at this time."

Despite this, the Bulls are still aiming to make history by becoming the first non-mainland team to put an Under-18 squad into the Youth FA Cup.

They announced last week that, having approached the English FA in March 2022 and following discussions with the JFA and all local clubs in Jersey, the Bulls will work in the coming weeks to raise in the region of £30,000 to fund the venture.

The JFA Center of Excellence have offered to run and manage the team – which will include players up to Year 13.

On the ambition, Director and CEO Ian Horswell commented: "We are keen to continue to raise the quality of football and football opposition for players on the island.

"By taking part in the FA Youth Cup our young players will get significant exposure to a high standard of football on the mainland. It's a very exciting prospect."