Guernsey FC is pleased to confirm two home friendlies this month as the team warms up for its 2022-23 Isthmian League South Central season.
Sandwiching the already confirmed trip to the Isle of Man for the Skipton Cup on 23 July, the Green Lions will welcome Southern Counties East League Premier Division side Stansfeld on Saturday 16 July, and old friends Hartley Wintney, now of the Southern League Premier Division, on Saturday 30 July.
The latter game will be to contest the Mike Thomas Trophy, the cup created in memory of our beloved physio, which Guernsey are currently the holders of having beaten the Isle of Man on penalties at Footes Lane in 2020.
Stansfeld are in the Premier Division having won Division One of the Southern Counties East League last season.
Hartley Wintney were GFC’s opponents for their first ever competitive away game in August 2011, when a bag mix-up at the airport meant Tony Vance’s side had to play in their hosts’ home kit for the first half. A late leveller saw Guernsey have to settle for a 2-2 draw. The Sarnians beat them 4-0 in the return at Footes Lane before both sides were promoted from Division One to the Premier Division of the Combined Counties League, GFC as champions.
The following season, Guernsey won the first meeting 4-3 away from home before meting out an 8-1 thrashing at Footes Lane in the second of a momentous four games in four days to end the season, with the Green Lions again earning promotion.
The Hampshire side won the Premier Division in 2016 but were unable to claim promotion because they had not met the deadline for the required ground improvements. However, they rectified that and went up as champions a year later, then achieving another promotion to the SCEL Premier Division via the play-offs in 2018.
Vance hopes having three pre-season fixtures will make a huge difference to his squad compared to playing catch-up last year.
“It is great we have got these fixtures because it is always a problem for us,” he told the Guernsey Press. “It is in stark contrast to last year when we had no pre-season and then we suddenly started the league in October after about a week’s notice.
“Stansfield probably comes a little too early for us due to holidays, Covid, and players still needing to rest. But ultimately it is a great opportunity for us to prepare for a new season in the right way.
“We want to be in a position that when the season starts, we are not playing catch-up and it is as level a playing field as it can be for a Guernsey club situation. Then we can for forward and attack the league.”
Tickets will be available on the website over the weekend.