The Jersey Football Podcast Episode 25 - Shiny Things Being Lifted

We are joined by Tim Aubert, co manager of newly crowned Championship 1 champions St Ouen Reserves to talk all things Jersey football. We look at how the local leagues are shaping up as winners are being decided, and Tim talks about St Ouen's Reserves season and his own challenges particularly running the line. We also look at what will be a fascinating climax to the Premiership 1 season, offer huge congratulations to Rozel Rovers for winning Premiership 2, and focus on the fantastic achievements of the Jersey Bulls so far, with hopefully more to come.

Transcript

Speaker 0:00

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Andy 0:51

Welcome to episode 25 of the Jersey Football Podcast. I'm your host, Andy Shepherd, and as always, I'm joined by Robbie Whitaker. Robbie, 25 episodes down and we've not been, not got ourselves in trouble. I've been banned yet some go mate,

Robbie 1:06

mate, quarter of a century. What can I say? It's brilliant. And people are still tuning in. We, our numbers seem to be going up, which is a little bit good or they're going up slightly, so that's good. Yeah, delighted with it, mate. 25 in, so still going strong.

Andy 1:19

Yeah, and I think it's a massive thank you to everyone that's listening in, everyone that's giving us feedback, contacting us, supporting us. It's been brilliant. I think we've said before, we probably thought we'd get 10 people listening to this and probably Peter out after a few episodes. So the fact we've we're into 25 episodes is some going. So a huge thank you to everyone.

Robbie 1:39

Massive thanks to everyone who listens in and like we started getting fan mail again, which is good. So we want more of them because some of the questions that get brought up in that are superb. So it gives us a topic of conversation. So please carry on. Sending them in.

Andy 1:52

That was really good. How have you been there anyway?

Robbie 1:55

Yeah, just recovering after all them games in what felt like a day and a half. So yeah, gave, we haven't had training. We're back training tomorrow. I think the under 23 Bulls had a game last night against a uni select team, so I think I had six or seven players in that squad, so at least they got a little run out there. But yeah, just recuperating ready for the final run in the season. So what we've got five, six games left and then cup final. So yeah, just trying to find our rhythm again and make a push on the last few games.

Andy 2:25

Oh great stuff. And we're also delighted to be joined by Tim Bert. Tim's the joint manager of the Newly Crown Championship One Championship Won Reserves. Tim, welcome to the show.

Tim 2:37

Cheers, Andy and Robbie. Thanks for having me.

Andy 2:40

Oh, it's a pleasure mate. I thought we'd actually start, and I'm gonna change, I know I sent a running order through but I'm gonna change it slightly'cause you just mentioned something Rob there that I didn't even note down. Last night the Jersey Bull Select played a, an English University select H. How did that game go?

Robbie 2:55

It was a evenly contested game. I was down there, I think for the first 70 minutes and then the dog was getting bored, so I had to bring him on. But I was standing with Matty, Davy chatting, watching the game. The lads did well, it was good run out. They had, I think they had a trialist, some Somalian International, so that was interesting to see him play for the balls under 23. But the lads did well two, one win. The goal come in late on, so I missed all three goals, so don't ask me what they were like. But yeah, I'm just trying to find where are we?

Andy 3:25

Yeah.'cause I think we're at as well. I think the university side, they're a bit tasty. I think the players playing from step two to step five, which is why I think it became a Jersey Bull Select rather than bills under 23.'cause I think that'd be quite a big ask to play against guys playing at good non-league levels week in, week out. So we were a, a bit of the older lads, and I know Elliot told me they had two trialists and I, I might be wrong on this in terms of the club, but I'm sure he'd said they'd been at Stevenage. And we're now potentially looking at moving to Jersey and we're on trial there. So you'd imagine the qua wherever it was, if it wasn't Stevenage, it was somewhere else, you'd imagine the quality's gonna be good. How would the trial lists.

Robbie 4:04

I only really re realized one of them the Somalian in the middle of the park and he looked busy, like quick across the ground, liked to tackle. So yeah, he seemed all right. The goals apparently were from Casey Nixon to go one up and then a delightful finish from Callum to fi to put him two up. And then university team got one back late on. So good run out for the boys. Good victory. And yeah, they see where they go from there.

Andy 4:28

Yeah, it was good to, it was good that they got'em across a good challenge for them. So a good result for the bull. I wasn't able to get there. We had training last night one of the thought, one of the few training sessions we're gonna get in between now and the end of the season'cause of the number of games we've got. But again, it's been a busy week over the both local and Jersey Bulls football. We're now in a position, Robbie, where we've got three of the three of the four senior leagues have decided last night. And we'll get into it in more detail last night. Rosell crowned champions of prem two. So massive congratulations to them. Massive congratulations to our friend of the show. Jody, a great achievement and it's great to see Relle back. It's been a long five years or so.

Robbie 5:09

I'm so made up for McCart. That's a, that's brilliant. He's worked his socks off up at that club and he's, it's got to a point where you just associate Rose and Jody McCarthy in the same breath. So I think that's testament to how well he is done. So we'll look forward to welcome them to us next season, and I'm sure you will as well. And

Andy 5:26

yeah, can't wait to give her some abuse. Anyway, move. Moving on. Look at it. Last week we had so just over a week ago, it was a Thursday evening, it was Madeira Nelson Clement too, up at it's another win for our boys. And at this stage of the season, it's really all that matters is getting the three points. But I think the players and everyone there, it was a tough night, really just didn't get going. We got the three points an ongoing, and I, a goal from Dan Burton sealed the three points, but Mad Dad actually defended really well, put a really good performance for them. But I think as the. The social media updates on the CLE page said it was a tough watch for the spectators. I think it says it all when under none of the match. We just have a couple of big question marks. So there's probably not too much to say about that game other than we, we got the three points and I'm loathed to be too critical.'cause I think our last five or six games, the la have been brilliant. We've been winning games, we've been playing really well. So you can, if it's a one-off we can give them that we need to reset for our next game and get the performance levels back up. But yeah, three points and one more game down. That moved on to last Saturday. That was the 4th of April. It was Jazz Wonderous six, St. Peter's two. I think we expected Wonderous to have too much for St. Peter's, unfortunately, and unfortunately it proved to be the case, Robbie, I think we would've both liked a result for St. Peter's, just for selfish reasons. St. Peter's actually kept it competitive relatively early on. They were one nail down equalized and then went through one they equalized again. But I think one was just too strong for them. So a disappointing result for Chris and St. Peter's. But I would imagine, especially in the first half, he'd be pleased with that performance. It was doubles for a Arthur Ellingworth and Casey who scored last night, a double on Saturday as well. Again, I don't know how much you heard about the game, Robbie. Just wonders again, just finding a way to win.

Robbie 7:15

Yeah. That's what they seem to be doing, isn't it? They keep moving on, but all you can do is try and keep pace with'em as, as us. Yeah your three points against Madeira. It doesn't matter how it comes, you are starting a run of quite a lot of games in short space of time now, aren't you?'cause we've had hours. It's now your turn, isn't it? So three points on the board is the main thing. And try and keep wanderers, keep putting pressure on them and hope for a slip up somewhere.

Andy 7:38

Yeah, I think we're potentially gonna have seven games in 18 days. So it's gonna be a, a tough ask and look, we obviously, we have to win our games. Even if we win all our games, if Wanderers win all theirs, they still win the league because of the head-to-head setup. And to be honest, the wonders do win the rest of their games and they deserve to win the league. As much as we read. Obviously we really want to get the results for us. If it to go in our favor, we, it's not in our hands, so we just have to take care of our own business and hope something falls for us. But yeah, a good win for Wanderers, and I'm sure Chris and Sam are, will be pleased with it because games that you win comfortably before Christmas, take a different challenge this time of year when the tight was on the line. A good, strong result for them there.

Robbie 8:16

Yeah they'll be happy with that and they'll be thinking, just try and get to the finish line now. They won't be bothered about performances or score lines as long as they keep winning. Yeah, it's like we've, like we said, many a time, it makes for a great end of the season and every point's vital now.

Andy 8:30

Yeah. So the next game is that it was Ville versus Medina. This game was actually abandoned. I think we're about 20 minutes to go. Ville, we're ahead in the game. I think well ahead. It's not clear what happened. And I think we probably don't want to say too much about this because I would imagine the JFA are gonna be looking at it and there may be further action taken. But from what we're hearing, very disappointing scenes there. Po Cardoso, the referee it sounds particularly unfair on him. And as I say, disappointing, but I think we have to be both for, we have to be very careful what we say here.'cause as I say, there will be further, but there's more to come from this, I think, isn't there?

Robbie 9:07

Yeah, I think we've got to give this one a wide bear for what we've heard.'cause again, it's just hearsay from different people. So we'll stay away from the instances that we've heard and say that what we do know is that I think two players were sent off. Two players were, and then Tony's called the game off after that, after some unsavory stuff. So yeah. Five one ville. I can't see the JFA making them replay that. I think it's

Andy 9:31

already, I think it's already the agreed ville. I've got the points.

Robbie 9:33

Yeah. At this stage of the season, that sort of game, it'd be hard to get that squeezed in as a replay. Yeah. Five one. So yeah, I think we moved swiftly on from that.

Andy 9:44

Yeah, and I think from the gravel perspective, we'll come on to them a little bit later on as well. They went through a sticky spell and they were in danger of getting dragged back into the sort of relegation mix, but the three points there and obviously the next game as well think they're well clear and they're probably looking closer at simple ad thinking. Can they potentially reach fourth and get a place in the Jeremy for next season? I'm pleased for Mike'cause it's been a tough season, his first season in charge there. But I'm pleased. But yeah, a good three points a

Robbie 10:11

yeah,

Andy 10:12

I respective of the events around it.

Robbie 10:14

Yeah, Mike's done well. He was onto a hiding to nothing, wasn't he coming in rep replacing, fitting and carbs after winning the league. They lost obviously Lloyd and Goal, which was a big loss. Con. Lloyd's been injured for quite a bit of season yeah he's done well with the squad he's got, so yeah, please for him, looks like they're gonna stay up and can they make a late push for the Jeremy for next season?

Andy 10:33

Yeah. And I think actually if you're looking at when they lost to St. Peter's, we mentioned they had a few players out. They actually sent me a list of the players that were missing. And it was, it's long. You're talking 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. There's about 11 players there missing. And I think it's been tough for them. They've been Yeah we know what that like they've been a killer for everyone at some point during the season. It just happened. That was the case for them.

Robbie 10:58

Yeah. Yeah. We know what it's like to be missing players against St. Peter's. Not bringing that up again. First game season 18 players, but Yeah.

Andy 11:06

But rolling on to midweek. So the Tuesday night, the seventh tough few days wasn't Peter. They lost four nil to Saint Lad. A double four. Late Roy, formerly of your parish, Robbie. A good result for Saint Lad. Just again, disappointing for St. Peter to potentially run out to some games now, aren't they?

Robbie 11:25

They aren't they? So like Ville had that sticky patch, it looks like St. Peter's.'cause St. Peter's were building a little bit ahead of steam and yeah, they've just got a couple of bad results, have sucked him back, right back into it, but delighted that laying got a couple of goals. So I think that must be his highest league score in Tally in a season, I think with what three?

Andy 11:43

I think he's Don Craig's got a few now.

Robbie 11:45

He has to be fair, that's just a little dig at him. But No, I'm delight. I'm delighted. He left us he wanted to go and play so I can't guarantee him the game time. So he is made the great, he's made a great move there. He's in seems to be enjoying it. I dunno if his dad's enjoying it, having to go between both St. Paul's and some Fair Bernards. But yeah. Delighted for him.

Andy 12:03

Yeah,

Robbie 12:04

he's a nice lad, so fair play to him.

Andy 12:06

Yeah, that was something his dad said to me and I was speaking to him, says, oh, the one thing is he is, he's really enjoying the football. Sometimes I, sometimes you just need a change, don't you? And yeah it's worked out well for Leighton. And you've gotta remember he's only 20 so he's got loads of developing to go. But he's got all the physical attributes to a good player in Jersey and hopefully carries on developing. The other game last night, it was, and this is one Tim, you were at and I believe had a bit of an influence on it was one, one grovel, two and as I said before, that's grovel lightly outta trouble now. Although I'll say coming up this Saturday is massive. But Ben Andrews with the goal for some one and then Rob Martins and Calvin and Tuna is for ve. Tim, what was your take on the game?

Tim 12:49

It was, yeah, after the game, it was a tough one. We were all disappointed'cause the performance were 75 minutes. Were really good. We are missing several like defenders. We actually had no out and out center backs available first team yesterday. So we had a makeshift defense and they played brilliantly. The whole team worked like dogs. We were hard to beat and we created more chances in Greenville. Just a dodgy linesmen. Cool. From our side. Yeah, of course us and not take my chances.

Robbie 13:15

So were you linesman Tim? Were you

Tim 13:17

Yeah, I was the dodgy linesman.

Andy 13:19

Tim, what? Tim Bert is a dodgy linesman. Who would've fought it?

Robbie 13:22

It sounded like you to give something against St. Juan, mate.

Tim 13:25

Yeah, I fought. So he is combat from off side, but I thought the ball was already kicked when he was off side, but it wasn't so when the ball was kicked, he was on side, but off side, but I thought he was on side.

Andy 13:37

So ba basically what you're saying, what you said, the groove, you felt the groove player was offside, but you haven't given it.

Tim 13:42

No, I thought, sorry, I'm sorry. I thought he was on side. Yeah, but I've watched a VO and he was offside.

Andy 13:48

Yeah, it's definitely the thing is, mate, you can only, you literally have to just call it as you see it. Because, but you

Tim 13:53

did. I thought on

Andy 13:55

Yeah.

Tim 13:55

He'd have to keep disagreed with me and I thought I backed my decision and Yeah. Until I saw the VO today.

Andy 14:02

Yeah. But you, you have to just, you just have to give what you look at the, even the linesmen here who have been through the courses and stuff, they regularly get decisions that are shown later to be incorrect. But, it's just one of those things, to be honest, it's probably, I probably don't feel like that just now. It's probably better that you got it wrong that way than the other way. If you put your flag up for offsite when somebody's on site, because you know what's coming after that, don't you? There's all sorts of accusations, so at least you're just calling it as you see it and the, these things happen. But yeah, it sounds like a good effort from a makeshift at one team and obviously going into Saturday at one versus St. Peter. We'll talk about it when we're looking at games coming up, but St. Peter really have to win that. But even if they do st one of style games in hand it's sort building up really nicely for the end of the season. Looking at Premiership two last Saturday again, this is a sa Wanderers Reserves versus Aki. This was abandoned after 19 minutes. It was a JFA ball game. This was abandoned due to what was described by Wanderers as a serious leg break for their striker Jack Brown. And so that, that's horrible to hear. You, at the end of the day we're all playing footballs as amateurs. It's a hobby for somebody to get hurt like that and for, as I say, wonders to describe it as a serious line. We just, we send them our very best wishes for us speed and recovery.

Tim 15:18

Andy, I was there and yeah, it wasn't good.

Andy 15:20

Yeah that's horrible to hear. And I suppose for the other players there, you'd catch your mate down there in pain and sometimes you, I think we've seen live breaks and it can be pretty horrific. So hopefully. Hopefully everyone's okay with that. And hopefully the ambulance came far quicker than it did when Pierce just a couple of weeks. Just knew a couple of weeks ago. How long did it take?

Tim 15:43

I'd say it was about 45 minutes.

Andy 15:45

Okay, so half the time. Half, yeah. It wasn't quite the 90 minutes we waited, but yeah. Best wishes for a horrible thing to hear.

Robbie 15:51

Yeah. All the best to to Jack Ho. Hopefully he gets back playing soon.

Andy 15:55

Yeah. And then again, last Saturday it was the St. Lawrence Darby and finished Rose seven St. Lawrence. Now dominant win for Rose as they were putting the finishing touches on the season. Double for Stan Haynes, and a goal for Kalin. I think it's Kalin. Sanderson is how you pronounce it. And that set him up for last night, the 7th of April. It was the game we've been talking about for weeks. Robbie. It was Rosell six sporting, IES two. It seems like they, they went the whole season not playing each other and then played each other in quickly in a short space of time. Rosell Crown Champions following that, that's the Premiership two season completed. All games played. It's been a great tussle between them for the whole season between Rosell and AKIs. And it's welcome back to Trend one for both of'em really. I think there's no way AKIs aren't getting promoted. A fantastic performance for, from Rosell and huge congratulations to them.

Robbie 16:49

Yeah, both Rosell and Sport and IES have been a credit to their to the premiership too. They've set the pace. They've gone to head and yeah, like we said, we're delight for Jody Commiseration to ies, but they'll be up as well, hopefully. Good to have them both back in the premier.

Andy 17:04

Yeah, ISA away is always a good day, isn't it?

Robbie 17:07

Yeah.

Andy 17:07

You see them there, but, and I dunno if we should say this on a on a podcast going out, but it has been, I have heard rumors that sometimes they have fans there with flares and stuff, creating a good atmosphere. So we do always, I always enjoy going down there, so it's good to see them back as well. Championship tour on Saturday it was rosell reserves for Groove C two. The AFO mentioned the aforementioned Calin Sanderson who scored against St. Lawrence came off the bench against St. Lawrence. He also started this game for Rose Reserves and scored again, played an hour of that game. So on Saturday, three goals for Kalen and two separate games, although, but between the two games, didn't matter as a combined 90 minutes, but it was a great effort from him. Two games being played, one after the other and playing in both of them. So well done to him.

Robbie 17:51

Yeah. Superb. That's great going that Mark Hughes did something similar. Didn't he play for Wales and then by Munich, I think in two different co competitions once,

Andy 18:00

yeah. I'm

Robbie 18:00

not sure my age. Yeah,

Andy 18:01

that's two different countries as well.

Robbie 18:03

Yeah,

Andy 18:04

I'm sure he played an hour for some day, came up, got changed, jumped on a private gentleman somewhere else. So slightly different to just hanging about up at Roselle for two games.

Robbie 18:14

Yeah. Just change a kit from first team to resi kit.

Andy 18:17

In the over 30 fives. It was one over 30 fives, four simple lad two up at st one that was a midweek game under the lights. Couple of goals for Shane car. Laddie scored a lot of goals and we mentioned at the start of the season, seemed to go through a bit of a slow spell but is now back amongst the goals that we've mentioned the last couple of weeks. Robbie?

Robbie 18:36

Yeah he just keeps scoring, doesn't he added that little blip, but got the scoring boots back on. Must have got a new pair.

Andy 18:42

Yeah, I don't even know if it's a, it's a blip. Maybe it wasn't available. You know what it's like with, especially with 30 fives it's sometimes difficult. But yeah, he's back scoring. He is always, he's always worth a few goals. Yeah, his numbers are unbelievable, aren't they, Tim?

Tim 18:56

Yeah. The, whenever he's available, we always try and call him up for the reserves'cause he's always got a goal in them.

Andy 19:01

Yeah, and he's, I he's not far off my age but he keeps himself a hell of a lot fatter than I do.

Robbie 19:06

He's not 50

Andy 19:07

said off Robbie. I think he's a few years younger than me, but he keeps himself really fit. And yeah, he is a good player, cow Hampshire also getting a goal there as well. I dunno if that was a game you were at, Tim. I know you're up there most nights, but Dunno if you saw that one.

Tim 19:20

I was up there. Yeah. We couldn't see much of it though,'cause the fog, and I'm surprised it continues.'cause you could see the four corner flags, but at some stages of the game you couldn't see where the pool was.

Andy 19:31

Yeah. I think that was that the same night as the, I don't, maybe it wasn't the same night, Robbie, when you played wanderers in the cup, that was the, was there, wasn't it?

Tim 19:38

It was the same night.

Andy 19:40

Yeah. I think that made, it, made it difficult, but. A good result for them. And then the Cherry Godfrey Women's Division they're playing the Sylvia Spinola Memorial Cup at the moment. I think they, I think this is the last week over it for a little while. But the latest games there last Sunday. The last game there, it was Jazzy Wonderous two St. Peter Women won. Wonder was maintaining their a hundred percent record in the competition. So they're doing really well. I think there's a couple of rounds left to go on that before they, they get the winners of that, but they've also got another Cup com competition coming up as well. It's been a really good week. A lot of goals, a lot of things decided now we we called last week show the business end of the season, and we really are there, aren't we? With lots of things being decided now and. A few results that we maybe don't expect, and a few results we probably do expect coming up, but loads still to play for.

Robbie 20:30

Yeah, I mean it we just keep saying it. It's a great end of the season. It's the business end. We're all enjoying it. Everyone's it's squeaky bum time for certain teams, whether it's in promotion or relegation or title charges. So yeah, it's a great end of the season.

Andy 20:45

Yeah. And then the bulls, again, we talk about great ends of the season, loads of excitement. It was the Easter Bank holiday weekend for the bills. So they played Saturday, Monday, last Saturday. It was VCD Athletic N Jazz Bills four. I watched some of this game. They had it live streamed. VCD didn't really have much at all going forward. They, a, a la in the right wing that looked decent and powerful, but not great anything. The bills were very comfortable double for lawn goals from Miguel CarVal and Joe Shaw. So a comfortable three points. We said to Elliot last week, it was one of these ones, we hope it's a routine victory. I think this was the definition of routine. As was Monday on the sixth that was Jazzy, jazzy Bill three East Gonstead town nil. East Gonstead already relegated the gold difference of minus 119. And that pretty much, I think barring a disaster pretty much secures him. A playoff place goes from Luke Campbell, Riley Sandoff, and James Sunley. Elliot said he wanted six points from six, so he'll be pleased with that. Really good weekends work for the bills.

Robbie 21:46

Yeah, brilliant. Two games in three days. It's harsh on anyone. So add in the traveling with that as well. And like we said, that's what they wanted, to, not routine wins, but just go and get your three points on the board from each game and see where that leaves you. So Elliot would be delighted. Six points outta six seven goals scored, no goals conceded. So a lot of plus points to take from it.

Andy 22:06

Yeah, and I think they're not mathematically secure in the playoffs, but as I said, there's, I think there's three games to go there. Fourth, so there's a bit of a cushion there as well. There are two points and 10 goals. Clear. A fifth place setting bond, sitting bond hold are in the final playoff place. And there's six points and 15 goals clear of fivesome who are six. So that's effectively seven points clear with only three, three games gone. But looking at it, maintaining momentum has to be the target for them. Because going into the playoffs, the often it is the team that are playing well with the momentum going into it that are successful, but like whatever happens from now on and no matter what results happen, it's been an unbelievable performance from them. And they're unbeaten this calendar year. It's a great achievement, a great effort.

Robbie 22:52

Yeah, just being unbeaten for the calendar years, a, an incredible feat can put that together with them first season in this league. I think Elliot can look back and be very proud. So can the lads just get that final push in, get into the playoffs, and then hopefully win them without being outstanding season for him?

Andy 23:09

Yeah, and I think if they can get a, if they could get a home playoff game, what a night it would be at Springfield. I think it would be the final is the only thing, the only one they could have. But yeah. What a night that would be if they could have a home final at Springfield again.

Robbie 23:23

Yeah. The place would be rocking, the noise would be loud. You'll have the lads and the bullpen out in voice, so with their drums and everything. So yeah. Hopefully it all falls into place.

Andy 23:33

Yeah. I dunno what you guys think. I think the bullpen is one of the best things that they created.'cause it gets those bloody cowbells out the stand. Yeah, one of them ringing next to your head for the full 90 minutes, but no fair play to the lads.

Robbie 23:45

It's like playing up at some one on a Tuesday night with the cows in the field.

Andy 23:49

Yeah. So moving on we mentioned we've got Tim here. The championship one season, I think there's a couple of games left, but across the full league, but the title's already decided someone deserves winning it for the second year running a great achievement. And we, as we say, congratulations to Tim, Pete, and all the lads there. A great achievement. Talk us through the season. How has it gone? How you felt and how did it go in terms of comparison to expectations?

Tim 24:14

So obviously after last year we had a really good season. So the, and we added some good sign-ins in the season. So that Coleman ca, Steven Coleman came in, Stuart Danes came in and we brought Dom gel back'cause he had been traveling and there three very good resi players. And so the goal was to win everything the season, even the JFA bowl. Unfortunately in our league cup, Carmen bought us called, we failed in that. And it was part of November, which we just November, we were awful. We just didn't turn up. I think we were, had free games, didn't win any of them. And yeah, so that, that was a fail. And then the league, yeah, we've just been really good. So we had a sticky spell on November, like I said, but then after that sticky spell, we were just like a train, like we were last year just win, win. Yeah, so it's been very impressive.

Andy 25:04

Good. And who would you say has been your top performers in that season for you? And I know you maybe don't want to single out too many players, but who's impressed?

Tim 25:12

Oh it's actually hard. So if you've said start the season to November, Don gel, hands down. And then just before he went traveling, because he went traveling in January just before then he went for a sticky period and that's when we started dropping. But then we got Stuart Dan's back from injury, and then Daney. Then the next few months has been, was our standup player. Then recently it's been like Stephen Coleman, Luke Moss, Dan Hulen Ben Andrews. So it's difficult to single one out, I'd say. Yeah, even like Jack Skis gone under the radar, the work he puts in is he's been superb. Andre Marquez, who is a brilliant player, has so much potential. He's just young at the moment.

Andy 25:53

And I think that's one of the biggest things, isn't it? Because it's very rare for one, one player to keep those levels up all through the season. So you need other players that are willing to step in at that time. And you've got we've spoken about a lot, Rob, where Robbie and I, we, one of it really well organized where you have your first team players, you have your reserve players, you have your C team players, and there's not a huge amount of crossover between them. Does that level of consistency help as well?

Tim 26:20

Yeah, that, that's been brilliant for us having just that it settled aside, especially last couple of months. It's just, it's been a set side, but the last couple of weeks we are starting to lose players to the first team. Due to the first team having players that they've gone. There's a couple that's gone traveling and they've had the big injuries, so we have lost a couple, but lucky enough, we've got some good seating players that have stepped up, so we haven't really missed them.

Andy 26:43

Yeah, you've gone through the whole season. You've only lost one game. So that, that tells its own story. It's been a, I'd say, I don't wanna say a dominant season, but you've certainly kept your levels up throughout the year.

Tim 26:54

Yeah, we've been really impress impressive in the JFA bowl as well. We've played three pre two teams and one uncomfortably. So yeah, hopefully we can win our semifinal

Andy 27:05

Who's in the semifinal. I should know that because we in the other one,

Tim 27:08

we don't know because it's the winner of the game that got postponed last week. The Wanderers, resis or ies.

Andy 27:16

Oh, of course. Yes. So that was the one that was abandoned. Yeah. So I've been, it'd be interesting to see when that gets replayed. Yeah. Yeah. We've got wanderers and the other semifinal sometime in. No. July is I doing? No, I think it's sometime in May, but yeah it's one of the, another one of the games we've got left

Robbie 27:33

play. I think it's on the 2nd of May. I think. Andy, that's another game you've got on that day.

Andy 27:37

Don't start Robbie,

Tim 27:39

Jesse Cop on about.'cause Jeff Bowl. You've got Ro your Rey's got Rose.

Andy 27:44

Oh, see I haven't got a clue mate. I really dunno. Yeah, we've got Wonder as I'm sure there's a, might be a, maybe it's a Prem two team that's in out, or a resi team. I can't remember somebody in the other semi-final. But yeah, I've, we've got so many games between now and then and I can't even think about it.

Tim 27:59

The other semi-final and that is Rose first theme and St. Peter's first team.

Andy 28:03

Oh, there you go. That, I'll tell you that would be a good game. When that comes around. Rose St. Peters that you could possibly argue Rose our favorites for that.

Robbie 28:11

Yeah, on, on form, you'd say, because St. Pete's bit of dip. It'll be a good yardstick for Jody to measure as well to see, what he'd be facing a team that, struggling or fighting to stay up in the prem. So it'll be a good yardstick for him to measure himself against.

Andy 28:26

Yeah. And I think they've, I think they may have already played a couple of I'm sure they've already played they've got, yeah, they played Wonders, reserves and Dragos, so I'm talking nonsense. I was gonna say, I thought they'd already played a Prime one team, but they haven't yet. And then the winner of, that's a quarter final. Roselle versus Peter, they play Groove. I, and then, yeah, and then it's the, that'll be the semifinal. So yeah, there's a, as I say, there's a lot of footballs we played between now and then we'll see. I think about when we get there. But mean, Tim you've been. You've been around Jersey football for a long time now and I've been involved for 10 years. I think you've been there all that time. And now some more. I think initially at Trinity, and I dunno if you were anywhere else, I'm sure you were coaching down at CLS at some point as well. How many clubs have you actually been involved in? It's just a personal thing. I don't actually know.

Tim 29:13

So Groove, I was at Groove Hill as a kid, and then after, when I started secondary school, I went to St. Clements and then I went, after I left St. Clements for half a season, I went to IESs just for a laugh of my mates. And then I went to Trinity and so once a five,

Andy 29:30

yeah. So then I've been around a few clubs there. And how have you seen it change over that time? Because obviously you've come up through the junior system as well and into playing senior and in coaching senior. How have you seen it change?

Tim 29:41

I think starting from this season and then onwards, I think we're starting to get more games now, which is good because I remember when I used to play seniors as a, like a junior, there wasn't that actually that many games. It just seems like the games are increasing now.

Andy 29:55

Yeah. And I think that's really important and it does create its own challenges, particularly around officials and stuff. But for developing football is the only thing you can, the only way you can develop is to play games. Yeah. Training's only gonna take you so far. But we have to play when we've got a season here where I think it's 21 games in Prem one, but Champ one, I think you've got 15. And I think Prem two had 12. It's just, it's not enough. So we need to find a way and I don't know the solution. I think it'll take a long time to fix that. But it is a real issue.

Tim 30:25

I'd say the standard has changed as well.'cause growing up as a kid so some Paul's teams were like Andrew Bird Stu Andre and there was other teams like yeah,

Andy 30:36

the GoGy left, they, the GoGy left battle, didn't they?

Robbie 30:38

Whoa.

Tim 30:39

But yeah, a lot of just there's four or five teams, they all seem to have good players.

Andy 30:43

Yeah. And I think we, we've spoken a lot. I think it's kinda creeping up. I think senior football in a few years could have an issue in terms of the number of players and I don't know what the solution is. I dunno whether that's consolidation or finding a way to to make it work. But I think there, there are challenges. I certainly don't envy the JFA in navigating them. But yeah, it's been a great season for you guys. And as I said, it's your second and second in know you, you fancy going again for three in a row.

Tim 31:10

Yeah.'cause I've already spoke to our lads about next season. I think we only lose two one to retirement and one going to another club. So yeah. I'll fancy us to go again.

Andy 31:20

Who's retiring?

Tim 31:21

Luke Moss.

Andy 31:23

Okay. He's done. Is he?

Tim 31:25

Yeah, he said that last year, but, so I hope he hing his mind, but I think he's set, I think he is set this year.

Andy 31:32

You gonna try and chip away at him?

Tim 31:34

Oh yeah, of course. He's been absolutely solid for us this season. He even done a stint for First Team Tell out yesterday and he didn't look out place.

Andy 31:42

Brilliant. And who's leading to another club?

Tim 31:44

Oh, I can't disclose that.

Andy 31:46

Robbie, who have you poached?

Tim 31:47

No. One of Youngster, one of our youngsters wants to go to another club of all his mates.

Andy 31:52

Alright. Yeah, that. That actually takes us nicely into the next bit we were gonna look at. So we asked last week about people getting in touch. Any questions or any feedback or any input from them? We've had a couple of really good questions. Now unfortunately, we don't get to see who the questions come from because all we get is the last four digits of the phone number that the text messages sent from. But there was two, two really good questions. One was about Jersey football and being tri, being tribal, and then there was another one around the recruitment of players. And I like, we'll start with that one first. So I'll read the question the question that was asked verbatim. I think this is potentially more at junior football than senior football, but I think it's still relevant. The question was what do you think of recruit the recruitment of players and the tapping up of players? How can the process be made better, if at all? And I think this is a, an age old issue, isn't it? I'm sure you've both been around clubs where you've lost players to tapping up, and I wouldn't ask you to admit anything. But I'm sure you've also had conversations with players that if someone wanted to really critical could potentially describe it, it's tapping up. But what do you think the environment's like in terms of the recruitment of players and as the current system, does it work? If not, how could it change?

Robbie 33:07

I think if we're going off the junior setup, I mean we've, we spoke about this quite a few podcasts ago. When it reared its head, shall we say about certain clubs offering the world to these juniors to get'em to come and sign for their club and then almost stockpiling talent and stagnating them. So I think that's a dangerous minefield that I'm not gonna get into tonight. But I think that needs to stop and I think somehow the parents have gotta take, if it's juniors, I think the parents need to get involved and try and advise'em. I know it's difficult'cause if all their mates are going and they wanna join there and they're being like asked and promised everything, I know it's difficult. But I think the parents need to try and see the bigger picture. And if a certain club signing 20, 30 players then that's just not gonna work. So I think if parents could maybe be a bit more firmer with their kids and advise'em that staying at a certain club or going to a lesser club, shall we say would be more beneficial, I think that would be great. In the senior game, tapping up happens. I'm sure we've all been privy to it. We've all done it, we've all had it done to us. There's not a lot you can do. You see now in the professional game, everyone's agreeing terms with players before even going to clubs now. So it's open, it's out there. It's in the ether. It's going on. Tapping up happens all the time, so I don't think you'll ever stop it. I think it's very hard to police. So yeah, it's a really tricky one to know what to do with it really.

Andy 34:26

Yeah. And what about you, Tim? What's your experience of it?

Tim 34:29

Juniors, I'm not sure'cause I haven't done been involved with juniors in a few years. I've done under eighteens last couple years, but none of, I don't think any of my players got tapped up and I didn't tap any under eighteens up.

Andy 34:41

What you can say about your players, Tim,

Tim 34:43

senior, seniors. Seniors not much movement. I dunno if you agree, but lot like this season, not much movement actually happens. I think a lot just stay with their mates now.

Andy 34:52

Yeah. I think the, I think Robbie you nailed it. It happens. It's always happened and I don't know how you stop it. And I think trying to stop, it's like trying to push water uphill, isn't it? It's going to happen. So I think potentially and I'd say more at senior level, it's how do we make it as fair as possible while also accepting that it goes on and trying to get a semblance of control over it rather than trying to police the impossible. So I, I think it is a tough one. And juniors, I think it all comes down to mates even more than clubs promise in the world. I think it, it comes down to kids wanting to play with their mates and I wonder if there's a. An education piece for kids sorry, not for kids. An education piece for parents, particularly at the younger age groups where we all get it as coaches. You got any coaching courses. It's really hammered into you that this is about development. It's not about winning. It's not about Yeah. Your ego as a coach. But I think maybe there, there needs to be, and I dunno how the GFA do it, I'm throwing ideas out here without any sort of functionality of how you would deliver it. But just try and get players to understand that the most important thing when their kid's 13, 14 years old, the most important thing for them is to play games. And if they go, even if they want to play with their mates, if they're not playing good amounts of time, week in, week out, I know they talk about equal game time and stuff, but it never really works, does it? Does it, so I think it's a tough one, but I think there needs to be an education piece around the, just the value of playing games and how we get kids to recognize that. And I think you, you get to recognize that by getting the parents to understand it. But it's like you, you have training there, especially with, if it's younger players. You've got the pro licensed coaches behind you critiquing everything you're doing as a coach. Of course they'll be making and rightly they're making decisions that they believe is in the best interest of their child. And that's absolutely fair. But I think there needs to be more of an understanding that it almost doesn't matter what the results are because whether the kids know it or not, they're learning, you go and get a chasing from a much better team subconsciously. The kids learning from that is experience. Yeah. And I dunno if you've probably seen it, Robbie, actually with your thing. I know I saw it when I was at St. Paul's as well. Quite often when you've got young players coming through to senior level who have been at a dominant junior club, they've never actually faced adversity and they don't know how to deal with it. So I think that's not always best of development to al be at the best club. And I might be characterizing some of the players incorrectly, Robbie, but I don't know. Certainly that was my experience. I dunno if you've seen it, where they don't really know how to react to things going wrong.

Robbie 37:29

Yeah, a hundred percent. And that's been my biggest struggle for the nearly three years I've been at St. Paul's is that I've, I inherited young lads, fair enough, young lads coming into senior footy, but young lads who dominated Jersey football and they were used to winning. When I say get in their own way, I don't mean, as in everything goes to, goes their way as decisions and stuff. But, anything they'd tried would come off in junior footy because they were that good and that head and shoulders above the competition. Coming into senior footy where they'll have a big lump just booting crap out of them for 90 minutes, like shocks'em a bit. So I think it's a dangerous territory where we're going or where it could go with about you saying it, it's not important. Winning and stuff. We still need to keep that element of competitiveness. But I agree, making out that it's not important to win, it's a development that's gotta be massive for them. But then do we go down the route of, okay, so no games, classes or win or a loss, it's, it'll just be development, but then that'll take the edge away from the games and the lads won't appreciate winning and losing until it's, they're in senior foot. So it's a really sticky wicket that one, I think. But I think as coaches this point, I think as coaches, they've gotta look at it and take a bit of responsibility. Like you say, it's not an ego trip for coaches that we all wanna win. Yep. We all wanna win as many trophies and silverware as we can, but my biggest love is just seeing a player develop. Take a player who might not be very good and then work with him for a while, and then they develop into something really good and then they feel proud about themselves. That's up there with winning a title or winning a cup. Seeing someone who's come from nothing. Or, nowhere near the standard required to then making the standard and being comfortable within that environment is huge. So I think as coaches, everyone needs to take a look at that. I think.

Andy 39:12

Yeah I think you do raise a really good point and I think that's definitely should be called out winning's a skill. And I think from, I would say from under sixteens onwards as much as you say it's about development, I think you need to learn how to win games. And that could be,

Robbie 39:27

And

Andy 39:28

how to lose and as

Robbie 39:28

well,

Andy 39:29

yeah. But that could be shutting up shop and managing a game. It could be just doing things specifically to win the game. So I think there, there's definitely a skill to that and you do develop it with experience, but. It's something that, that players can learn. I remember, I can go back when I did one of the coaching courses, I can't even remember which one it was. I was talking to one of the tutors from the fa and I was coaching under sixteens at the time. I remember saying to him, I saying, the biggest frustration I have is these kids don't wanna win as much as I do.

Robbie 39:57

Yeah.

Andy 39:58

The tutor went and went, you are the problem, not them. I was a bit taken back. He says, no, and that's his point. He says this for them should still be around developing. And he says you, that you have to change that attitude or you have to go and coach seniors. And here's me nearly tenures on still coaching seniors. So we, we know what way that went. But it was absolutely fair. It was a perfectly right to call that out and talk about it. So I think we've said a lot there without really coming up with solutions.'cause I'm not sure what the solutions are if they're there at all.

Robbie 40:28

I, I think to find a solution, I think they need to get. Important people round a table and to have an open discussion. And it's not gonna be a one-off thing. I think this needs to be a steady, progressive thing. It needs to be a constant thing because we're not just gonna dream up a solution on the back of someone's message to us. If we were, then we'd be involved in the fa, let alone the JFA. So I think this is something the JFA needs to take serious, have a look at it, but touching on the, the winning and everything. It is it not this generation now. I go to my kids' sports day and even if you lose, you get awarded points and stuff, and that's not really teaching them, the value of winning and losing. I'm not saying make'em ultra competitive, like they come last and they still get a couple of points and you're like yeah. I don't really agree with that. I might be a fossil, I might be a dinosaur, but I think they need to learn winning and losing a bit earlier.

Andy 41:20

Tim, you work in education. Do you see that? Is that a participation, medals a thing? And what's your view on it?

Tim 41:25

Yeah. Does, yeah. Where I work, like all my, all our students will get participation, like medals or certificates and it's like weekly as well.

Andy 41:35

Yeah. But I think, the kids know, don't they? So the, if you, if everyone's getting a medal for participant, the kids still know who won and what not. Just football, the kids, if there's a race, yeah. The kids know who was first. They know who was lasting. Just'cause everyone's got a medal. They still know and they still want to be forced and to win things. So I think there's probably, it does make sense. You're never gonna take that away. Kids are naturally competitive. I think it's the case that it's the adults that the issue adults be it coaches and probably parents. And I think it needs, it has to be through education. I don't think you can set out rules and restrictions to force change. You have to develop that change through education of coaches, parents, everyone involved. But yeah, it's a massive topic that we could go on all night about and definitely not come up with a solution.

Robbie 42:22

Yeah. J just one last thing on that. I think the c the best coach over here that had it down to a tee about, the winning and development, or sorry, the development of players ahead of winning was Mickey Porter. He was so far ahead of his time, he just, everything was to defeat triangles. Just enjoy playing football, enjoy getting a touch of the ball and, you develop from there. So shame he's not no longer around and he's sorely missed, but he was a pioneer back then.

Andy 42:49

Yeah, it just, and that's, it's just play football. And it's a shame because everything has to be organized now. You don't see kids down at the, or you rarely see kids down at the park playing 15 aside or with from under tens, under fourteens playing together, or nobody plays World Cup and all that sort of thing. We actually, funny we actually did that last season. I think we had a trading session, just played a game of World Cup players. Loved it. Yeah. Quality. And that was, adults loved it.

Tim 43:17

I remember me and sorry Andy, me and Con, she used to play it where our dads would be in the bar at St. Clements. We used to play World Cup. They used to be loads of us. Like every Saturday.

Andy 43:26

Yeah. It's just, and it's just that finding a love of football. And you're halfway there, but like I say, a massive topic that we're never going to solve in a sort of 10 minute piece on a podcast. But the other, question we got was, and I think this is a really interesting one actually, I'd be really keen to hear your views on it. Is Jersey football too tribal? And that we don't see clubs helping each other and do we think they should help each other more than they do?

Robbie 43:49

This is a tricky one. Is it too tribal? No, I think it's good that people have got allegiances to their own club. I'm a St. Paul's man, I've always been a St. Paul's man. I had a couple little stints away from the club for I think, which totaled maybe a season in total. So yeah, so I'm St. Paul's through and through. But regarding helping out each other other clubs if it means fix your rearrangement, then I think everyone serves their own agenda. I think that's a polite way of saying it. Unless it's mutually beneficial. Andy, we've gotta rearrange I think our game against you, but that's due to one of the tis being played where we'll have quite a few youngsters there, but we're adults about that. We know that needs to be moved, but other clubs, fathers

Andy 44:30

gonna second to me.

Robbie 44:31

Yeah, I think you've got spare hour and a half somewhere in that day. There's 24 hours to choose from Anne. But is it too tribal? I like the tribalism. I like knowing that we'll go up to St. W's and not be liked. I like going down St. Clements and know that it'll be, a rough ride down there, Trinity, when we used to go up to play Trinity, that was always a, an eye opener. So I enjoy the tribalism side of it, I think. I think if anything, we are losing a bit of it, to be honest, because you see players now moving clubs, which again sounded like a dinosaur in my day. Just wouldn't happen. You wouldn't go and play for a certain club because of the, the. Not hatred, but the rivalry between them. Yeah, I don't think it's too tribal at all, personally.

Andy 45:12

What about you, Tim?

Tim 45:13

Like Robbie says, it's mixed. Like I've, like St. Clements have been a massive help to us. Like we lost Johnny Leblanc to Suspension, who's our captain, so he had missed our cup semifinal and they've kindly agreed to move our league game to next week so he can play our semifinal. So clubs can help, but I dunno if it benefit them as well. That's why they helped. But I would like to think, I would like to think they were helping and I've helped Rose out by doing the line'cause they had no lines win this season and I don't think that's helping them out, mate. To be honest, it was against Swans and I actually had someones disagree in my decisions, but anyway, and oh, what's I gonna say? I've lost my train of thought now. Oh yeah. But there's definitely

Andy 45:54

other clubs out.

Tim 45:55

There's definitely is where some clubs won't help. Like they'll just say no. If you want to fix your move, they'll be like, no, because you're doing it for a reason. But I do think there's others that will help out.

Andy 46:04

Yeah, I think it's an, I look at it coming from a sort of outside view. I was quite surprised at the question'cause I don't think jazz football's tribal at all. I really don't. I think things that we talk about, like you say, and I, again, I'm talking senior level here junior level, a even junior level, I don't think it's that tribal. I think they, generally speaking, most teams have good relationships with each other. But I think that from what I've seen, teams will look to help each other. Of course, if you're going to request a fixture change, of course it's gonna be to your benefit. Otherwise you wouldn't do, you wouldn't say, oh. I wanna rearrange this game to win five. My players are away. Yeah, course of course there's gonna be an agenda to it. And still sometimes you see teams will agree to it. Other times they won't and fair enough. But I just go back a couple of weeks to when we played up at Wonders wonders went won. Now up when Pierce got injured, Jack Hardisty tapped the ball in. There was absolutely no fault whatsoever on Jack Hardy's part. It happened so quickly after it. And immediately Wanderers said, we'll give you that goal back. And they didn't have to. And that was the top of the table Clash. Had they won that game we are out of it and they've pretty much secured the league. I don't see the kind of tribal nature. I do think clubs do help each other out. Could they do it more? Probably. But ultimately, and again, looking at it from a senior football perspective, and maybe this is aim more at junior football, but certainly at senior football, but we all want to win and we all do things to, to try and get a little ledge. And where do you draw the line? But from doing that to being too tribal again, if at junior level from what I've seen is it potentially tribal appearance? I've been down a couple of times at Hope Valley on a Saturday and a Sunday and have games on there. And the parents the parents make a hell of a racket and it's great that they're encouraging them. But I do wonder is there tribalism amongst the parents? Maybe that's what the question relates to. I'd love to have. A podcast actually, where we could do a little bit of a deeper dive into junior football because it's not something we've covered yet, Robbie. I'd maybe ask the guy that's or the girl who's sent the questions in and say we don't know him. We'd love to have you come on. So get in touch if you'd be willing to come on and talk about it more. I'd love to hear more about it, but certainly from my experience, I don't find football and jersey particularly tribal, and I've, if I compare it to what I've experienced outta Jersey, it's not even close.

Robbie 48:27

Yeah, no it's gonna be different in the mainland and everything, but I think for a small island, I think there is a element or quite a big element of tribalism. Now, how do I say this? Without getting me into trouble for potentially tapping up. I was out having a drink and the drinks were flowing and I was chatting to a young player to try and get him see what he was doing next season. Is that the best way to say it? I think, he said he wouldn't sign for St. Paul's because his dad when his dad played, hated St. Paul's. And I love that answer. I absolutely love that answer. I thought fair play to you. That's the most honest you could be. And I think I might be the same, but if Jesse, or when Jesse starts getting a bit older, like the reason why he's up at St. Paul's now is'cause I'm a St. Paul's man. And that's in the mini, so I think there does, there is still tribalism that does exist to, to our microclimate that we have in Jersey. So I think it's good and yeah, it should be here for a long time to come still, I think.

Andy 49:24

Yeah. If you see that young again, ask him if he was staying for some climates.

Robbie 49:27

I think he has.

Andy 49:28

Yeah. Start, lemme guess the start of the season.

Robbie 49:31

No, it wasn't him, but yeah I loved that answer. That was brilliant. So more, I'm more for that.

Andy 49:37

Oh, good. So just quickly we've spoken about it a number of times or we mentioned a number of times during this podcast so far, but anyway, we'll talk about fix the congestion. We've got seven league games left this season and we're still in with the chance of winning the league. The upturn is on the 2nd of May, so we have to finish the league prior to then. We've also got semi-final against Wanderers to play at some point, potentially final if we get through that. And we've got the wee wake cup final to fit in somewhere as well. Now, the JFA also scheduled that for the 2nd of May, which is where Robbie, your comments are coming forward with playing so many games on that. So in theory, we're playing the Optin and the Wewe final on the 2nd of May. Now, clearly the Optin takes precedence on that. But they, Rick, who are coming over for the Wewe final have no idea when this game's gonna be. And it really is. Into a bit of a mess. So it's a difficult one, one option that was floated to Vail Rec. And the reason that I'm bringing this up, and I'd be keen to hear what your thoughts are. And I have seen the email, so I know it's floated. I have seen it. One option was for, floated by the GFA was for St. Cls to forfeit the wewe final. Basically said if we can't fit it in, we'll have to forfeit it. Now we knew, we weren't told this wasn't proposed to us. It was proposed only to Vail Rec, which I found staggering. We're in this position through no fault, over on. So CLS have had one game postponed at home this season, and I think there's been a couple of times where it was in doubt. So we proactively moved the game. And we're in this position now where we're already pa playing. It'll be seven games in 18 days. Goodness knows what else is gonna happen. And it makes winning league, which was already gonna be tough. It makes it extremely tough. I dunno, have you got any thoughts on that, Robbie? Particularly, how would you feel if the idea was forfeited you or the idea was floated that you forfeit a cup final?

Robbie 51:28

How do I answer this without getting into trouble? What an absolute joke of a floating idea. I think that's the most polite I could be. So they floated the idea of, for you forfeiting a cup final, a Jersey Cup final. By the way, it's not a Guernsey one, a Jersey Cup final. Because you might be in the Upton. Absolute ridiculous. I'm looking at springy now. There's a, there's no one on there. I think the floodlights are on. There's no one on Why not just put it on there? It's, it can't be that difficult. And look at it from veil, recor side. Do you think they, they. They got the win against us in the semi. So hopefully you do them in the final, but do you really think they wanna win a cup by default?

Andy 52:10

Yeah. They've already said that they've spent eight grand so far in this competition

Robbie 52:14

Yeah. And

Andy 52:15

coming over to play and they obviously, they want to play in the final,

Robbie 52:18

Them winning the Wewe cup, which is a prestigious cup in Jersey Foot and Channel Island football. Then winning that by you not being able to field a team because you're playing in the Upton that would have the, that would have the second biggest asterisk next to their winner's name. The only one big was Liverpool when they won the league in COVID. But we won't get into that one.

Andy 52:36

I thought you were, I thought you were gonna stay with the Ash six text to St. Peter Ford St. Paul's now.

Robbie 52:40

No, we've moved on from that now, Andrew.

Andy 52:42

Hi ba. It's 20 minutes.

Robbie 52:44

Yes I've spent a lot of money on counseling for that and therapy, so yeah, thanks for bringing that up, mate. But no absolute joke. Basically, and yeah, that's my opinion. It's, I would be raging if I'd heard that if it was us in the final and they floated that idea to us. Absolute joke, and

Andy 53:02

I understand how difficult it is because you've got the second, that weekend, the weekend after it's Liberation weekend, the following weekends in ate, they've got a JFA cup final to fi and there's a lot going on. But this really all comes back to the start of the season.

Robbie 53:20

But why not? Why not just put it on the 22nd of May, the same weekend that we play? And is it, I think, is it, who've we got in the Jeremy Cup final? I've forgotten now. But we are playing the, we're playing 22nd of May. Why can't Vale rec come over and play that day? And'cause you'll be over there. We're over there.

Andy 53:35

I think the J FFA Cup final is scheduled for that weekend, which we potentially could be in as well. I believe so. It may be it might have to be a midweek. I really don't know. But as is difficult, but this really comes back to the start of the season where I think the league season started on something like the 22nd or 23rd of August, and we played our first league game on the 16th of September. Yeah, Wanderers, who we have two games in hand on at the moment, had played three games before we played the first one. Yeah. And I don't, I still don't understand why there. I suspect actually that I, part of me actually thinks that they forget about St. Clemens when they were doing the fixtures. Did they put all together? Oh God, we've not put some Clemens in there.

Tim 54:20

God only

Andy 54:20

remember me because I can't understand I still struggle to understand, I think everybody else had played two games to Wonders and maybe somebody else had played three. And then we are playing on the 16th of September. And the knock on effect of losing those three weeks has put us in a situation we're in at the moment. Yeah. Where, I don't think I, being honest, I don't think forfeiting the cup final was a genuine option. Flow was mentioned. I don't think they, they genuinely looked at it or whatever's gonna, I think I credited the JFA with enough about them that they wouldn't want to have one of their competitions settled on that basis. Yeah. But it's. It's just it's really difficult to organize and to fix. But we're, we are, obviously, we're gonna be playing game after game after game at the business end of the season when everything's up for grabs. So that, which is fine. You, I'd much rather be playing these games and not playing them. But I was very surprised when I saw that it was a potentially fo forfeiting that cup final. But anyway, moving on. I'll pick up my bottom lip off the floor and move on. Next one. The, moving on, Tim, the bit you've been waiting for, I'm sure. We're gonna ask you to pick Arati five I team. A goalkeeper, four outfield, four outfield players. Any formation you want. The only stipulation is you have to have seen them play. And the other stipulation that has to be five players, we have had a couple who have tried to pick six. But yeah, definitely if you can who are you thinking of?

Tim 55:44

For me in Goal Ewen, I was gonna go Birdie, but I only saw Birdie two or three times. So I'll go Ewen and then I'll go one Defender, which will be Luke Campbell. And then my two, I'll go two in the middle, which would be Luke Watson and Jack Boyle. And then up front has to be Carl Hines. It'd probably kill me if I didn't pick Carl. So

Andy 56:04

quite, I think all five of them are featured quite heavily, haven't they? Robbie?

Robbie 56:08

They have indeed. Yeah. We're gonna do that for our end of season podcast where we'll announce the Ultimate Meti five aside, but I think them five have featured very heavily.

Tim 56:18

Was he Carl's the best trainer I've ever seen. O obviously all the clubs, I've been out, all the players have been involved. Carl's the best trainer I've ever seen.

Andy 56:26

Yeah, we obviously see him every week in training and his very, I think the biggest thing he's demanding, he demand standards, he. Carl, you have the name under the sun if you don't give him the decision he wants when you're playing games.'Cause he literally just wants to win everything, doesn't he?

Robbie 56:40

And that touches back to what we've said about, the wanting to win. And with the younger players and stuff, it's great to see. We've waxed lyrical about Carl Loads on this podcast or over the, the 25 podcasts that we've done. He's just a joy. Everyone would love to have someone like him in their squad.

Andy 56:57

Yeah. And even that midfield, there's a hell of a lot of quality there, but a lot of bite as well. Two very competitive players. And Luke and Jack. Jack Boyle for me is one who was just incredible. Bad luck meant that he didn't have a long career professionally in the game'cause such a talented player. And really had everything.

Robbie 57:15

Yeah, him and Luke Watson again we've sung their praises so much on the, on these as well. Both of them are joy to watch, joy to be around both good lads as well. So yeah, delighted or they're just delightful lads.

Andy 57:27

Yeah. And a similar way to Carl both demanding and not shy about telling you if something's not right. If those balls aren't pumped up hard enough or something's not quite right, they'll tell you.

Robbie 57:37

But

Andy 57:38

It's not outta badness, it's demand and standards and what to be the best.

Robbie 57:42

You've just hit the nail on the head standards. That's what it is. It's, they set the standards. They know what standards should be and yeah, that having them in your squad or, a play like that in your squad is invaluable, honestly.

Andy 57:54

Yeah. And then obviously you and Luke as well. Again, two names that I've cropped up regularly, I think I'm not sure what else I can say about both of them. Campbell unbelievable in the air. And biggest thing for me is the number of goals he scores even for the bull. Yeah. Playing step four now at 35, 36 years of age, whatever he is now still banging in a huge number of goals for the Centerback.

Robbie 58:15

Yeah. Yeah. He just doesn't age, does he? He gets a few more gray airs and that's about it. Delighted to hear that Birdie was na or, birdie was in consideration.'cause for me, he was brilliant Birdie. He's still loving life out in la had a text off him the other yesterday morning just seeing how everything was going. He listens to the podcast. He's loving it. So yeah, birdie hope you and the family are well, mate, when you listen to this

Andy 58:37

great stuff. No I a very strong five side team there, Tim. Just looking forward, I'm just gonna run through the upcoming fixtures over the next week. So we've got on Saturday the 11th, we've got Madeira versus Wanderers. And one versus St. Peter. That's one versus St. Peter. That's at St. Peter's. Both of them are two o'clock kickoffs, as is St. Paul versus St. Lad up at Keny. At three o'clock on Saturday, down at Springfield, it's at CL versus Ville. So I think this was our game that was supposed to be at the neutral venue. Springfield was free and they moved it from Keny to Springfield, which is

Robbie 59:13

nice

Andy 59:13

ideal for both clubs who are based in east of the island. It makes much more sense. And then rolling on to midweek the 15th, we've got the data versus CLS at seven o'clock kickoff up at Kennedy. Championship one. We've got St. Climates reserves versus one reserves. That's the 14th of April. Bit of a dead rubber, isn't it? That would be a chance for you to, is this the game that you were talking about where they've agreed to move it?

Tim 59:38

Yeah,

Andy 59:39

semifinal.

Tim 59:40

Yeah. We're not trained as a dead drum rob though, because we've still got a semifinal, so we will be going as it is, there's something to play for. So yeah, we'll be picking our strongest team that's available.

Andy 59:50

Yeah, we don't have a game that night, so we're gonna play all the first team players.

Tim 59:54

That sounds good. Good preparation.

Andy 59:55

Yeah. Again, back to Saturday, the over 30 fives, Ville versus Rozelle, St. Cls versus Wanderers and Trinity versus St. Lawrence. Now the St. C cls versus Wanderers, that's the top two in the league. They've still got a number of games left to play. I. St. Climates and wanderers are both level on points, but St Climates have played a game less. So this would be an opportunity for St. Climates to put clear daylight between them and wanderers. For wanderers, they have to win. It's as simple as that. Both sides have got goals in them. We've spoken before, obviously Matt Rollins, if he's playing for climates, usually hat trick the game the way is gone.

Robbie 1:00:29

Yeah.

Andy 1:00:29

But even Wanderers scoring a lot of goals. We were saying before Adam Lester, who never really had them down as a goal scorer, but is banging them in the 30 fives this season. So the both teams have got goals in them. I've seen that probably best thinking now but should, has all the makings of a really good game there. And then tomorrow night, the Thursday evening, we've got Rosell versus Rosell women versus Jersey Wanderers Women. That's in the Women's Jersey FA Cup. And then on Sunday morning, so that's up at, that's at Rosell, six o'clock kickoff. And then on Sunday at 10 30 in the morning, we've got St. Peter versus Sports Club, Saint Peter, women versus sports club women again in the Jersey f women's Jersey, FA cup. So a load of football. A lot of games with a lot on them, particularly in prem one. Championship one as well, I'd say to an extent, but certainly in, in prem one, there's a lot of games with a lot of riding, a lot riding on them. So one versus Peter, it's massive. Are you gonna be up there, Tim?

Tim 1:01:26

Yeah, I'll be up there

Andy 1:01:28

on the line.

Tim 1:01:29

I've got my daughter, so I'll just be watching.

Andy 1:01:32

Maybe she'll get the offside rate.

Tim 1:01:34

Probably.

Robbie 1:01:35

She couldn't do, she couldn't do much worse.

Andy 1:01:37

Okay. And then moving on to the bills. So on Saturday, three o'clock kickoff, it's Beckingham Town versus Jersey Bills over in the uk. Again, three points to the bills. It's about main maintaining momentum, but actually there's a lot bit more to this. It's a chance for the bulls to relegate Beckenham which I think would be very sweet. Beckenham came over at the time of the year. They drew one each, but this goes back a few years to when they were both in step five. The, I think there's a lot of Bull fans still remember the Beckenham fans and to be fair, some of the club officials when they visited a few years ago and I'm sure they would take great delight in being the ones to relegate Becker. And back to step five, I think there's still a bit of a, still a bit of needle there. It may just be one, it may be one sided. I don't know if Beckingham feel the same, but I know there's a good few bills. Fans have a bit of a dislike for Becker.

Robbie 1:02:24

Yeah, gotta be a little tasty that encounter that one. So Jersey Bulls get three points and then that's, I think that's them secured in the playoffs I think, or if not as good as yeah, they've got it all there to in front of them. So just go there, relegate them, get three points and cement your place in the playoffs.

Andy 1:02:42

Yeah, I think that if they win, at worst there'll be six points clear of six place. But the goal difference is like another point. So with only two games to go. So it does is it may not mathematically secure it, but that there is good as, to be honest there, as good as there is now. But I think the big thing for them is a, an opportunity to keep this momentum going with our view to go into the playoffs on a high and playing well. And then on Sunday we've got Jersey Bulls, women versus Hartland. That's two o'clock the kickoff at Springfield. Finally at home game for the girls. They feels like they've been playing away games for, I dunno, for about four months.

Robbie 1:03:16

Yeah, it doesn't it? So it'll be, it'd be good that they're back home in their, what, second season now, isn't it?'cause of the split and everything and the N points. So

Andy 1:03:24

yeah, they've won the, they've won the league once this as the won it for the second time. Yeah. Har Harland, the second in the table, they've won, only played one game post split where the bulls have played three. So I don't really know where they would realistically sit in that table. I don't think it really matters. I think the Jersey Bulls women are so far ahead in terms of quality in, in every area that we would expect a comfortable victory and lodge goals. So if you can get down there to support them, then please do. But that pretty much covers everything. As I say, it's been quite a long one tonight. But huge thank you Tim, for joining us Cheer. Congratulations. Cheers, Tim, again on such a successful season. Good luck for the. The rest of the season, unless you're playing at climates and any of those cup competitions. But all the best for that. But yeah, great season for you guys.

Tim 1:04:09

Cheers lads. I really enjoyed it.

Andy 1:04:12

Thanks. And as always, a massive thank you to Chris and Jack Nova cad NOVA Card to provide architectural services planning support from really from start to finish. Finish on any projects that you do. So if you're looking to get anything done, have a look on their website. It's Nova card, that's NOVA CD J. You'll find it all about them there. But thanks to them ma, massive supporters, not just of us, but also Jersey football. They do provide a lot of support to a lot of clubs and other media outlets as well. But thanks very much, Robbie. 25. Not out. Hopefully we'll get, yeah, hopefully we'll still be here for 26.

Robbie 1:04:50

Hopefully, mate. Unless Marfa and a hundred year old cat's got anything to do with it, we might get canceled, but I think we're safe for another couple anyway.

Andy 1:04:57

Yeah, we'll see when we will try and get one next week. It's gonna be tough trying to fit it in. We, because I think by then we'll be into, we'll certainly into our games program for the next three weeks, but I'm sure we'll catch an hour to, to put one of these together.

Robbie 1:05:09

Yeah, definitely mate. Cheers for having us again.

Andy 1:05:12

Cheers. Thank you very much.