Vance looks for young players to push on as GFC fixtures are confirmed

Monday 22 July 2024

Guernsey FC now know the route that lies ahead in Isthmian South Central and they will be approaching the season with a fresh outlook behind the scenes.

They face an opening day trip to Hartley Wintney when the new season kicks on Saturday 10th August.

Their campaign in the Isthmian South Central will also end on the road, against Harrow Borough on 26 April.

GFC have confirmed his players will be assigned squad numbers this year.

This marks a change from the usual one to 11 format that is common at this level. 

"What we've effectively done for the first time ever is invite people to training,” said GFC manager Tony Vance.

“Particularly in pre-season, we get many people turning up - some of them have aspirations to play for GFC, some of them just want to use us for training and get themselves fit. 

“What we want to do is put all our resources into the players who match our expectations. By selecting those players, particularly the youngsters, we want to show our faith in them. 

“We've chosen people that we feel are prepared to learn in every way possible on and off the pitch, understand the ethos and philosophies we are trying to achieve. If we put all our resource into them, it's effectively our way of showing them we want them to be part of our group.

"Giving them a squad number gives them a bit of an identity. It shows that, while they haven't necessarily 'made it', they are in the group and it is up to them to fight for a place. We know with the group we've got that in theory, every training session should be on the money."

That includes handing out squad numbers to a lot of young players, which Vance hopes will motivate them to push on:

"We want the young players to improve and develop themselves. We are here to look for the future and have youngsters here that need to step up. 

“You can get very comfortable just playing local football so we want to make sure their pathway wasn't blocked by senior players who have been around the group previously but not pushed on. It's important to open that pathway up and to understand that with a squad number comes expectation. Hopefully over the next two or three years they will develop into players who can really play at this level.

Some notable fixtures include Boxing Day, when GFC visit a new opponent in famous non-league club Kingstonian and New Year's Day on which they host Sutton Common Rovers.

Their clashes with Farnham Town, who are expected to motor straight through to consecutive promotionsm are on 5th October (home) and 8th February (away). They face Horndean on 28th September (away) and 23rd November (home), Rayners Lane on 12th October (away) and 16th February (home), Hayes & Yeading United on 2nd November (home) and 8th March (away), and Moneyfields on 30th November (home) and 25th January (away).

Fixtures are subject to change.

Sat 10th August - Hartley Wintney (a)
Sat 24th August - Harrow Borough (h)
Mon 26th August - Sutton Common Rovers (a)
Sat 31st August - Binfield (h)
Wed 11th September - Leatherhead (h)
Sat 14th September - Hanworth Villa (a)
Sat 21st September - Uxbridge (h)
Sat 28th September - Horndean (a)
Sat 5th October - Farnham Town (h)
Sat 12th October - Rayners Lane (a)
Sat 19th October - Raynes Park Vale (h)
Sat 26th October - Metropolitan Police (a)
Sat 2nd November - Hayes & Yeading United (h)
Tues 5th November - Leatherhead (a)
Sat 9th November - Hanworth Villa (h)
Sat 16th November - Uxbridge (a)
Sat 23rd November - Horndean (h)
Sat 30th November - Moneyfields (h)
Sat 7th December - Ashford Town (a)
Sat 14th December - Ascot United (a)
Sat 21st December - South Park (Reigate) (h)
Thurs 26th December - Kingstonian (a)
Sat 28th December - Hartley Wintney (h)
Weds 1st January - Sutton Common Rovers (h)
Sat 4th January - Southall (a)
Sun 12th January - Badshot Lea (h)
Sat 18th January - Westfield (a)
Sat 25th January - Moneyfields (a)
Sat 1st February - Ashford Town (h)
Sat 8th February - Farnham Town (a)
Sun 16th February - Rayners Lane (h)
Sat 22nd February - Raynes Park Vale (a)
Sat 1st March - Metropolitan Police (h)
Sat 8th March - Hayes & Yeading United (a)
Sat 15th March - Ascot United (h)
Sat 22nd March - South Park (Reigate) (a)
Sat 29th March - Westfield (h)
Sat 5th April - Badshot Lea (a)
Sun 13th April - Southall (h)
Sat 19th April - Binfield (a)
Mon 21st April - Kingstonian (h)
Sat 26th April - Harrow Borough (a)