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The challenge of keeping island football alive

How one organizes football on islands is an interesting challenge.  One solution adopted in Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man is to enter an all island team, backed up by a local competition, in non-league competitions on the mainland.  Travel and other expenses of visiting teams have to be met, so wealthy backers are needed.


The Garrison Field stadium

At the other extreme, the Isles of Scilly has two teams which play each other in league and cup competitions every week at the Garrison Field stadium.

The latest Four Four Two features football on the Scottish island of Arran.   Attempts to field a representative island team on the mainland faltered in the face of the unreliable ferry service (thank you, Scottish Government).

In the island competition Lochranaz Northend Thistle went 18 games without a victory before finally folding after Covid.  They played at the Ewe Camp and had a special machine for picking up sheep dropings

Brodick, the islands 'capital', couldn't field a team last season, leaving Lamlash, Shiskine and Southend to compete for the title (Lamlash won).  FFT saw Southend defeat Lamlash with a late goal to the delight of Southend's travelling massive, all six of them.

On Orkney the Parishes Cup is fiercely contested and this summer has seen an exciting semi-final draw: https://orcadian.co.uk/semi-final-draw-made-for-2026-parish-cup/

The leading club on the Isle of Wight, Newport, have been ground sharing after losing their former stadium with its impressive stand, but are about to move into a new ground of their own.

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