GFA taking steps to avoid Murrati fan disruption

Guernsey Football Association (GFA) says it will take steps in a bid to avoid fan disruption in next year's Muratti Vase final.

Flares and smoke bombs were let off and a bin was thrown during a pitch invasion after Guernsey beat Jersey 2-1 at Jersey's Springfield Stadium on Saturday.

GFA chief executive Gary Roberts said the association plans to work with its security and the police to avoid any repeat incidents when Guernsey hosts the match in 2027.

Roberts said he wanted to make sure the annual inter-island football competition has a "positive environment" that people "feel safe and happy" to attend.

He said the Muratti always had a competitive nature but there needed to be consideration of what kind of atmosphere people wanted to create.

Roberts said the behaviour of fans at the weekend was "a disappointing sight" for everyone involved.

"Particularly as it's slightly detracted from the performance of the players on the pitch," he said.

"They're the ones who should be getting the credit right now and we should be talking about them but instead we're spending time and wasting time talking about the minority who've spoiled it for everyone else."

A man was arrested after fans clashed in the 2010 Muratti but Roberts said disruption was a "rarity" in the competition which started in 1905.

"I've been in the job quite a number of years now and this is the first time I've seen behaviour that's reached these kind of levels that are rather unsavoury," he said.

"When you think about it the Muratti is over 125 years old and it's got a long history and a lot of tradition and hopefully what people will start to focus on is what actually happens on the pitch and not off the pitch."

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