Isles of Scilly Football League

Last updated

Isles of Scilly Football League
Founded1910s
Country England (Cornwall)
Divisions1
Number of teams2
Domestic cup(s)
Current championsWoolpack Wanderers (15th title)
(2022–23)
Most championshipsGarrison Gunners (20 titles)

The Isles of Scilly Football League is the official football league for the Isles of Scilly. The football league is the smallest in the world, [1] [2] with only two clubs. [3]

Contents

The league is affiliated with The Football Association. [1] However, since the league is not part of the English football pyramid, teams are not eligible to enter the FA Cup. [4]

History

In the 1920s, the Lyonnesse Inter-Island Cup, a competition between the islands of St. Mary's, Tresco, St. Martins, Bryher and St. Agnes, was formed. By the 1950s, only two clubs remained—the Rangers and the Rovers. In 1984 the two clubs changed their names to the Garrison Gunners and the Woolpack Wanderers, which are their current names. [1] [2]

In April 2008, Adidas ran an advertisement called "Dream Big", highlighting the league, featuring several well-known football personnel including David Beckham, Steven Gerrard and Patrick Vieira. [5]

Since 2016, the league is recognised by the Guinness World Records as the "smallest affiliated football league" in the world. [6]

In 2019 the football league tested Fan Assisted Refereeing (FAR) in association with Vodafone. [7]

Competition structure

Game in progress between the two teams--the Garrison Gunners in yellow, and the Woolpack Wanderers in red. Isles of Scilly Football League game.jpg
Game in progress between the two teams—the Garrison Gunners in yellow, and the Woolpack Wanderers in red.

The League competition involves the Woolpack Wanderers and the Garrison Gunners playing each other between fourteen and twenty times, often on a Sunday. Technically, the two teams are part of a single club, St Mary's Football Club. [3] [8] There also exist two Cups: The Wholesalers Cup and the Foredeck Cup, which is played over two legs. An "Old Men versus the Youngsters" match is played on Boxing Day. The season itself starts with the Charity Shield. [1] All the matches are played on the Garrison football field, on the island of St. Mary's. [9]

Team line-ups change at the start of each season. They are decided at a local pub before the first game, where footballers of the island appoint two captains, who then select their players one at a time. [3] [8] [10]

The league is played during the winter, from October until March or April. [8]

Occasionally, a combined Isles of Scilly team play Newlyn Non Athletico, a team at level 14 of the English football league system. A team from Truro used to visit annually to play against a combined team. [9]

Garrison Field, where all official games are held The smallest football league in the world - geograph.org.uk - 1965484.jpg
Garrison Field, where all official games are held

In 2012, the Lyonesse Cup was founded. It started as a 6 teams cup, [11] before changing to an annual game with West Cornwall side Dynamo Choughs. After a several-year hiatus between 2015 and 2022, the cup returned in 2023. The winner is awarded a 6 millimetres trophy, nicknamed the "world's smallest cup". [8] [12] A replica is on display at the FIFA Museum in Zürich. [10]

Concerns

The Isles of Scilly are struggling to hold on to their young people. There is no sixth form on the Isles so when youngsters turn 16, they go to the mainland. In addition, house prices are expensive, so they tend not to return until much older. Between 2011 and 2021, population on the Isles of Scilly fell by 6.8%. [8] As a result, the number of players in the league had been dwindling. In 2008 Howard Cole, a secretary who referees the games, estimated the average age of both teams to be within the mid- to late-30s. [9] As of 2023, one player in his 70s still occasionally plays in official games. [8]

Due to the league's nature on-duty firemen or policemen play in official games, occasionally leaving one team one-player short in case of an emergency. [8]

Travelling to the Isles of Scilly is notoriously difficult and unpredictable due to frequent fog and storms, which means that including players living in mainland England is currently not a viable option. [10]

Champions (since 1991/92)

SeasonWinners
1991/92Woolpack Wanderers
1992-94not known
1994/95Garrison Gunners
1995-99not known
1999/00Garrison Gunners
2000-03not known
2003/04Garrison Gunners
2004/05Garrison Gunners
2005/06Woolpack Wanderers
2006/07Woolpack Wanderers
2007/08Garrison Gunners
2008/09Garrison Gunners
2009/10Woolpack Wanderers
2010/11Woolpack Wanderers
2011/12Garrison Gunners
2012/13Woolpack Wanderers
2013/14Garrison Gunners
2014/15Garrison Gunners
2015/16Garrison Gunners
2016/17Garrison Gunners
2017/18Garrison Gunners
2018/19Garrison Gunners
2019/20declared void [13]
2020/21Woolpack Wanderers
2021/22Woolpack Wanderers
2022/23Woolpack Wanderers
2023/24TBD
[14]

Related Research Articles

Lyonesse is a kingdom which, according to legend, consisted of a long strand of land stretching from Land's End at the southwestern tip of Cornwall, England, to what is now the Isles of Scilly in the Celtic Sea portion of the Atlantic Ocean. It was considered lost after being swallowed by the ocean in a single night. The people of Lyonesse were said to live in fair towns, with over 140 churches, and work in fertile, low-lying plains. Lyonesse's most significant attraction was a castle-like cathedral that was presumably built on top of what is now the Seven Stones Reef between Land's End and the Isles of Scilly, some 18 miles (29 km) west of Land's End and 8 miles (13 km) north-east of the Isles of Scilly.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Samson, Isles of Scilly</span> Largest uninhabited island of the Isles of Scilly

Samson is the largest uninhabited island of the Isles of Scilly, off the southwestern tip of the Cornish peninsula of Great Britain. It is 38 hectares (0.15 sq mi) in size. The island consists of two hills, North Hill and South Hill, which are connected by an isthmus. Samson was named after Samson of Dol.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hugh Town</span> Human settlement in England

Hugh Town is the largest settlement on the Isles of Scilly and its administrative centre. The town is situated on the island of St Mary's, the largest and most populous island in the archipelago, and is located on a narrow isthmus which joins the peninsula known as the Garrison with the rest of the island.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scottish Amateur Football Association</span> Football league

The Scottish Amateur Football Association (SAFA) is the organising body for amateur football across Scotland. An affiliate of the Scottish Football Association, the SAFA has in turn 50 regional associations affiliated to it and some 67 different league competitions organised by these associations. There is estimated to be over 35,000 amateur footballers in Scotland, and all of their competitions are co-ordinated at some level by the Scottish Amateur Football Association. The SAFA was formed in 1909 with the purpose of legislating for and fostering the amateur level of football in Scotland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">San Marino national football team</span> Mens association football team

The San Marino national football team represents San Marino in men's international association football competitions. The team is controlled by the San Marino Football Federation and represents the smallest population of any UEFA member. They are currently the lowest-ranked FIFA-affiliated national football team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andorra national football team</span> Mens national association football team representing Andorra

The Andorra men's national football team represents Andorra in association football and is controlled by the Andorran Football Federation, the governing body for football in Andorra. The team has enjoyed very little success due to the Principality's tiny population, the fifth smallest of any UEFA country.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cyprus national football team</span> Mens association football team

The Cyprus men's national football team represents Cyprus in international football and is controlled by the Cyprus Football Association, the governing body for football in Cyprus. Cyprus' home ground is currently the AEK Arena in Larnaca, and the current coach is Temur Ketsbaia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Primeira Liga</span> Top division mens association football league in Portugal

The Primeira Liga, also known as Liga Portugal, and officially known as Liga Portugal Betclic for sponsorship reasons, is the top level of the Portuguese football league system. Organised and supervised by the Liga Portugal, it is contested by 18 teams since the 2014–15 season, with the three lowest-placed teams relegated to the Liga Portugal 2 and replaced by the top-three non-reserve teams from this division.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iceland national football team</span> Mens association football team

The Iceland men's national football team represents Iceland in men's international football. The team is controlled by the Football Association of Iceland, and have been a FIFA member since 1947 and a UEFA member since 1957. The team's nickname is Strákarnir okkar, which means Our Boys in Icelandic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Belarus national football team</span> Mens national association football team representing Belarus

The Belarus national football team represents Belarus in men's international football, and is controlled by the Football Federation of Belarus, the governing body for football in Belarus. Belarus' home ground is Dinamo Stadium in Minsk. Since independence in 1991, Belarus has not yet qualified for a FIFA World Cup or UEFA European Championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeonnam Dragons</span> South Korean professional football club

The Jeonnam Dragons are a South Korean professional football club based in the city of Gwangyang, South Jeolla Province that competes in the K League 2, the second tier of South Korean football. The Dragons play their home matches at the Gwangyang Football Stadium, one of the first football-specific stadiums in South Korea. They have won the Korean FA Cup four times and were the runners-up of K League in 1997. They also reached the final of the 1998–99 Asian Cup Winners' Cup, where they lost to Al Ittihad.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aruba national football team</span> National association football team

The Aruba national football team is the national team of Aruba. It was founded in 1932 and is affiliated with the Caribbean Football Union (CFU), CONCACAF and FIFA and is controlled by the Arubaanse Voetbal Bond.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shandong Taishan F.C.</span> Chinese professional football club

Shandong Taishan Football Club is a Chinese professional football club based in Jinan, Shandong, that competes in the Chinese Super League, the top tier of Chinese football. Shandong Taishan plays its home matches at the Jinan Olympic Sports Center Stadium, located within Lixia District. Their current majority shareholder is Shandong Electric Power Group Corporation, the biggest supplier of electric energy in Shandong province and itself part of the State Grid Corporation of China. Shandong Taishan is one of the four clubs to have never been relegated from the Chinese top-flight since the Chinese Super League's foundation in 2004. The club name Taishan derives from Mount Tai.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Land's End Airport</span> Airport in St Just, Cornwall

Land's End Airport, situated near St Just in Penwith, 5 NM west of Penzance, in Cornwall, is the most south westerly airport of mainland Britain. The airport is owned by the Isles of Scilly Steamship Company (ISSC). ISSC's subsidiary Land's End Airport Limited operates the airport, and another subsidiary, Isles of Scilly Skybus, operates a regular passenger service to St Mary's in the Isles of Scilly as well as scenic flights around west Penwith.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gibraltar national football team</span> Mens national association football team representing Gibraltar

The Gibraltar men's national football team represents Gibraltar in international football competitions, and is controlled by the Gibraltar Football Association. Gibraltar applied for full Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) membership and was accepted by the UEFA Congress in May 2013. It can therefore compete in the UEFA European Championship starting with the 2016 tournament for which the team competed in UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying Group D. On 13 May 2016 Gibraltar became a member of FIFA at the governing body's 66th Congress which was held in Mexico City. Gibraltar is the second smallest UEFA member in terms of population and the smallest in terms of area.

Non-FIFA international football is the segment of international football that is not overseen by FIFA. FIFA is the international governing body of association football, overseeing football globally and with running international representative matches. However, some international football takes place outside its purview. This often consists of matches involving sub-national entities such as islands, colonies, or autonomous regions. Representative matches also occur involving states with limited international recognition who are unable to qualify for FIFA membership. There are also a limited number of states whose representative teams are not affiliated to FIFA. Historically, a number of competitions occurred outside FIFA's auspices. Member associations are national associations, usually affiliated to continental confederations which are subordinate to FIFA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Islands FM</span> Radio station

Islands FM, previously known as Radio Scilly, is a non-profit community radio station.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Isles of Scilly</span> Group of islands off the south-westernmost point of mainland Britain

The Isles of Scilly is an archipelago off the southwestern tip of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. One of the islands, St Agnes, is the most southerly point in the British Isles, being over four miles further south than the most southerly point of the British mainland at Lizard Point.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Football in the Isle of Man</span>

Football has been played in the Isle of Man since the end of the 19th century. The national association was founded in 1890 and oversees all aspects of association football on the island. The association is responsible for organising all national cup competitions, most notably the Isle of Man FA Cup, and the management of the Isle of Man Football League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">F.C. Isle of Man</span> Football club based in Douglas, Isle of Man

Football Club Isle of Man is an amateur football club based in Douglas, Isle of Man, that competes in the North West Counties League Premier Division, the 9th tier of English football. The club was founded in 2019 but did not play its first competitive match until 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. F.C. Isle of Man plays their home games at The Bowl in Douglas and covers the costs of visiting clubs' and match officials' travel and hotel expenses for the games.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "WSL About Us". worldssmallestleague.co.uk. Archived from the original on 28 September 2008. Retrieved 29 September 2008.
  2. 1 2 Booth, Lawrence (12 May 2004). "Is third really a bad omen?". London: The Guardian . Retrieved 29 September 2008.
  3. 1 2 3 Smith, Rory (21 December 2016). "Welcome to the World's Smallest Soccer League. Both Teams Are Here". The New York Times.
  4. Faulkner, Bryan (13 July 2022). "Rules of the FA Challenge Cup 2022–23". The Football Association. Archived from the original on 18 August 2022. Retrieved 18 August 2022.
  5. Sweney, Mark (21 April 2008). "Adidas stars visit football's minnows". London: The Guardian . Retrieved 29 September 2008.
  6. "Smallest affiliated football league".
  7. Hilton, Beth (5 November 2019). "Scilly's football league tests world-first technology". thisisscillynews. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "'People ask if it gets boring' - life in a two-team league". BBC Sport. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  9. 1 2 3 Morris, Steven (20 November 2008). "The league that can field only two teams for the game of two halves". London: The Guardian . Retrieved 29 September 2008.
  10. 1 2 3 "Scilly Isles: Scoring like Ronaldo in the world's smallest league". www.fifamuseum.com. 31 May 2021. Retrieved 5 November 2023.
  11. "Lyonesse Cup". www.rsssf.org. Retrieved 5 November 2023.
  12. "Representatives of the world's smallest league visit the FIFA Museum". www.fifamuseum.com. 17 February 2023. Retrieved 5 November 2023.
  13. "Scilly Islands 2019/20". www.rsssf.org. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  14. "Scilly Islands". www.rsssf.org. Retrieved 21 August 2023.