6 a side football  might have only been running after lockdown for a couple of weeks, but there is already a second league in Guernsey to cope with demand, with Super Sunday on the way!

Hundreds of players on the Island were the first in the world to kick off again, and now the unprecedented demand has led to another league starting next week to house with the amount of teams that want to take part.

Around 300 local footballers are already playing in the league in Guernsey, but such has been the clamour to return to sport, space has now been created for another 200 to join on what Leisure Leagues are dubbing “Super Sunday”.

Area Manager, Greg Allen said he was delighted and put it down to a number of things: “There is no doubt that with the lockdown ending everywhere, people want to play sport as much as they want to go to the barbers or the pub!

“What we have seen in Guernsey – where obviously the effects of Covid-19 haven’t been as bad as England – is that people have been clamouring to get spot, and that’s wonderful!”

Greg was quick to praise the staff at King George V, the venue in Castel that has housed the Wednesday league for the last seven years: “They have been superbly accommodating”, Greg said. “A successful league needs everyone pulling in the same direction, from players, to match officials, and everyone at the venue itself, and we certainly have that here.”

When the league got underway last week, after almost four long months of inactivity, it did so with a blaze of publicity. It was covered by ITV, The Guernsey Free Press and received support from legendary Island footballer, Matt Le Tissier, and according to Greg, this just underlined how much community sport means to the entire world.

“There is no doubt that we at Leisure Leagues provide an incredibly vital form of togetherness. Our players are from a real cross section of backgrounds, and with a real range of abilities. That makes what we do so special, for many it is the only sport they play and something they look forward to each week.”

The league is the first to be subject to the brand new Post Covid-19 regulations, that Leisure Leagues have brought in to keep the competitions safe, including paying online and not getting within two metres of the referee. Match Night Supervisor in Guernsey, Mark Fallaize said these new moves had been welcomed by all: “Everyone in the league has bought into it brilliantly,” he commented. “Especially paying online, that makes everything so much easier.”

Super Sunday, Guernsey style is sue to kick off next weekend. To join the new league in Guernsey on Sunday night, click here: https://www.leisureleagues.net/league/king-george-v/guernsey-sunday