Player eligibility row

[Charlie Darwin]

That was 20 years ago and it's also not what he was arguing. A Channel Islander today would qualify for England only because he holds a British passport and was born in the English FA's territory.

[geysir]

No Charlie , the Channel Islands are not England's territory.
The Channel Islands are not English.
A Channel Islander holds British citizenship and will qualify for any of the 4 UK federations according to article 16.

I'll take a bet no problem, and no way will my winnings go to charity.

[Charlie Darwin]

The FAs of the individual Channel Islands are members of the English FA, ergo they must be considered English FA territory. Otherwise inbred Channel Islanders would be ineligible for any national team (although that would probably be the least of their problems).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/County_Football_Association

[geysir]

You are assuming the territory of the English FA incorporates the Channel islands, it doesn't - no more than it takes in Cardiff or Swansea.
The Channel Islands FA have some recognition as a county but without representation as a county on the council. None of the Islands are members of the FA council.

It is commonly known (as much as it is commonly known) that a Channel Islander can chose and is not bound to just England.
Check out the Welsh FA and Brett Pitman

How much was that bet?

[sean r]

are the channeel teams allowed to play in the fa cup? i think an islander is british overseas territory but british citizens. can someone from the falklands play for the 4 home countries?

[The Fly]

Meanwhile......with growing uncertainty over Raymond Kennedy's position as president of the IFA, check out where his gives his latest interview on the subject.

(ohh, the irony)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/irish/9053572.stm

[Charlie Darwin]

You are assuming the territory of the English FA incorporates the Channel islands, it doesn't - no more than it takes in Cardiff or Swansea.
The Channel Islands FA have some recognition as a county but without representation as a county on the council. None of the Islands are members of the FA council.

It is commonly known (as much as it is commonly known) that a Channel Islander can chose and is not bound to just England.
Check out the Welsh FA and Brett Pitman

How much was that bet?

Oh come on, the papers thought Arteta was eligible for England until one of the posters here tipped off the Times. They even add a caveat: "if his eligibility checks out."

How much... four pounds? Five pounds?

[geysir]

£5 ??
I want a vantage seat (armchair with foot-rest perhaps?) - right next to Manuela, at the prestigious new Lansdowne Rd.

Re the article, of course it is not proof, but repeats the 'common understanding' that Channel Islanders can choose. And you have offered zilch.
If this were a poker game, my pair of deuces wins the pot.

Channel Islanders could choose before the UK Agreement 1992. Then that 1992 agreement allowed British nationals, with no blood ties to any of the 4 UK assoc, to choose which one. You assume that England's FA territory includes the Channel Islands - therefore the Islander has no choice. There is not the least slither of anecdotal evidence to support your assumption.

Since this thread began I have come to the understanding that when FIFA refer to association territory they are not referring to the the area of jurisdiction for the association. The eligibility of Bruce in 2006 confirms this interpretation. Even if the Channel Islands are under the English FA, they do not reside inside the territory of the English FA.

here is another anecdote - which means I have now a Pair of Threes
Pitman JEP
"as a Channel Islander, eligible to play for any of the four home nations and it is widely reported that Wales boss John Toshack has had the former St Paul’s and First Tower United junior striker under consideration for some time."

[boovidge]

I wonder why the channel islands dont have a fifa recognised team? Surely they have as much claim as the faroe islands for example.

[Predator]

Perhaps the Channel Islands have not been granted permission from the four British Associations?
FIFA's rules for association admission state that:

An Association in a region which has not yet gained independence
may, with the authorisation of the Association in the country on
which it is dependent, also apply for admission to FIFA.

[BonnieShels]

The one thong that has shocked me in all of this has got to be discovering that the one and only Jeremy Goss is Cypriot!
You think you know someone.

[sean r]

well the do play in some association for non fifa members. with easter island and isle of man. they have there own football accociation dont know why they dont compete in uefa ot in wc qualifiers. perhaps they dont have a uefa standard ground?

[cornflakes]

Uefa would never let them join.
If they let them in they'd have to let Gibraltar in and the spanish wouldn't like that

[Predator]

Uefa would never let them join.
If they let them in they'd have to let Gibraltar in and the spanish wouldn't like that

They wouldn't have to. I believe it's dealt with individually.
FIFA have articles for association admission and they generally stick to one association per country - subject to certain exceptions. One of those exceptions is the allowance of 4 British associations and the one which I have quoted above.
FIFA's statutes are readily available from their website, if anyone is that interested.

[geysir]

At least the team would play for (the) Jersey.