10 Newport and 3 Cowes Sports players have been named among the 20 selected for the Isle of Wight football squad for this year’s Island Games in Guernsey.
The Port players in the squad are goalkeeper Leon Pitman, defenders George Colson, Joe Hancock, Ryan Hughes and Ryan Oatley, midfielder Liam Triggs, and forwards Joe Butcher, Joe Craig, Connor Kelly and Jordan Browne. Surprisingly, there was no place for Newport utility player and dead ball specialist Josh Younie.
Cowes Sports are represented by goalkeeper Ed Hatt, veteran forward John McKie and playmaker Finn Phillips. No East Cowes Vics player has been included in the squad. Some may be surprised by the omission of Vics captain Callum Chase.
6 players from mainland sides have been named in the squad: Adam Biss (Chichester City), Nathan Lewis (Raynes Park), goalkeeper Ed Saunders (Baffin Milton Rovers), Josh Wakefield (Salisbury City), Elliot Wheeler (AFC Portchester) and captain Ryan Woodford (AFC Portchester). There is no place for Portchester’s prolific forward Scott Jones.
There is 1 unattached player in the squad – Jake Scrimshaw – who last played for Yeovil Town in the National League. He has previously appeared for Walsall, Scunthorpe and Newport County in the football league.
2 players have survived from the 2011 gold-winning Island Games team: John McKie and Ryan Woodford.
The football tournament begins on Sunday 9th July with the final being held on Friday 14th July. The Isle of Wight has been drawn in the most difficult group together with hosts Guernsey, Western Isles and Aland.
Isle of Wight squad below:
- Adam Biss (Chichester City)
- Jordan Browne (Newport)
- Joe Butcher (Newport)
- George Colsen (Newport)
- Joe Craig (Newport)
- Joe Hancock (Newport)
- Ed Hatt (Cowes Sports) GK
- Ryan Hughes (Lymington Town and Newport)
- Connor Kelly (Newport)
- Nathan Lewis (Raynes Park)
- John Mckie (Cowes Sports)
- Ryan Oatley (Newport)
- Finn Phillips (Cowes Sports)
- Leon Pitman (Newport) GK
- Ed Saunders (Baffin Milton Rovers) GK
- Jake Scrimshaw (unattached)
- Liam Triggs (Newport)
- Josh Wakefield (Salisbury City)
- Elliot Wheeler (AFC Porchester) (Vice-captain)
- Ryan Woodford (AFC Portchester) (Captain)
Jake Scrimshaw was signed for Bournemouth for a spell though that might have been at”senior” youth level.
Thought he was sold to Yeovil on a 2 year deal from Bournemouth, he appeared on their 1st team squad page for some time on the Glovers website, but has been missing for sometime now, maybe he’s been released? All a bit strange!