JERSEY’S increasingly close relationship with Portugal will be put to the test in the most traditional fashion at the weekend – when the Island’s football team takes on Madeira for the first time.

Hundreds of fans from both sides are expected to attend the long-awaited match at Spingfield Stadium, which politicians and sporting figures hope will help bring the two cultures even closer. The match, which will kick off at 3 pm on Sunday, comes halfway through a twinning process between St Helier and the Madeiran capital of Funchal.

St Helier Constable Simon Crowcroft said that he hopes football will become a key ingredient of the new relationship between the two capitals. He said: ‘The Jersey FA has been very supportive of the twinning process and has previously invited other Madeiran teams to the Island. This weekend’s match is another very important part of the twinning process and I’m sure that football will play an important part in our relationship in the future.’

David Kennedy, Jersey team coach, said that as well as putting his side to the test, the match, which is being played as part of a triangular tournament with Gibraltar, is an excellent opportunity to further improve community relations.

• Picture: Joao Freitas (Madeira), Stuart André (Jersey) and Roy Chipolina (Gibraltar) are ready for the international football tournament. Picture by David Ferguson (00599912)