THE Jersey Football Association has confirmed that they will take men’s and women’s teams to Aland for the NatWest Island Games this summer.

Question marks have been hanging over Jersey’s participation because of the high initial cost to the players but a compromise on payment schedules has been reached following a series of meetings between football officials and the Island Games Association of Jersey.

The economic downturn was blamed for many Jersey players not wanting to commit themselves – but more flexibility on the financial side means players are much happier now than they were several weeks ago – and more are now ready to travel.

But Jersey’s men’s team will not be a full-strength Island side. Island manager Dave Kennedy said: ‘When you look at the economic downturn the reality really hits home and I fully understand why some players have been unable to commit. At an initial meeting with a squad of 25 players only nine confirmed that they were interested in going.’

• Picture: Jersey’s men won the Island Games football gold  in Jersey in 1997