The courts at the FB will now only be used in the summer because of lack of grip in wet conditions

FOR the first time in more than 40 years the Jersey Netball Association’s Winter League will not be played at FB Fields.

Concerns about the safety of the courts at what JNA president Jackie Nelson described as the ‘home of netball’ and a lack of funding for refurbishment means that all winter games will now be played at Les Quennevais.

‘What it means is that we are going to have to play matches as double headers solely at Les Quennevais starting from 6.45 pm until 8 pm and going through from 8.15 pm until 9.30 pm.
‘Obviously we’re not sure whether it’s going to work but it is the only option.’

Assistant director of ESC, Derek de la Haye, estimated that it would cost in the region of £30,000 to £40,000 to resurface the FB netball courts and said: ‘We have been trying hard to find the money to refurbish but unfortunately we just couldn’t.

‘Therefore netball decided that there would be more certainty about fixtures and less chance of them being cancelled if they moved them all to Les Quennevais. However, we are still actively trying to get it done but in the current climate we just haven’t got the funding.’