FORMER England World Cup footballer Graeme Le Saux says he was saddened to hear this week that Education, Sport and Culture had proposed reducing funding to the Sports Advisory Council.

Many column inches have already been taken up this week, the majority of them reporting angry reactions to the ESC plans – now under review – to reduce funding to the Council from from £176,000 to £38,000 in 2012 and Le Saux believes that long-term it could cost the Island a lot more due to health reasons.

Le Saux said: ‘It came out of the blue and for anyone who understands the system it’s a massive blow to sport and the Island.

‘Sport cuts across so many aspects of Island life and I believe that there should be a long-term plan to promote Jersey as a healthy Island – and they are not doing that by taking this away.

‘I understand the financial pressures, but there must be plenty of ways of maintaining funds for sport.’