Never mind Russia... this is a festival of football

WHILE the eyes of the world are on Russia as it welcomes the greatest show on Earth, Anglesey is also preparing for its own festival of football.

Next year will see the island host the football portion of the 2019 Island Games as the hosts, Gibraltar, are not able to hold the matches due to only having one suitable stadium on its 2.6 square miles of territory.

But this has opened the door for Ynys Mon, which has sent a team to compete at every games since its inception in 1985, with the local Island Games Association being a long term beneficiary of funds from the Anglesey Council-run charitable trust.

As a result, up to 24 teams are expected to descend upon Anglesey next summer, with matches to be spread out at football stadia all across the island.

The venues have not yet been chosen but for the 2017 football tournament on the Swedish island of Gotland, nine grounds were used with the final played at the 5,000 capacity Gutavallen sport stadium in Visby.

But to get the ball rolling, a public meeting will be held next week, with local football supporters and administrators urged to attend.

“It’s vital that we bring the whole island together behind a collective vision that can benefit everyone, and that vision has to be to develop a footballing structure that can give the island’s boys and girls fantastic opportunities to thrive and succeed,” said the men’s newly appointed team manager, Campbell Harrison.

The public meeting will be held on Thursday, June 28 at Tafarn-yRhos, Rhostrehwfa, starting at 7pm.