Sport / Blues bid to go for gold in Orkney as men’s football squad announced
SHETLAND men’s football coach Neil Fenwick says his side will go to Orkney aiming to win the Island Games this summer – as they do in every competition.
The 20-man football squad has been named by Fenwick for July’s tournament this week, with Scalloway forward John Allan returning to the squad for the first time in three years.
His last involvement with Shetland was a man of the match-winning contribution of two goals and three assists in the blues’ historic 8-0 thrashing of Orkney in July 2022.
After moves to then-League One side Peterhead FC and now Turriff United in the Highland League, Allan is back in the fold for the island games.
“It’s a big boost to have him available,” Fenwick said.
“We were probably a bit light in attacking options in Guernsey [in 2023], with just Sam Maver and a young Finn Regan.
“But John gives us a lot more strength right up the pitch.”
Seven players come into the squad that either missed out or were unable to go to Guernsey two years ago.
As well as Allan, Ness keeper Erik Peterson, Spurs’ duo Lewis Harkness and Matthew Murray, Celtic’s Jack Simpson and experienced wing-back Calvin Leask – from Thistle – come into the squad.
Scalloway youngster Hayden Jamieson is the final new call-up, and Fenwick said he has “so much ability”.
“He was probably Scalloway’s best player last year,” Fenwick said.
“He’s a very exciting player.”
Spurs’ Murray is a player who Fenwick said was a key asset from an athletic point of view, adding he could “play a number of positions”.
“He’s really impressed myself and a lot of the coaches,” he said.
Referencing his disciplinary record, the Shetland coach said he felt Murray was “more mature” now heading into the tournament.
Shetland will face just two opponents in the group stage – Jersey and Gozo – after a calamitous few months which has seen a number of teams pull out of the tournament.
Fenwick admitted he is a “little bit frustrated with the whole set up”, which could see his side play just three matches across the competition.
“There’s 10 teams, so it would have been better just to have two groups of five. I would rather have too much rather than not enough football.
“It’s a lot of money, time and commitment to go down for three games.”
The men’s team are still not sure where they will be staying when they get to Orkney for the games in just over three months time.
Another anomaly with the preparation has meant Fenwick has had to name his squad for the Island Games after just two outdoor games being played this season.
“We’ve got to pick the squad now but there’s a lot of football to be played,” he said.
“You’re picking it based a lot on last season’s performances, and how folk have trained through the winter.”
However Fenwick admitted he would “surprised” if the squad are the 20 players who do travel to Orkney in July, given three players had to pull out in the lead-up to Guernsey in 2023.
“Fingers crossed it is, because we don’t want to lose anyone, but we know that it’s difficult when players are playing two games a week not to pick up injuries.”
Preparation for July’s tournament is going well, the coach said, and Fenwick is hopeful of improving on the squad’s performance in Guernsey last time around.
Despite winning two of their three group games, the blues finished second in their group and narrowly missed out on the fifth/sixth play-off match.
They had to settle for seventh place, thrashing Greenland 5-1 in their final game to end the competition having scored 12 times in four games.
Shetland have not tasted gold in the men’s football competition since a home win in 2005 and – 20 years on – Fenwick is aiming to replicate that success.
“Our ambitions are the same as every other time, the goal is to win the whole tournament,” he said.
“We’re there to win it.”
The Island Games runs between 12-18 July 2025.
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