The Isles of Scilly, which are situated off the Cornish coast, are a collective of 140 islands that boasts the smallest football league.
So how did it come about?
Media correspondent of the league Will explained how the league has dwindled in competitors: “Historically, football on the Isles of Scilly, it was played on the other islands, but unfortunately due to dwindling numbers the leagues moved down to two teams.”
He refers to the Lyonnesse Inter-island cup in 1920 which was formed as a competition between teams in the islands of St. Mary’s, Tresco, Bryher, St. Agnes and St. Martins but by 1950 the teams remained were the Rangers and Rovers who changed their names in 1984 to the Garrison Gunners and Woolpack Wanderers.
He also explained the big driving force behind the league, “It all stems back to the Adidas Dream big commercial is what really kicked things off in Scilly, I’m not quite sure where the worlds smallest league moniker came from, but it’s one we have ran with, to put the Isles of Scilly on the map.”
Having only just two teams in the league, the Garrison Gunners and Woolpack Wanderers, it gathers quite a lot of attention. “It takes us by surprise by the amount of interest, particularly at the beginning of the season.”
“Being situated 28 miles off the west coast of Cornwall, it is a very unique place, very seasonal which is why the league takes place when it does when people have a bit more time over the winter months.”
Other sport is also played across the islands such as cricket, “Tresco and Bryher have a joint cricket team as do St. Agnes and St. Martins, and they ask seasonal workers to pitch in and lend a hand”.
