Sark's record at the tournament in Guernsey and Alderney last week was...

Played 4, Won 0, Drew 0, Lost 4, Goals For 0, Goals Against 70.

But the heroic endeavours of the Sark players meant they were applauded off the pitch in every game by the spectators and their opponents alike.

Before analysing the incredible story of Sark's international debut, one should put their demographic situation into perspective.

The tranquil Channel Island of Sark is the smallest independent state in the Commonwealth and the last Feudal State in Europe. Some 22 miles west of the Normandy coast of France and eight miles east of Guernsey, Sark is only five kilometres long by two and a half kilometres wide. Cars are banned in Sark so transport takes the form of cycles or horse drawn carriages. The only motor vehicles are tractors. And the population is just 550, from which the Sark football team were selected.

Their match results at the Island Games in were...

Gibraltar 19 Sark 0
Isle of Wight 20 Sark 0
Greenland 16 Sark 0
Froya 15 Sark 0

Sark made Island Games history by becoming the first team ever who failed to score a goal. But coach Shane Moon summed up the spirit in the camp by saying:" It was a special occasion for our lads to enter the tournament. They will probably never do this again in their lifetimes.

"They enjoyed it and were happy in the dressing rooms after matches because they achieved a lot."

Sark's most experienced player was 52 year old former Huddersfield Town professional Barrie Dewsbury. He felt the Island Games were a fantastic experience.

Dewsbury said: "I never thought an old man like me could play in such a great tournament. When it was decided on Sark that we would enter the Games, I came out of retirement. It was an opportunity not to be missed - even at my age."

The most one-sided match was the Isle of Wight's 20-0 rout of Sark at Blanche Pierre Lane in Guernsey. Full match statistics from this fixture tell the whole story...

 

Shots on target

Shots off target

Corners

Isle of Wight

47

37

24

Sark

0

0

0

Apart from the 20 goals, the Isle of Wight hit the woodwork six times, had a goal disallowed and had two penalties saved by Sark keeper Leon Burletson, who pulled off 20 other flying saves in a man of the match performance! In fact, the IOW goalkeeper Richie Newbury only touched the ball once in the entire game - picking up an overhit clearance from the beleaguered Sark defence!

However, the Sark team were praised after the final whistle by IOW coach John Carragher. He said: "The game was played in a tremendous spirit. Sark really had a go - they ran their hearts out and kept putting their tackles in. The keeper was fantastic and I wish he could play for us. The Sark players were some of the nicest people we have ever met in football and we had a whip round after the final whistle to buy them all a drink in the bar."

The 2003 Island Games may have seen Sark's only adventure on to the international football stage. Logistical problems mean they are unlikely to enter the tournament again.
Richard Drewe, manager of the Sark Island Games sports team, explained: "We faced all sorts of selection difficulties. Most people on Sark are self-employed, so it was hard for the players to take a week off from work - especially in the tourist season. It was bad enough trying to find enough players for one team, let alone two so that they could have a training match in the build- up period.

"The football competition was pretty stiff but we competed in the spirit of the Island Games. We are not the biggest of places - in fact, we were the smallest competing island that took part in the Games. But I am a firm believer that after the end of every match, everyone should be able to shake hands."

The good news for followers of Sark football is that the island has applied to enter a team into one of the lower divisions of the Guernsey League for next season.

Tony Incenzo