FC Isle of Man to host football festival in July

FC Isle of Man finished ninth in their second season in NWCFL Premier Division

FC Isle of Man has announced plans to host a festival of football as part of its upcoming pre-season plans.

Chester Football Club, Lancaster City Football Club and Radcliffe FC will visit the island on 19, 20 and 21of July.

The Ravens, who play in the North West Counties Football League Premier Division, finished ninth last season.

The club said over 1,000 fans were expected to "make the journey across the Irish Sea for the weekend" to watch the contest.

'Top clubs'

First team manager Paul Jones said the tournament was already generating enthusiasm in his squad and he hoped that would be replicated in supporters.

He said: "People as old as me and a bit older will remember the old Steam Packet and Okell's tournament where you had Man City, Newcastle, Bolton and when we beat Burnley on here [The Bowl] 1-0.

"I was fortunate to play in that game and lots of people have said to me over the last four or five years that it would be great to have that sort of tournament again."

While the club may not get Championship and League One clubs coming to the island in pre-season, it was "great to have the interest from top clubs in non-league football to want to come to our island to prepare for their season ahead", he said.

The tournament is set to kick off with the Ravens hosting Chester at 19:00 BST on 19 July, with Radcliffe playing Lancaster at 14:00 on 20 July.

The final games will be played on 21 July, with Chester set to play Lancaster at 11:00, before the Ravens play Radcliffe at 15:00 to close the festival.

While FC Isle of Man are in the ninth tier of English football, Chester and Radcliffe both play in the National League North, which is tier six, and Lancaster play in the Northern Premier League, which is tier seven.

Radcliffe, which is set to go into its first season in the sixth tier, is managed by duo Anthony Johnson and Bernard Morley, two big names of non-league football who previously managed the Class of '92-owned Salford City.

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