Jersey Bulls withdraw from 2024-25 FA Cup

Last season Falmouth Town knocked Jersey Bulls out of the FA Vase in the last 16

Jersey Bulls will not compete in next season's FA Cup because of the logistics of travelling to replays in England during the busy summer.

The island side played in the opening two rounds of qualifying last August and needed replays in both matches.

It meant the club travelling off the island on the Tuesday immediately after their Saturday games during the busy holiday season.

"It's just proving too difficult logistically," Bulls chief executive Ian Horswell told BBC Sport.

Under the competition's rules Bulls can host matches if they are initially drawn at home, but must travel to England for any replays.

"We had two draws last season and some of our players struggled to get the time off work at short notice to play in the replays," Horswell added.

"We hope we can enter the competition again in the future.

"When I heard earlier this year that FA Cup replays had been abolished, I was probably the only person happy, but it does not affect us in the preliminary rounds."

The island side returned to the competition last season having missed the 2022-23 edition because of the cost and their league ambitions.

Bulls lost 1-0 to Knaphill in a replay in the first preliminary round last season, after reaching the third qualifying round in their first campaign in 2021-22.

Bulls appointed Elliot Powell as their new manager last month after Gary Freeman resigned following their loss in the Combined Counties Premier Division's play-offs.

They will still take part in the FA Vase - and have reached the last 16 in the past two seasons, losing 3-0 at home to Falmouth Town last term.

The club have also entered a team in the FA Youth Cup for the third successive season.

Bulls' youngsters reached the third qualifying round last season and the first qualifying round in 2022.