Ravens Fielding First Non-Island Player Sparks Reaction

FC Isle of Man ‘cannot pretend the wider football pyramid does not exist’ if they want to progress, according to Manx football commentator Dean Turton (of Upfront Footy), after the club fielded its first ever off-island player.

The comments came after the Ravens named Will Decandia in their squad for Wednesday night’s North West Counties Football League Premier Division clash against West Didsbury and Chorlton, a move that sparked some reaction online.

Decandia, an under-18s player on emergency loan from Oldham Athletic’s academy, joined the club on the day of the match and went on to play the full 90 minutes.

Despite a late fightback, FC Isle of Man were beaten 3-2 by the Manchester side.

The teenager’s inclusion marked the first time the club has fielded a non-island, non-homegrown player since its formation in 2019, a decision that divided opinion among supporters, with some pointing to the club’s original ethos of developing local talent and creating a Manx pathway to the professional game.

FC Isle of Man founder and ex-manager Paul Jones has previously stated: ‘We believed in the Isle of Man, we believed in the island’s football players, we believed in our community, and that if we could all get together it could be very powerful.

‘Obviously not every decision’s going to keep everybody in our (football) community happy, but I hope that we can generally work towards the same common goal, which is providing opportunities and developing the island’s players as well as developing the coaching and developing football in general on the island.’

Reacting to the backlash, Turton said the strength of feeling showed how emotionally invested some fans remain in the club’s founding principles, but argued change was inevitable.

‘Football does not stand still. It never has,’ he said. ‘If you want to progress, you adapt or you get left behind.’

He added that relying solely on local players was not always realistic: ‘If the very best players playing locally now on the island wanted to play for FC Isle of Man, they would already be doing so.’

FC Isle of Man player Dean Pinnington also addressed the situation following the match, explaining the move was driven by necessity.

‘A lot of lads couldn’t make it today so we needed numbers so the game could go ahead,’ he said. ‘The opportunity is there for Manx lads to take it but a lot of them don’t take the opportunity so somethings just have to be done.’

While the decision proved controversial, Turton warned that focusing on one off-island signing risked missing the bigger picture.

‘Progress rarely keeps everyone happy,’ he said. ‘Standing still has never been a winning strategy in football.’

The club has so far declined to comment further.

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