The plan to get a Guernsey football team to enter the Kent League next season hangs in the balance because of difficulties securing the necessary funding.

A side from the island, called Guernsey Athletics, want to join the league and pay for transport to and from the island for all sides in the division but the economic downturn has limited the amount of sponsorship they have managed to secure.

The club must submit an application to the Football Association by the end of March and one of the organisers behind the project says they need a six-figure sum to fund them for a season.

Although they have managed to generate some sponsorship, there is a shortfall and the Guernsey side’s board are meeting with potential backers over the next fortnight to try and plug the funding gap.

James Blower, Athletics’ commercial director, said, “I am hopeful we will [enter the Kent League next season] but I am also realistic that the financial climate is very different to how it was when we kicked off the project.

“It is very much not a racing certainty that we will be on the blocks by the end of the month.”

Mr Blower says there is still a desire to join the league even if they do not manage to enter for the 2009/10 season.

“Guernsey is a small island and lots of people come up to you in the street or phone you privately to talk to you about it. There is a steely resolution that this is something that is massive to deliver but we are all very committed to delivering it.”