How hard is it for Channel Island footballers to become professionals?

The academy stage is the hardest for players and their families.

Children travelling to England every week from the Channel Islands with a parent is expensive, time-consuming, and when winter weather kicks in, unpredictable – not to mention tough on families who spend little time together.

But it is what Le Tissier and Scott did every week as they tried to make it in English football.

“Growing up we would fly over every weekend together,” says Scott.

“Every weekend one of our parents and ourselves were flying over and it took a lot, especially for our parents.

“The amount of money they were paying and the amount of dedication they put in for us to dream to be footballers.

“It’s a credit to them and we’re just happy we’re playing at the top level. She’s flying for Manchester United and the Lionesses as well, and I couldn’t be prouder of her.”

Manchester United captain and England defender Le Tissier was so good as a teenager she became the first girl to play in the Under-16s boys’ inter-island game between Guernsey and Jersey.

She left to join Brighton’s academy and became a stalwart in their Women’s Super League side before making the switch to United in 2022 and knows it is her family that are the reason she is where she is today.

“We’ve had to be pretty resilient, not having that many opportunities to try and create our own, which is what we’ve done,” she says.

“That is obviously with the help of our coaches back home and friends and family as well, they’ve been so supportive and we definitely couldn’t have done it without them.

“The most we can give back is being a role model, showing that they can also do it themselves from back in Guernsey, and thanking our families for being so supportive.”