There’s a big game of football at the Bowl on Saturday evening as the Isle of Man FA’s senior men’s side host Everton under-21s.
The Toffees are sending a strong squad for the glamour friendly, with several junior internationals within the travelling party that is led by club legends Joe Royle, John Ebbrell and David Unsworth.
The latter coached the under-21s to a top-four finish in the league this season.
In fact, the former first team left-back’s charges lost only two of their final 18 games - a run going back to the end of November.
Manx preparations for the fixture, by manager Nick Hurt’s own admission, have been far from ideal.
‘Trying to get the lads together with many of them playing three games a week has been near-impossible.
‘We had a training session last week and out of the 17, 12 couldn’t make it for various reasons.’
Once again the majority of Hurt’s squad are made up from Canada Life Premier League pacesetters St George’s and Peel, with Rushen’s Liam Cowin and St John’s keeper Damyan Petkov the only exceptions.
Aside from the top two being among those most heavily effected by fixture congestion, Hurt has said the recent week that saw the pair play each other three times in eight days caused a division within the squad.
‘A rift formed between the two sets of players after those key games and we’re trying hard to mend that.’
The Manx will be without experienced trio Ciaran McNulty, Calum Morrissey and Johnny Myers who are all off-island this weekend.
Peel duo Andrew Crennell and Josh Kelly come back into the fold as does veteran Danny Lace, with the game acting as an unofficial testimonial for the 62-time capped full-back.
Hurt has said he believes Everton will be a tougher prospect than the Leeds academy side the FA side drew with last April: ‘They’re going to be stronger than Leeds - it’s going to be a tough fixture whoever the play, but that is what we want.
‘We need more games like this and we’re in talks with Morecambe and Tranmere to see if they will come and play us in pre-season.’
Hurt’s Men will have to contend with pace of Belgium under-21 forward David Henen who earlier this season enjoyed a loan spell at League One Fleetwood Town.
Joining the former Anderlect man at the Bowl will be some of the Goodison Park side’s other top prospects.
Callum Connolly and Joe Williams are both highly regarded within the club’s youth ranks while Harry Charsley was named Academy Player of the Year last season.
Defenders Mason Holgate and Matthew Foulds have signed for the Blues from lower league outfits Barnsley and Bury this season, the former following the path trodden by now England international and first-team star John Stones.
Polish keeper Mateusz Hewelt is another one to watch out for.
With Roberto Martinez taking the opportunity to blood several of the club’s leading prospects in his first-team squad as the season comes to a close, half a dozen of the visitors’ squad for the weekend’s match are made up of players from the Premier League outfit’s under-18 side.
Nevertheless, they too have enjoyed a successful campaign narrowly missing out on the league title to Manchester City.
The u18s also won the prestigious Dallas Cup earlier in the campaign suggesting Unsworth and co will have plenty of strength in depth.
When the fixture was announced earlier last month Unsworth told Everton’s official website: ‘We were honoured to be invited to take part in this prestigious fixture and are very much looking forward to it, especially with so many Evertonians in the Isle of Man.’
Tickets for the game, which kicks-off at 6pm, cost £5 for adults and £2 for children and concessions.
Isle of Man FA squad: Max Thomas (Peel), Damyan Petkov (St John’s), Sean Quaye (St George’s), Jack McVey (St George’s), Liam Cowin (Rushen), Marc Kelly (Peel), Frank Jones (St George’s), Daniel Bell (Peel), Chris Bass Jr (St George’s), Lee Gale (Peel), Ashley Webster (Peel), Sam Caine (St George’s), Dominic McGreevy (Peel), Conor Doyle (St George’s), Andrew Crennell (Peel), Josh Kelly (Peel), Daniel Lace (Peel).