The former president of both the Jersey Football Association and the Jersey Football Combination and a junior and senior Muratti player of distinction after the Occupation, he died at Jersey Hospice on Wednesday following his recent battle against illness.The 73-year-old retired Customs officer was an extremely popular player and administrator.As an official, he oversaw the formation of the current Jersey Football Combination in 1975, with a clear objective ‘to put fun back into football and to encourage sportsmanship and goal scoring’.Graeme Mourant dedicated his life to football, both on and off the pitch.Educated at De La Salle College, where his first sporting abilities were noted, he was 1st XI captain before he left for teachers’ training in Exeter, where he again became captain at St Luke’s College.Having already represented Jersey in winning Junior Murattis in 1947 and 1948, he went on to make ten senior Muratti appearances.
In seven finals he won five medals and on his last appearance he captained Jersey to a 2-1 win against Guernsey at Springfield in May 1962.After retirement from playing, Mr Mourant immersed himself in football administration, becoming first the president of the Jersey Football League and latterly chairman of the Jersey Football Combination in 1975.
Five years later he was elected president, a position he held until 1988.Mr Mourant served on the Jersey Football Association for many years, eventually becoming president in 1991, a post he held until 1994.He was Jersey delegate on the inter-insular committee for many years, before becoming the committee’s honorary treasurer, and a also an honorary life president of the JFA.
