The president of Jersey’s FA has admitted the chances of the Channel Island’s bid to join Uefa being successful are very slim.

In an article published on the BBC Sport website Phil Austin said: ’The chances of us getting the 28 votes we need are minimal.’

The island’s application will be voted on at February’s Uefa congress in Slovakia, with Jersey needing a majority of the 55 member nations to back them if their bid is to be successful.

The Isle of Man FA have said they won’t make a decision on any possible Manx Uefa bid until the outcome of the Jersey application was decided.

Austin’s pessimism has been fueled by a recent meeting with English FA chairman Greg Clarke and vice-chairman and Uefa executive committee member David Gill to discuss their case.

Austin told BBC Radio Jersey: ’We had a good discussion and we put our case forward, but they informed us shortly afterwards that they wouldn’t be able to support us. This is a case of Uefa members closing ranks.

’When we were there we were talking to Greg Clarke and he said you’ve got to understand that it’s all about politics and all about money.

’There are 55 members in this club and they all get a slice of the cake at the moment and they’re not keen on other people coming in which will dilute their share.

’I suppose he was very honest in that regard.

’It wasn’t a surprise, but their formal acknowledgement that they wouldn’t support us was still a big disappointment to us.’

In response, the FA told BBC Sport in a statement: ’The FA board analysed the legal case to consider whether Jersey’s membership would benefit UEFA and it was decreed that it would not.’