By Treiston Joseph
The week-long celebration of the 40th anniversary of the Pele Football Club ended Friday night at the Umana Yana with a grand Awards Ceremony, Dinner and Dance hosted by the Pele Alumni consisting of past Pele greats.
The club, which was started in 1971, got its name from probably the greatest player ever, Edson Arantes do Nascimento, also known as King Pele.
The celebrations commenced last Sunday and throughout the week there were a host of events leading up to the closing event which attracted the presence of the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Dr. Frank Anthony and president of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF), Colin Klass.
Keith ‘Bumpy’ Layne did the honors of the Master of Ceremony and introduced the members of the head table and also President of the Pele Club, Cecil Jacques who welcomed the guests on behalf of the club.
Klass then made his remarks which focused on the resuscitation of a fundamental basis for football in Guyana.
“I felt humbled that I was invited to this anniversary event a couple weeks ago and it is indeed an honor to be a part of this occasion. One of the things I think is affecting our development and growth in football is our fundamental basis. The GFF’s desire is for the resuscitation of football clubs in Guyana.
“So what we will do is go back to the schools the basis that could help the development of football fundamentally. We need to get back to the place where we could give back whole heartedly. So let this night institute a change in Pele’s football club which will further impact football in Guyana,” Klass stated.
Anthony, in delivering the feature address, spoke of the fact that not just football but sport holistically can have a major impact on the country’s economic situation, crime, drugs and even the academic aspect of the youths today and challenged the Pele Alumni and club as they look 40 years down the road that they help the government through the Pele organization to further the development of football in Guyana.
When asked by Stabroek Sport about such an event probably being held for the first time by any one sporting club Anthony replied:“I think it’s a good that Pele have done something like this and its good that the younger players could link with the older players, I just hope that other clubs could take pattern,” Anthony stated.
Dennis Carrington, co-founder of the Pele Alumni, stressed that one of the things that made Pele Football Club successful was the ability of their players to balance their academics along with football and said he hoped that Pele could return to its dominant state of old.
Crystal awards taking the shape of a boot kicking a football were given to the following person’s in honor of their contribution to the Pele Club:-
Rita Alleyne, Lennox ’Mulling Scar’ Arthur, founder of the club, former president of the club, William ‘Billy’ Braithwaite, coach and technical director of the Pele Club, Gordon ‘Ultimate Warrior’ Braithwaite, Co-founder of the club, Clyde ‘Farmer’ Browne, Royston ‘All-in-One’ Erskine, president of the club, Cecil ‘Carey’ Jacques, Merle John-Thompson, Roxanne ‘Pukin’ Keith, the late Harold ‘Lightweight’ Kissoon, Cecil McKenzie, Denzil `Hunky Brains’ Thompson, Frank Watson and former president of the club, John Yates.
The Pele Alumni past greats then received a plaque for their contribution to the club over the years while Robbie Rambarran gave the vote of thanks on behalf of the Pele Club before declaring the dance floor open.
