A key member of the Berbice Masters football team will be absent this afternoon when the Ancient County’s side line-up for a feature over 50 contest against the Rastafari Patriarchs at the Scotts school ground, beginning at 4 pm.
Former outstanding Pele FC and GFC midfield/forward, Charles ‘Puggy’ Joseph passed away in Berbice last Thursday at the age of 59. The former multi-talented ‘Puggy’ Joseph who also represented GFC and Guyana in field hockey was domiciled in East Berbice for over a decade since leaving the City.
Organisers of today’s match, which will showcase former outstanding Berbice youth and senior national footballer Roger Alphonso, will now dedicate the clash in honor of ‘Puggy’ who would have suited up to play. He leaves to mourn six off-springs: Randy, Kevin, Kayamanda, Andre, Alvin and Anaiya.
Among other past stalwarts of the game who will ‘tag-up’ for the home team in today’s encounter are Phillip Carrington, Seon Bristol, Brian Simpson, Monty Fordyce, Kurt Alphonso and the Forde brothers, Adrian and Sherwin.
The Patriarchs will include in their side: Vibert ‘Dordee’ Butts, Terry Plummer, Derek Gritten, Herbert McPherson, Lloyd Smith, Rodwell Jemmot, Floyd Campbell, Dexter McCaulay, Allan La Rose, ‘Natty’ Wiltshire and Roger Alphonso.
The Patriarchs, who are enjoying the company of honorary member, California-based Roger Alphonso, for a week, will next oppose a Georgetown over 50 side this coming Tuesday in the City to celebrate the 78th Birth anniversary of, arguably, the greatest player to have played the ‘Beautiful Game’ – Edson Arantes do Nsacimento, more globally known as ‘King Pele’. The celebration of the King’s birthdate will begin at 4 pm with an all-girls affair showcasing the Conquerors aggregation, followed by an under 15 Boys match-up between Santos FC and Fruta Conquerors FC
The Masters football fraternity will also stage an over 40 quadrangular competition next Sunday in Wisroc. The round robin tournament will open at 9:30 am with Rastas versus Linden, followed at 10:30 by Berbice against Georgetown. The 40-minute matches also mandate teams to have a minimum of five players over 50 years old, with at least 3 on the pitch at all time during a game. Alphonso will also coordinate a mini street football festival for four different age groups of youth in Linden on Saturday. A similar competition was held yesterday in New Amsterdam and catered for eighty youths, including girls.
