Prime SC to organise the event for 17th year in succession from Aug 26
MARGAO
The VM Salgaocar memorial football tournament organised by Prime Sports Club has left its indeligble mark in the annals of Goa's veterans football tournament. Arguably one of the most prestigious and popular veterans tournament held in Goa, the event was conceptualised 17 years ago and is three editions short of completing two decades of existence on Goan soil.
Come August 26, Goa's most popular veterans tournament will kick off at the historic St John the Baptist, Dando grounds in Benaulim.
Over the years the tournament has managed to present before the football-mad enthusiasts from Goa a fierce competition where former footballers have showcased their skills with aplomb, thus marking a long journey laced with vast popularity. The tourney has always been a spectator's delight as they have got to watch former greats of Goa in action. The list would be incomplete without the likes of Bramanand Shankwalkar, Nicholas Pereira, Mauricio Afonso, Mahesh Lotlikar, Camilo Gonsalves, Mariano Dias, Benato Andrew, Antonio Joao, Lector Mascarenhas, Oscar Rebello, Hercules Gomes, Leopold Fernandes, Augustin Dias, Salu Fernandes, Divid D'Souza, Constancio Fernandes, Joseph Mendes, Lawrence Gomes, Bosco Monteiro, Nickey Rebello, Gokuldas Nagvenkar, Norbert Gonsalves, Patrick Sequira, Derrick Pereira, Chandrakant Naik and others of the same ilk. And undeniably, their names are encrypted in the record books of the organizers Prime Sports Club who have been synonymous with the event itself.
As organsiers, Prime Sports Club have previously delivered with huge success and besides football the VM Salgaocar memorial Marathon Race has also been organised with great aplomb for seven consecutive years; but in 2001 it changed course and conducted an entirely new competition for former footballers who had brought laurels and glory to Goa.
"We thought it was only fair that former players who had lost their touch in football be given some platform or a competition to keep them fit and also to keep them in competitive touch so that all could meet, enjoy and play against each other once again. We got a good response from teams and I am very content and extremely pleased about achieving our aim in a big way," stated Prime Sports Secretary, Boaventura C Leitao who was working with Salgaocars at their Vasco Headquarters during the inception of the tournament which was later on sponsored by Shivanand Salgaocar.
Although Prime Sports Club was a relatively new name at that time, former club president and late Tony Correia Afonso was the mastermind to persuade the House of Salgaocar to collaborate and the link and associate with Goa's trademark football giants. This ensured that there was a continuity in the popularity of the tournament.
"The tournament itself has been synonymous with former stars.All these years the footballers who had played in the tournament had brought fame and name to Goa and they deserve the honour and respect through the game and we really want to improve upon it every year," explained Anthony Rodrigues, the six-times organising secretary of the club.
The annual tournament is eagerly awaited with prospective players and teams inquiring about the tournament. Despite demands of inclusion of more teams, the organizers never tampered with the original format of fielding only the top eight teams from Goa for the prestigious trophy.
"It is one of the exceptionally well organized veterans tournament where the players are given their due respect and received with love and care. I have played here on many occasions and every year it is well organized and this is the reason players comeback with the same eagerness," described Patrick Sequeira,former MPT striker and now United Club of Fatorda Veterans manager.
On the occaision of the finals of the tournament, the organizers distribute the scholarship for the top rankers in SSC exams from Benaulim in memory of founder president Tony Correia Afonso who was the pillar of strength for the club. Prime Sports Club had also wide spread membership and includes famous names such as Soccour Coutinho the legendary Goa Santosh Trophy defender for 18 years, C Ashok the Goa Ranji Trophy Cricketer and former national footballer Franco Goveia while Remedious Ferrao is another long serving and founder member of the club. Prime Sports Club may endure hardships in organizing the veterans tournament in a unique way but the success in the end was always satisfying for the elderly organizers.
