K&S All Stars back on the field of play today
By Isaiah Chappelle
Guyana Chronicle
December 25, 2003
THE controversial Kashif & Shanghai All Stars will be back on the field of play, today, as the real battles of this year’s Christmas Football Festival, staged by the Kashif & Shanghai (K&S) Organisation, unfold at two venues for Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
Today at the Blairmont Community Centre ground, West Berbice, the All Stars clash with BV/Triumph from 13:00 hrs, followed by the highly touted Camptown and Netrockers encounter.
Tomorrow at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground, Linden, newcomers Silver Shattas will meet Rupununi from 18:00 hrs then four-time champions Topp XX will clash with two-time champions, Milerock.
K&S All Stars were invited as Western Tigers to fill the slot created by Deacon Farm’s pulling out of the championship, but the only time the players wore their club’s colours officially was in the march past of the opening ceremony.
Before the Tigers could kick a ball in the championship, the Guyana Football Federation barred them from participating, a decision also taken by the GFF General Council. No reason has yet been given for their ban.
The Tigers wore their club jersey on Sunday, but under the Kashif & Shanghai All Stars after GFF vice-president Winston Callender heroically intervened, condemning the ban on the club.
In response, the Tigers mauled the combined Uitvlugt All Stars 4-2, with some spectacular closing goals, the best performance in the championship to date.
But the GFF decided, yesterday, to allow them to play only under the K&S All Stars banner, ruling that at any one time, just eight Western Tigers players could be on the field of play. They are, however, allowed the usual five guest players.
The team has National Under-23 captain Shawn Beveney and fellow Olympian Devon Millington, a striker, with the stylish Eron Hayde also in strike. The defence has the reliable Delon Fraser, with Rayon Thomas in midfield.
BV/Triumph will field National Under-23 striker Dwight Peters who has already hit a double to dispose of Golden Stars, 3-1, supported by fellow Olympian Jerome Richardson in midfield.
More steam will erupt when Camptown and Netrockers take the field in the second match, some football buffs calling it a virtual final.
Camptown scored a spectacular 5-1 whipping over Eagles United, a repeat victory as the Campbellville boys beat the very opponents to claim the 1993 title.
Olympians Elton Brown and Gregory Richardson make the strike line, perhaps the strongest in the championship. Add Nigel Codrington, Leslie Holligan and goalkeeper Marlon Hendricks and Camptown are indeed formidable.
But Netrockers are still looking for the elusive title and they knocked out last year’s champions and reigning national champions Fruta Conquerors, inflicting the first major upset in the championship, with a 1-0 needle.
The mining town boys should now have former National captain Charles Pollard to marshal the team from the defence, thus nothing short of real fireworks will unfold.
Explosive action should continue tomorrow, after Silver Shattas humbled 1995 champions Beacon, with a 3-1 whipping. They have captain Bobbington King, Leon Clement, Gerald Whittington and Ruel Telford, aiming for the goal, with former National junior goalkeeper Ravin Choo defending the uprights.
But Rupununi have Olympians the mesmerising Emerick Williams and Daxton Parks, with support from former National junior player Johnny Farias. They put away the combined Berbice side, Cougars All Stars, to advance to the quarterfinals.
Then come the Topp XX and Milerock clash, as the two giants in the championship’s history meet in what many are considering another virtual final.
Topp XX won in 1994, 1996, 1999 and 2000, the only club to win back-to-back. And they will have Collie Hercules who also captured the Most Valuable Player title, three times.
Milerock, who won the inaugural tournament back in 1990 then clinched another title in 1997, will thus look for their third title. They already upset 2001 champions Victoria Kings, and with Randolph Jerome in back in strike, they are in full steam.
The quarterfinals should indeed produce explosive action over two big holidays.