By S. Siapha Mulbah
Hundreds of residents in Paynesville City last Saturday embarked on the celebration of its Football Club’s history with the team’s first-ever Orange Football Association Cup trophy.
The city was filled with a day of celebration and amusement in sports promotions as the FA Cup holders showcased the last April trophy to their fans in a form of appreciating the efforts to support them in the last football season.
A huge parade was led by officials of the club including president Hilary Sackie and all of the team players on a float move throughout the principle streets of their city engaging fans and residents to encourage them to stand up for one of the fastest growing football union in the country.
The parade started at the most famous Vokar Mission Football Field and through Duport Road and other places. When the float got to the biggest commercial hub in the city the Red-light, there came a revelation that the people of Paynesville are actually the ones motivated by the club’s performance in the last season by reception despite the down pull of rain.
The fans expressed gladness for being remembered by the club’s leadership that they were called up and visited with what they all supported that resulted into the FA Cup trophy.
According to them, since the establishment of Paynesville FC, as a football institution in the city, it has contributed immensely to the unity and recreation of the people in nearly all of the communities.
Some disclosed that the team has given the young people reasons to rethink and swift to meaningful lifestyle through sportsmanship.
“We are proud to be called residents because of our affiliation with the club named after our city known as Paynesville FC. We as sports’ lovers and as residents, we follow the success of this young club and have gotten to realize that it is not only about playing ball as we see it but it is making impact,” some claiming to be members of the fan club said.
The Paynesville Day celebration after the parade continued with an exhibition match at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex where the fan club was pull up against the team playing squad.
The match starting at a low pace witnessed the player’s squad scoring goals in the first half with the presence the football association most valuable player Edward Ledlum and others top players but they were unable to prevent the team’s president Sackie who wore the arm band for the fans from scoring.
From a 4-0 first half defeat, the fans’ team with constant supervision of Sackie forced active team players to a decisive 4-4 draw in the last quarter of the match.
The fans considered it as a win for them and the entire Paynesville family because the exhibition match only presented a result that expressed total agreement between the club and its supporter.
“We are not actively involved on the playing pitch like our team and players do regularly, but we drew this match with these same players that won the FA cup. This means that we are made for each other as club and fans and that why there will be no disagreement,” they promised.
After the game president Sackie was observed reaching out to the fans and players expressing gratitude for a joyous celebration as the team prepares to make another history at the continental stage.
He thanked everyone for making time to have engagements with their players and refresh their memories ahead of the new season.
The daylong celebration ended with a ball night party.
