PM for John Alleyne memorial football

PRIME Minister Patrick Manning will lead a team of government parliamentarians at the John Alleyne Memorial Classic football match on November 23.

And the encounter, North vs South, in honour of the late football administrator, tennis enthusiast and “Ambassador of South” John Alleyne, will be played at his old stomping ground, Skinner Park, San Fernando. Kick off is 3.30 pm. The match is the brainchild of San Fernando Mayor Ian Atherly, who along with Alleyne’s daughter Andy Alleyne-Andrews have donated a massive trophy for the match which will form part of San Fernando City Week celebrations. Atherly decided on the memorial in conjunction with the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation and member associations, with the aim to rekindle the rivalry of the 1950s to late 1960s when North-South clashes were major fixtures during the football season. Alleyne who died one year ago, served sport in general and football in particular most of his life, and was president of the Football Association, now TTFF from 1978 to 1985. He was also Southern Football Association boss for more than three decades. The North-South Red Cross Classic brought hundreds of southerners to throng the Grand Stand, Queen’s Park Savannah, when their stars matched and showcased their skills against their Northern counterparts. 

Fans will remember the exploits of Son Baptiste, Doyle Griffith, Neville “Watty” Douglas, Alvin “Golden Boy” Rodriguez, Ivan De Gourville, Rupert “Cax” Baptiste, Ian “Big Chief” Seales to mention a few of the old Southern stalwarts. And from the North came Horace “Pepperwine” Lovelace, Carlton “Squeakie” Hinds, Vernon “Shay” Seymour, Len Leggard, Carlton “Putty” Lewis, Allan “Caracas” Joseph, Dudley Husbands, Popo Simmonds, Noel Winn and Joey Gonzalves. The TTFF have indicated their intention to revive these traditional North- South clashes in an effort to return football to the communities. Fans will have to pay only $20 for covered stands and $10 for the open areas to see this first edition of the John Alleyne Memorial Classic. South, chosing players from the T&T Pro League, SFA, Central and Tobago associations have named a 21-man squad for the Classic. But North have chosen 18 from the T&T Pro League, NFA, EFA and Eastern Counties. Included in the South squad are nine national players, while their Northern counterparts will parade six nationals along with teen stars Gorean “Mickey Rat” Highley and Julius James.

Squads:
SOUTH - Jan Michael Williams, Jefferson George, Reynold Carrington, Atiba Charles, Rawle Fletcher, Randy Harris, Wesley Webb, Lyndon Diaz, Larrty McDonald, Dale Saunders, Kerwyn Jemmott, Stokely Mason, Silvio Spann, Kevon Clement, Curt Danclair, Kester Cornwall, Devon Lewis, Anthony Forgenie, Andre Charles, Neri Joseph, Kendall Davis.
Techincal Director is Muhammad Isa; coach is Leroy Spann, assistant  coaches are Michael Maurice, Terry Williams; physiotherapist is Heston Davidson; and manager is Larry Joseph.
NORTH - Peter Ramon-Fortune, Kevin Graham, Julius James, Anton Pierre, Randy Ramcharan, Joseph Peters, Derek King, Anthony Wolfe, Devon Caseman, Sterling O’Brien, Conrod Smith, Jerren Nixon, Ryan Stewart, Gorean Highley, Warren Butler, Marlon Warner, Kwevon Carter, Kevin Jeffrey.
Coach is Jamal Shabazz; assistant-coach is Anderson Veronique; physiotherapist is Wayne Lawson; manager is Louis Charles; and assistant manager is Joseph Romeo.