THE Veteran Footballers Foundation of Trinidad and Tobago (VFFOTT) is turning its attention to community football.
According to a VFFOTT release, the veterans body’s members decided unanimously at their in-person meeting Saturday to immediately focus their attention on, “facilitating all community football leagues to ensure the return of football in communities throughout Trinidad and Tobago at the earliest opportunity.”
VFFOTT president Selby Browne chaired the meeting and in attendance among others were former national footballers, Alvin Corneal, Ken Butcher, Keith Renaud and former national captain Selris Figaro.
Browne said the nitiative has the capability to facilitate the rebuilding of community sport via the return of community competitions and leagues throughout the Republic.
VFFOTT is asking community league operators to forward contact details to the VFFOTT Secretariat by email at: vffott2008@gmail.com and/or to call: (868-790-6674.
VFFOTT PRO, retired FIFA referee, Lennox Sirjuesingh, expressed his delight that the meeting agreed to prioritise the immediate return of community leagues, while continuing the activity of honouring long-standing past contributors to football. At the Foundation’s awards ceremony in 2020, Major Ralph Brown, Eddie Hart and Sirjuesingh were honoured.
A former VFFOTT awardee, Edgar Vidale, past player, coach, and administrator, was nominated by VFFOTT for a national award which was subsequently bestowed on him.
On Saturday, the meeting also unanimously confirmed that the VFFOTT 2023 awards for outstanding contributions to football in Trinidad and Tobago will be presented to John Alleyne (posthumously), Earl Murray, Vernon Bain and Alvin Corneal.
The presentations to those stalwarts will take place in their communities; Alleyne’s in San Fernando, Bain’s and Murray’s in Tunapuna and Corneal’s in San Juan, on dates to be announced.
In 2022, VFFOTT presented awards in Point Fortin to past national footballers: Warren Archibald, Steve David, Leo Brewster, Anthony Douglas, and Mello Douglas.
The VFFOTT honour has also been awarded to the first Trinidad and Tobago footballer to play in a FIFA World Cup, Randy Samuel who represented Canada at the FIFA World Cup in Mexico, 1986.
SOURCE: T&T Express