Football - the most popular game, loved and cherished by all

By Hafiz Marikkar

Football is one of the games which was started over one hundred years ago, and a sport which was played at every nook and corner of the Island. It was the most popular sport, at school and club level at that time. In years gone by schools played only football cricket and hockey.

Football got the much needed equipment in the 1990's and a Headquarters with all facilities, and a Training Center with hostel facilities came up at Beddegana. In football the much wanted facelift was given to the City Football League Grounds, and elegant grounds came up in Kalutara, the New CR and FC pavilion and many other places due to the keen efforts of ever green football promoter Manilal Fernando, the man who gave the game the much wanted place and helped by some energetic officials.

When one looks back, Sri Lanka's football made the first ever tour of the Far-East in 1958, the exact day was 2nd of April a Wednesday in 1958.

A 20-member contingent comprising three officials and seventeen players went on a six week tour of China via Rangoon. Indeed that was a signal honour to the then football governors of the country, the Ceylon Football Association.

This tour which was in the form of goodwill mission, was arranged through the courtesy of the Chinese Embassy over here. At that time undoubtedly football was the most popular sport in Sri Lanka and it was spread out all over the country, where leagues were formed to help to promote the game.

D.S. Abraham - did fine got as coach

On that particular tour, D.S. Abraham was picked to coach the team, and keep the players fit and strong. Then it was Kandy's M.T.A. Tom Ossen who was a Playground Instructor attached to the Kandy Municipal Council an old boy of Dharmaraja College, who has been with the national team from 1952 and a footballer who proved who could play both in attack and defence with consummate ease.

He was picked to lead the All Ceylon team on the first ever tour. He led the national team earlier in a match against Madras, and played as the centre half, a position which is fit for captain.

Acting as deputy on this tour was Andrew Fernando of Nestles Products and Nawa Lanka fame who had been with the national team since 1953.

At that time, Andrew Fernando was regarded as a truly match winner after his feats at the 3rd Asian Quadrangular Tournament in Calcutta in 1954. Fernando was a fine left-inside forward.

The two goal keepers on tour were M.M. Hashim Deen of Cargill's and Victory Sports Club and Ben Ferreira of Southern S.C. Galle. M.M. Hashim Deen then was known as the "Prince of Goal Keepers", the man between the post had thrilled spectators in our country and overseas with his fine displays between the posts.

The fullbacks were Lt. Christopher Ranasinghe, M.B. Saldin and E.P. Soloman. Christopher was the brother of famous Peter Ranasinghe, who led the country to Calcutta in 1954.

He is an old Josephian and had represented the R.M.A. Sadhurst and the Army Southern Command in 1957. He was superb in his powerful clearence.

Then there was Bagoos Saldin, an Old Josephian who played for Shell Company, and toured Calcutta in 1954 and 1957 in Russia.

S. Solomon of Government Printers and Saunders SC, was called "Sollo", as the best left fullback and he had toured Moscow with the Colombo Football League team and had been capped for All Ceylon team on many occasions.

Tom Ossen - the captain

Besides skipper M.T.A. Tom Ossen, the halves were M.P.B. Dissanayake, K.A. Premadasa, Eric Perera and M.A. Karunaratne, then there was the most senior and travelled footballer in K.A. Premadasa of the Ceylon Wharfage Company and Saunders S.C, who had toured Rangoon, Calcutta, Dacca and Moscow. At that time, he was rated as the most scientific and stylish half backs in Asia.

Then M.P.B. Dissanayake represented the H.M. Customs and the All-In-One Sports Club and also had played against Pakistan.

Benedictine Eric Perera who played for Caltex and Saunders SC and he led the Colombo League team to Moscow, M.A. Karunaratne of Ceylon Engineers and Kotahena Angers was a product of Badulla.

The forward line of the tour was made out of players like T.S. Jayman, K.B. Ariyadasa, K.D. Somapala, T. Marikar Deen, Andrew Fernando, E.N. Nicholas and L. Bernadus jnr. The right extreme T.S. Jayman was from Ceylon Engineering's and represented CR and FC, an old boy of Kingswood College Kandy. K.B. Ariyadasa of the Colombo Port Commission and Saunders SC, K.D. Somapala the inside from Cargill's, Kotehena Angers and played for the country in 1954.

Fine set of forwards

T. Marikar Deen played as center forward was an all-rounder from St. Anthony's College Kandy.

He was playing for Nestle and Saunders SC. E.N. Nicholas who represented the Police SC and Kothena Angers was an artful dribbler of the ball was an old boy of St. Benedict's College and L. Vernadus Jnr of Rolands SC and Sunrise was an intelligent footballer.