SHAHEEDI FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT DERBY 2024
ਸ਼ਹੀਦੋਂ ਕੀ ਚਿਤਾੳਂ ਪਰ ਲਗੇਂਗੇ ਹਰ ਬਰਸ ਮੇਲੇ,
ਵਤਨ ਪਰ ਮਰਨੇ ਵਾਲੋਂ ਕਾ ਯਹੀ ਬਾਕੀ ਨਿਸ਼ਾੰ ਹੋਗਾ…….
What are the memories of the martyrs,
But every year there will be fairs,
The homeland will be only mark,
Left by those who died and sacrificed,
Their lives for the Homeland.
(SAMAJ WEEKLY)- The East Midlands City of Derby hosted the final of this year’s football tournaments at the excellent facilities at Leisure United, Racecourse Playing Fields, St. Marks Road, Derby on Saturday 6th and Sunday 7th July. It was organised by Derby Sports Committee, Khalsa Football Federation, Singh Brothers Derby Football Club and sponsored by Guru Arjan Dev Gurdwara, Sri Guru Singh Sabha Gurdwara, Indian Community Centre, Derby Sports Committee, Hindu Temple, Shromani Akali Dal UK [Derby] and Pak Food Store.
ADULT SECTION
In the Premier Division, Singh Brothers Derby and GSA contested the final on Sunday at 1.00 pm. Both teams had won one tournament each before, so each team wanted to win to have won most tournaments this year. GSA took an early lead but the hometown team Singh Brothers scored twice to go 2-1 up, but GSA went on to win 4-2.
Both these clubs GSA and Singh Brothers Deby also contested the Division 1 final, but this time Singh Brothers were the winners.
In order that elderly players keep fit and healthy games are organised for the Over 35s players. In one of the Over 35s game on Saturday FC Khalsa Leicester star player Kam scored an unbelievable goal. The over 35s Champions were Wondervaults.
YOUTH SECTION
Just like at all the other tournaments, Sunday was a truly family atmosphere with grandparents, mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters and other relatives all cheering and very excited to see their children play competitive games at the end of which trophies were going to be presented to 3rd place, Runners Up and Winners of Under 8, Under 9, Under 11, Under 13, and Under 15 groups.
FC Khalsa Leicester Under 9s had another fantastic showing at Derby in which the team came through a very tough group of 5 and cemented the top spot in the group by beating GNG Falcons Leicester 8-0 in their last group game. They made it through to the semi-finals for the fourth consecutive tournament and overcame a very tough game against Bedford to make it to the final for the 3rd time. The team scored 12 goals and conceded 5 with some great performances from the Goalie Freddie Bool.
The coaches Kam Sangha and Harvir Maan said they are very proud of the Under 9s team’s effort and commitment that they have put into the games and training. The achievement of winning two tournaments can not be taken lightly in a group filled with some great teams from across the country.
A successful outing for FC Khalsa Leicester’s Under 11s at Derby, finishing deserved winners of the tournament. It capped a successful summer overall for this talented group of boys, who were the only team at this age group to consistently progress out of the group stages in each of the four tournaments, remaining unbeaten in all group games played across all tournaments.
Such consistency and efforts were finally rewarded at the Derby Tournament. They scored a total of 60 goals with very few conceded. With such talented players the future of the club is very bright and this next generation of superstars the club is looking forward to more success in the future.
A number of the coaches and children across all of FC Khalsa’s youth teams have a profound connection to the football club with many of the coaches being past players, further evidencing the ethos and family-oriented traditions of the club, making the success over the summer even more satisfying and rewarding given all the hard work and efforts by everyone involved in getting the football club to its current position and its journey in re-establishing itself as the best there is, not only in Leicester and Leicestershire but across the UK.
GNG Leicester won Under 8s and Under 9s, Under13s winners were Sikh Lions Nottingham and Singh Brothers Derby were winners of the Under 15s.
Similarly, trophies were given to the Girls teams that made it to the presentation stage. To encourage girls and women to play football SEEING IS BELIEVEING girls’ representatives had a banner promoting their work, whom the girl players were very impressed with.
SHANGARA SINGH RAI “SHANNY”
One of the best known past players Shangara Singh Rai fondly known as Shanny also attended the tournament and has unforgettable memories of the Derby Football tournaments. Number of decades ago he played at this tournament for Sapna of Leicester against the home team Punjab United Derby in a semi final when Punjab United were one of the top teams like Singh Brothers Derby and GSA are nowadays.
Shanny’s team had three players sent off and only had 8 players left in the 2nd half by which time Punjab United had taken 2-0 lead. With guidance of captain Amrik Singh, Sapna decided to defend tightly and left Shanny on his own up friend. He scored a great goal from the right wing, made another for Speedy to tap in the equaliser and won a penalty which was scored, and their team went into 3-2 lead. The Derby team tried their best to score but Sapna held on to win a very historic game and went on to win the final and the tournament.
In the words of ex-player and coach of Singh Sabha Hounslow Sarabjit Singh Garcha, Shanny was no-one’s friend on the pitch and everyone’s friend off the pitch. Shangara Singh Rai “Shanny” was given the FC Khalsa Leicester’s Club Legend award in 2016 but according to Shanny it is the Derby Tournament winning trophy which he remembers the most fondly.
The Right Worshipful Deputy Mayor of Derby City Council, Councillor Ajit Singh Atwal congratulated the organisers for staging the tournament at these excellent 3G pitches for the 1st time. With the support of City Council, we hope to have future tournaments here. Rajinder Singh Purewal editor Punjab Times Derby pointed out that this Shaheedi Tournament has been going on more than 50 years now and the old Derby players have done a very good job in getting more than 40 youth teams to take part. We want our children to be healthy and playing football, a game loved by the youth is a great way to be healthy.
Singh Brothers Derby Football Club chairman Jasvir Singh Lehal who is also member of the KFF executive committee said the club was formed in 2004 by a group of friends and has had several successful moments having back-to-back promotions in 3 consecutive seasons in the Central Midlands Alliance League.
Apart from this the club has two senior teams in the KFF tournaments in the Premier and Division 1 and a newly formed youth system with teams in the Under 9s, Under11s, Under 13s, and Under 15s. This year the club has had great success in the summer tournaments every team collecting silverware within the four tournaments.
Under the guidance of the new executive club committee of Jasvir Lehal, Inderpal Dhillon, Jagjeet Dhillon, Ricky Aietan, Bally Siniara, Sanj Chopra and Dally Atwal the club have exceeded their original expectations and have developed a strong pathway for youth to progress and play at a competitive level.
Report by TARLOCHAN SINGH VIRK
