BIRMINGHAM SHAHEEDI FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT 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.
(THE ASIAN INDEPENDENT)- The annual Birmingham Shaheedi Football Tournament organised by Khalsa Football Federation KFF and Birmingham Khalsa Football Federation BKFF on Saturday and Sunday 8th and 9th June at the Aston University Recreation Grounds, Birmingham Road, Walsall, West Midlands was very successful, well attended, watched by thousands of sports fans and the games played in the right spirit by almost 100 teams from all over the country.
The games in the adult section are played similar to the FA CUP with the winning teams progressing to the next stage. The winners of the Premier Division at the Walsall tournament Singh Brothers Derby made it to the final again but GSA won the final 2-0. The most watched and exciting game of this division was the semi-final between GNG Leicester and GSA with both teams scoring twice before the penalty shoot-out began in which GSA scored all their penalties and GNG having a penalty saved. The winning penalty by GSA sent their players supporters and management into Punjabi style Bhangra Dance and everyone getting on top of their goalkeeper. In Division 1 Wolves beat Singh Brothers Derby.
TRIBUTE TO RAJESH GINDA
The runner up in the Over 35s were Shere Punjab RRK Birmingham who gave their trophy to the family of one of their players Rajesh Ginda who passed away so sadly at such a young age. The trophy was presented to Rajesh Ginda’s sister and all of the medal recipients were very emotional with tears in their eyes. May Waheguru Ji give strength to Rajesh Ginda’s family and friends so they can cope with the tragic loss.
Youth Section
This is easily the most popular part of the tournament played on Sundays in which teams take part in Under 8s, Under 9s, Under 11s, under 13s and Under 15s. The Under 15s is the most competitive as the players are almost ready to play in the adult teams and this section was won the well organised club Singh Brothers Derby whose manager Satnam Singh wanted to thank the support of the parents’ and the management.
The Under 8s winners were Nottingham Sikh Lions. Sukhi on behalf of the club said “This was one of Nottingham Sikh Lions new teams only been brought together two weeks before the first tournament on 26 May. The team did well to come together at short notice. In the first tournament we came joint 2nd and at this tournament we were winners and did not lose a single game. The tournaments are very competitive and have some excellent teams. We wish to say a big, massive thank you to our sponsors and founders of the club Sikh Community Youth Services {SCYS}.
Pritam Singh, Coach GNG Smethwick d who served the KFF youth section for number of years pointed out that “most of our players have been with us for several years. Most Sikh and Punjabi community parents are more concerned about their children’s education rather than playing professional football. If a scout takes 5 Sikh lads to professional clubs and the club eventually does not take any of them on to their Academy etc then it looks very bad on that scout. But if he takes one West Indies lad and that lad gets taken on by the club to their Academy and that lad becomes a Premier League player then the scout will become famous as Premier League players are worth millions of pounds. One of our players was selected for West Brom and went on to represent his country Italy at Under 15s level.”
GIRLS FOOTBALL
Girls football at the KFF tournaments only started last year and has grown so much in popularity that the number of Girls teams have more than doubled. Due to the Girls playing competitive football as fast as the KFF group stages several of the Girls players needed treatment in way of ice packs for niggling pains which
the medical assistance volunteers said was for very short notice and the girls were running once again. Pardeep Singh Ji of Guru Nanak Parkash Coventry said that due to the increased number of teams taking part a lot more organisation is needed for the Girls Section.
Ekamjit Kaur who held the GNG Smethwick Gurdwara stall at the tournament said it was amazing to see so many girls taking part in very competitive game like football. Karen Johal KFF Representative for the Girls Section said “I would like to thank all the GIRLS Section clubs’ management players and supporters for all the effort they have put in to make the tournament such a big success”
In conclusion if we really want our youth, girls and adult section to succeed we need to stop giving free parking and at the very least have a donation box for parking etc and start a trust fund to purchase our own pitches. This of course is going to be a long process, but we must remember that the longest trip starts with putting one foot forward. And when the Punjab government or India government give Freebies, we in the United Kingdom and other oversea countries are all too keen to criticise them. Yet at all the football tournaments just about everything is free, free entry, free parking …all day, free water drinks, free food to eat, free programmes, and at the Walsall tournament even fun fair rides for children are free every year. When something is free it loses its value.
SINGH SABHA HOUNSLOW GURDWARA SAHIB
One of the main reasons for winning tournaments was given by Sardar Sarabjit Singh Garcha, ex player and manager of Singh Sabha Hounslow who told me in 2009 that their continuous winning tournaments was all due to the support of the Singh Sabha Gurdwara Hounslow. We should all be very proud that young man who used to go the Singh Sabha Hounslow Gurdwara Sahib and then played for Singh Sabha Hounslow Football Club, Sunny Singh Garcha is now a official a professional Premier League. He has noticed that “ Players now are more faster and skillful but 10 years ago 985558 the players were a lot more technically gifted but the game was dominated with hard tackles and more physically.
All clubs must do their utmost best to get the support of the 300 or so Gurdwara Sahibs in this country towards which the football community has contributed, is contributing and will continue to Contribute in the future.
Report …Tarlochan Singh Virk
