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Reason to cheer for veterans

AGE NO BAR: Kozhikode District Veterans' Football League at Corporation Stadium in Kozhikode. — Photo: S. Ramesh Kurup

During the week that saw V.S. Achuthanandan, M. Karunanidhi and Buddhadev Bhattacharya leading from the front in the political battlefields, the not so young in Kozhikode have another reason to celebrate. The Kozhikode District Veterans' Football League is in progress at the Corporation Stadium here.

The league is now into its third year. "We are happy that we could turn this into an annual affair," says Mohammed Basheer, president of the Football Players Association of Kozhikode, which hosts the event. "It's the only regular league for the veterans in the country. We started it three years ago when we thought that we, the former footballers of Kozhikode — the city must have produced over a hundred National, State or University players — needed to do something for the game. We conducted a clinic for the coaches in Kozhikode and then sent them to train students at various schools in the district. We also thought that it wouldn't be a bad idea to play a league."

So, the league kicked off with five teams— Cosmos, Chandni, Emcees, VNM and Calicut Soccer.

"These teams are playing this year too," says Mr. Basheer.

Former Indian goalkeeper K.P. Sethumadhavan is playing for Calicut Soccer. "This is my first season in the league as I moved to Kozhikode recently from Neyveli. I'm enjoying the experience. It's great to play football once again and to catch up with some of my friends."

None of A.T. Assainar's former teammates are playing now. At 69, the Chandni midfielder is the oldest in the league. "I didn't want to waste this opportunity to play the game," says the man who played in the Kozhikode District League for 16 years, representing teams such as Independence Buds. The league concludes on May 21.

P.K. AJITH KUMAR

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