Gambian Champions Pull out of Champions League

Gambia champions Wallidan have pulled out of this year's African Champions League for financial reasons, club officials said.The club now face an automatic three-year ban for withdrawing from the competition, which the Confederation of African Football will ratify later this year.What a terrible shame that there is no one and no body to help.How much money is really needed to keep this game on and keep the Gambias top teams in the Champions league? How would we feel if Liverpool went under and were unable to take their place in the European Champions League....well, pleased I know but say it was Villa or Hull? All around the Gambia you see the premiership football shirts with names of Drogba, Essien, Toure and Adebayore, to name just a few. The English game is awash with cash. I dont begrudge anyone getting the best rate for being the best at their job. I do just wish that the support and enthusiasm in the Gambia for the Premiership be recognsed, and maybe every now and then, when its need, some small change be lobbed that way.

My Gambia Football Experience


The International Stadium
Bakau Utd at the FA Cup


In 2007 we were welcomed to the Gambia FA cup final in the Serrakunda Stadium, joining the Bakau Utd section for a real Gambian football experience.The atmosphere beat any game I have been to and the drive home through the football traffic in Serrakunda was hilarious, with the sisters of our guide heckling the Banjul fans from the back of the jeep.

Inside the theatre of dreams Bakau
For 20 delassi each we crowded into a little cinema in Bakau to watch 2 premiership games similtaneously, one on a big screen and one on a TV next to it. It was roasting hot and heaving with more spectators trying to catch some of the game through the curtained windows.The room was decorated with graffitti saying "Theatre of Dreams" "Pele" and "Beckham", and I would rather have been there than in the bar at the Senegambia where I caught a bit of the Sky Monday match. But take youselves a bottle of water each which has been half frozen in the freezer!



Every evening my sons played football on the flat hard stretch of sand at the top of Cape Point beach. They were invited to play by whoever was there playing as we walked by. All age groups, all abilities, mostly in Chelsea shirts.My youngest struck up an understanding with the boys of KP Utd and we were able to leave them a new ball and some football gear when we left and have since sent over last years kit from his Sunday league team. It doesn't take much thought or imagination really.