Football lures fans in droves
It was a heartening sight at the Don Bosco Youth Centre football ground in Red Hills. Die- hard followers thronging the venue to witness the Southern Railway-Thiruvallur DFA match on the first day of the McFerran all-India tournament on Sunday brought back memories of a bygone era when local football enjoyed a huge following.
It was a carnival-like atmosphere with youngsters belting out loud drum beats and backing their local team (Thiruvallur) with vociferous support. The 15-day tournament played at the beautiful ground is indeed a treat for lovers of the beautiful game.
The crowd was a right mix of young and old, 73-year-old former ICF star P.V. Sriramulu, who has been sharing his invaluable experience with the young footballers at the DBYC, recalled: “There used to be a mad rush to watch football matches in my playing days. People used to come in droves and at times if there was a lack of seating space, they would stand and watch the entire match. I still remember an incident while playing at Madras United Club grounds long ago. A temporary gallery came down crashing as as a result of overcrowding.
“I am delighted to see so many people at the ground. I am sure they will continue to do so for the next two weeks. After all, the city lacks quality tournaments such as the McFerran trophy,” he added.
Though the home team lost 1-3 to the much superior Southern Railway unit, it was a memorable experience for Thiruvallur and their supporters. The roars were deafening when R. Karthik pulled one back for the local team. After the match, there was so much commotion near the Thiruvallur camp that any late-comer could have easily mistaken them to be the winners.
Karthik, a local boy, was swarmed by his well-wishers and friends. “It was a tall order beating a side like Southern Railway but we are pleased the way we played against such quality opponents. The crowd support was tremendous. I am happy to have got my name on the score sheet,” said Karthik, who narrowly missed a second while doing a spectacular bicycle kick during the dying minutes.
Thiruvallur coach K. Govind Raj added, “A majority of my players are teenagers. It has been a great exposure and this match will hold them in good stead. The tournament is an excellent platform for youngsters to prove their mettle.”
In the stands, M. Senthil and his friends who work in a nearby granite quarry were happy to spend their Pongal holidays, watching a football match. “We came here to root for our team, Thiruvallur. But now that they are out, we want one of the Tamil Nadu teams to win the tournament. We will come back in greater numbers to show our support. People in Red Hills and the surrounding areas are passionate about football. The sport is a rage here,” noted Senthil.
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