BY: Media Officer Foday Jatta

Real de Banjul recently held its end-of-season meeting at the Oasis Apartments in SeneGambia to reflect on the just concluded season before awarding individual players in recognition for their standout season performances.

The Club’s Executive and the team met to reflect on the just ended 2020/21 GFF League Division One season to go reflect on it and better prepare for next season.

The City Boys, who finished 3rd place at the end of the season, took home D150,000 for the position, an amount the Executive decided to share between the team.

The club also at the end of the session awarded individuals with prizes for their outstanding performances.

Forward Modou Lamin Demba was awarded with a cash prize of D10,000 as The Club’s Best Player of the Season.

Defender Modou Manneh was awarded with a cash prize of D8000 as 1st Runner-up with goalkeeper Ebrima Jarju, midfielder Cherno Jobe and defender Foday Darboe all given D6000 as 2nd Runners-up.

There was also the President’s special recognition awards that went to winger Kajally Drammeh and goalkeeper Lamin Saidy with the duo each receiving D5000 for their exploits with the Gambia U-20 where they, together with Modou Manneh, helped the young Scorpions to clinch the WAFU championship in Thies, Senegal before going on to win bronze at the Total CAF Africa U-20 Championship 2021, in Mauritania.

There was a couple of speakers at the gathering, most notably Club President William Abraham, who gave words of appreciation and wisdom to the entire team saying: “If you want to succeed in life, you need to put all your energy in anything you do (because) if you don’t, then you won’t succeed. Real de Banjul is a successful club today because of the energy the board put into the club.”

“We are the number one club in this country, and to be number one and to stay as the number club takes a lot of work. I am always grateful that we have a good team in all departments, if you look at it, anytime there are invitations for national teams duty, they will invite players from Real de Banjul in any category. Real is a very demanding club. We have a dream, and our dream is to be one of the top clubs in Africa. This is our dream”, enthused the Club’s supremo.

1st vice President Pa Yusufa Samba and 2nd vice Bakary K. Jammeh also echoed similar sentiments at the meeting.

Pa Faye, the club’s technical director gave his verdict on the just-ended season, sighting the difficulties that hindered the club from achieving more than 3rd place.

He also made mention of Bye Malleh Wadda’s impact since he returned to the club halfway into the season and recognize the backing of the executive.

“The team has struggled for goals this season but in the later stages of the season, the team clicked tactically and began to show its real color and scored goals. If one reviews the league you’ll see that Bye Malleh did excellently”.

Faye added: “We all know that football is a teamwork and with the help of the exco who were not tired, lazy, not disappointing but they were still bouncing to make sure that results come, week-in, week-out or every day we will have meetings because they’re result-oriented, when results aren’t coming they aren’t happy. We also have to recognize the technicians because they did a good job all season”.

Ebrima Joof (Luke), the assistant to Bye Malleh also have a few remakes saying: “Anyone that knows Real de Banjul of yesterday and today will notice that the club’s management has done a fantastic job and we thanking them for that. We are thanking Bye Malleh; he’s open, at times he will have an idea but when we object he’ll say you’re the majority so we take your idea, that’s the attitude of an open individual.”

“Lastly, if the players and the coaches aren’t there, the job of the management will be useless. So, the players, let’s try more and strengthened the work and you must know that if you want to be on top it’s dedication and hard work that is what will bring that achievement. Everyone (the players) go home and reflect on the season and see areas you need to improve and work on them and get ready for next season because it’ll not be easy.”

Luke added: “Playing for Real de Banjul means something, the badge of this club is different to the rest, you cannot get better than Real de Banjul!”

Ebrima Jarju, the goalkeeper and captain of the club spoke on behalf of the players saying: “I will, first of all, thank the technical side because they’ve helped us a lot, and we wish to apologize to them because sometimes we’ll disagree with them, but you’ll always treat us like your own children you leave at your homes. We are also thanking the executive so much for the tireless support because they’re always there for us”.

He also had this to say to his teammates: “I want to thank the players, especially Gregory Sambou, Hamidou Bojang, Bubacarr Camara, and all the senior players who were helping in leading the team. I wish the players that will be going for trials to be successful, those who aren’t lucky yet to stand firm and work hard, in life we’re are not all equal in luck. So, I am appealing to each and everyone to patiently wait for their chance. I appealing to the board to be patient with us, we will learn from our mistakes and come back stronger next season, and it will be successful one God willing”.

Ebrima concluded by thanking the physio who he said worked tirelessly and hand in hand with the players.

The Club’s Executive, Players and Coaching Staff, will wish to thank its indefatigable fans in The Gambia and all around the world for their great support during the season.

We’ll be back stronger next season as #WeAreRealFORLIFE!