The Executive management of Real de Banjul at the weekend met with the players of the Club where they gave them words of wisdom, advice and their blessings ahead of the new league Division One season in which the City Boys expect to defend its title.

The City Boys went to camp at the Live Your Dream Sports Academy in Basori to intensify their preparation ahead the new Gambia Football Federation (GFF) 2023/24 League Division One season which is scheduled to commence in November.

Bakary K. Jammeh, the 2nd Vice President of the Club, while addressing the players, said that: “You are all equal here. Yes, there might be seniority within but you all have the same privileges and opportunities here. It doesn’t matter if you’re a senior player, young, first or last to join the club you’re all Real de Banjul.”

He added: “To the new players, welcome to the family. Once you’re Real, you’re always Real de Banjul. Whether you’re there or not because an idea is a philosophy. So, in this camp it is important that anyone that comes here should know that this is an idea, because what I am certain about is that before this season ends, there will be players who will not be here and will sign professional contracts, so please feel at home, belong here, fight for these colors, because it’ll not only help you to go professional but also to those that will replace you.”

“It will be like you’ve helped yourself and maintained the same platform. It doesn’t matter where you coming from, you’re here today, in the biggest and best club in The Gambia! Take it from me, by the end of next season God willing, there’ll be more players leaving because all of you here have the potential to turn professional. Selling players is our philosophy just as winning titles are also our philosophy. We will never settle down without achieving both like we did last season. I wish us all the best of luck in this season of 2023/24 to win the league and with many of you players turning professional football players,” Jammeh ended.

Among those present in the gathering was Ebrima Barry who was part of the people that stood firm and contributed immensely towards the existence of Real de Banjul.

Addressing the team, Barry said: “Real de Banjul is like a cult, once you’re in, your cannot leave. But this is for you (players), our time have passed but you people know what football can bring now. You can do it, it’s just a matter of effort and knowing what football can benefit you. If you sacrifice to come here and camp for more than nine days to wait for the season to come, you should show your talent. If you devote your time and decade a full year to become a professional player, you will do it.”

“What’s important in football is to have the basics, the rest is working hard and dedication that this is what I should achieve and you’ll get it. Real de Banjul has a standard. This is what we want to achieve, work with discipline and performance and you can provide it. You all know what you want and may Allah make it happen, and go the whole season injury free and come back here to invite more new players after a lot of you have left,” Barry added.

Club icon, Bye Malleh Wadda, a former footballer and coach of the club who was also at the meeting, while addressing the players, said: “There is a reason you’re brought here to camp in preseason. The most important thing in football is fitness, because if you’re not fit your skills and abilities will lack because football is difficult and if you don’t reach a certain level of fitness you cannot show the skills you have. That is why we camping you to be able to develop your fitness level. Real de Banjul has a standard and we will not give special treatment to any player. If you don’t have the standard that we require then we put you aside and bring another player. It’s not about being here and boast about being a Real de Banjul player, we need committed and dedicated players to the team.”

“The first time I played for Real de Banjul was in 1975 and I am here and I’ll be here until I die. One day we will not be here and we want others to take over because we don’t want all that we put in place here to be spoiled, we want continuity. So, whoever joins Real de Banjul you’re part of the family and the family is broad, that is for you the players. Real de Banjul is oldest club in the country and that is because there have been people behind it and still behind the team. You might not be seeing them because of their right schedules but they’re still committed and supporting the team in one way or the other. I want us to appreciate that Real de Banjul has history. So, we are here to encourage and motivate you. All we can do is support and show you the ways,” BMW concluded.

Club technical director Pa Suwareh Faye added that: “Being here isn’t just enough, we had over sixty players here during the trails and a few a selected from that lot to be part of the thirty man squad of Real de Banjul, that isn’t a small thing. Wearing the uniforms isn’t just enough, you have to add more and fight for places. The reason we camp you is to work against your weaknesses, so don’t wait for your coaches, you can initiate training with any coach on your weakness. It is important to have the club management to come here today and give you motivation. What we want is to defend our title and your coach is working towards that. We have work alongside each other and develop and market yourselves. Real de Banjul have been far from the top and now that we won the league last season, let’s try and maintain that position this season.”

The 2023/24 League Division One season is expected to kick-off in the first week of November with the City Boys opening the defense of their title with a home game against Fortune FC on Saturday, the 11^th of November 2023 at 16:00 GMT at the Live Your Dream in Basori.