SOCCER AMONG THE PIONEERS OF OTTAWA – FROM THE LATE 1940s TO THE EARLY 1990s

 By Krish Naicker

(A personal historical recollection)

(Editor: Subry Govender)

 

(Ottawa United in 1977: Standing: Steven Pillay (manager), unknown, Sunjith Baijnath, Adam Sayed, Parsu Munisamy, Krish Naicker, Sam Murugasen, Michael, and unknown. Seated: unknown, unknown, unknown, Aboo Padvattan, unknown, Chocks Arunachellan, unknown, Jay Inderjeeth)

 

The sport of soccer or football was one of the main activities or pastimes for most youngsters in our little village of Ottawa since the late 1940s and up to the 1990s.

The talented soccer youngsters used to practice and play most of the time at the Ottawa Polo Ground and at the Jhugroo Primary School sports ground in the area we used to call Tin Town.

During our time, the players were involved in several soccer teams that played mainly in fixtures organised by the Verulam and District Football Association at the Verulam Recreation Ground.

 

 

(The Silver Stars in the early 1970s before Ottawa United was formed.)

 

The enthusiastic youngsters began their soccer careers while attending the old Jhugroo Primary School where Globes is now situated and at the new Jhugroo Primary School in Tin Town. They played in the inter-district schools’ tournament and displayed their potential by beating most of the primary schools in and around Verulam.

I remember winning the inter-district soccer tournament in 1967 when I was in Grade 6 at the  Jhugroo Primary School.

Most of the schools in and around Verulam took part in the tournament. We played Talwansingh Primary in the semi-final and beat them on penalty shoot-out. The hero was our goal-keeper, late Ronnie Govender (who later became a pastor) saving most of the penalties.

Most of our players were from Ottawa and Ottawa Sugar Estate.

                        (Ottawa United F C in the 1970s)

Some of the names I remember playing for the team are Ramesh Mahabeer, Vincent Michael, Navin Maharaj, Ronnie Govender, Yagambaran from Ottawa Estate, Krishna Naicker, Valiatham George (Squares), and Jayacellan Kathravellu.

The talented youngsters and others were involved in a number of teams that participated in football matches in Verulam and other towns on the North Coast and in Durban.

The teams that we were involved in included Ottawa United, Ottawa Lads and Ottawa Callies.

One of the most successful teams produced in Ottawa, was Ottawa United. In 1977 Ottawa United was formed when most of the players in Ottawa played for other clubs.

(Ottawa Football Club five-a-side team in 1958. Standing from left: K C George Govindsamy, H D Bobby, M Sigamoney. Seated: From L: K Mohan, T M Govender (Manager), B S Stanley - GI)

Ottawa did not have a club then. Senior player like Adam, Mustapha, Deeplall, Parsu, Aboo and myself Krishna (Kitch) decided to start another soccer team in Ottawa.

In January 1977 we rounded up many soccer players who played for different clubs. These players included Jay Inderjeeth and myself who played for Grange FC; Parsu (Springboks); Mark Moonsamy, Soobrie, Steven, Roy (Ducks), and Timol for Ottawa Lads and others like Nelson Subramoney, Aboo, Ezra, and Adam.

A meeting was set up at Jhugroo School where a strong administrative team was elected.

Sanjeeth Singh was elected chairman with Chocks Arunajallam – secretary; and Jay Indurjeerth -  treasurer.

Chocks Arunajallam was hands-on in recruiting players and the formation of a B team and a junior soccer side the following season.

Parsu Munsamy was the coach of the club. Globes Shopping was our main sponsor and supplied us with new kits for the season. It was a successful season, winning two knock out cups and finishing 2nd in the league.

We first won the Mahomedy’s Cup and later the Baba’s Cup. After about two seasons we went on to win the league and a few more cups. The residents of Ottawa were proud of their team.

Gayaparsad joined Ottawa United after a few seasons. He played most of his soccer at senior level with Stanger United.

Philip, Henry, and Sam Arumugam (goalkeeper) also turned up for Ottawa United.

The Verulam Recreation Grounds used to be packed to capacity whenever Ottawa United played there. We had a very big support base whenever we played teams like Verulam Suburbs and Grange United.

Supporters packed two buses from areas such as Riet River, Ottawa Estate and Ottawa to descend on the Verulam sports ground.

Buses were also hired whenever Ottawa United travelled to fulfil matches in Stanger, Port Shepstone, Umzinto, Chatsworth, Shallcross, Sydenham, Asherville, and Mount Edgecome.

Beating Verulam Suburbs (our biggest rivals) 6-1 in Curries Fountain was one of the highlights we cherished with our supporters.

(Junior five-a-side team. Tiddles and Veeran were part of this team)

After winning the league we were promoted to Southern Natal Soccer League. Many players joined Ottawa United thereafter.

Football once again took priority for youngsters in Ottawa. In order to give other players a chance to play for Ottawa, a B side and a junior side was formed.

The teams travelled to many parts of Southern Natal to play against sides, like Sappi in Stanger, Port Shepstone, Umzinto and many areas of Chatsworh, Shallcross and Asherville.

Some of our games used to take place at Curries Fountain.

Some of the players were selected to represent Verulam and District Football Association. They were Ronnie Govender, Soobry Padvattan, Jay Indurjeeth (junior and senior), Krishna (Keetch) (junior and senior) and Parsu Munsamy.

Ottawa United juniors reached the Clover Cup final in Chatsworth. They were the first junior team from the North Coast to reach the final. This was a proud achievement for the youth of Ottawa. Many of the players went on to play for the senior team.

A number of players joined our club to bring more glory to the team that continued in the 1980s and early 1990s.

Another local team that we all got involved in was Ottawa Callies in the 1970s. Ottawa joined forces with D'Alberton Callies of Durban to form Ottawa Callies to play in the Southern Natal League.

Players from Callies and Ottawa formed a strong team. I remember Toby Hattia was a top player in that league who went on to play professional soccer.

The team performed very well in their league and went on win the division.  

Philip Pillay and Parsu, Soobrie, Veeran, Adam, and Sydney played for Ottawa Callies when they were in the Coke League.  

Subry Govender of the Govender family in Munn Road played an important role in the negotiations when Ottawa Callies was established.

Another team that we got involved in was Ottawa Football Club.

I played in Tongaat Football league when Henry Maharaj managed the team in the early 1970s. I was still in school and Henry Maharaj asked me to join the club. Most of the players from Ottawa played for the club.

The players who were involved were James Padvattan, Aboo Padvattan, Soobrie Padvattan, Adam Sayed, Khanna (Jones), Jaycellan Kathravellu, Squares, Mannia, Veeran Maharaj, Parsu Munsamy, Royappen Michael (Ducks), Sydney Subramoney, Nanda Subramoney and Henry Maharaj.

I want to thank Henry Maharaj for his contribution and for encouraging so many youngsters to play in the football league.

He had a taxi that used to transport us to different tournaments during the year.

The Padvattan brothers in Ottawa Estate contributed a great deal to our soccer teams in Ottawa together with the K C Moonsamy family. Every five-a-side season, K C would take Parsu, Adam, Squares, Mustapha, Deeplall, and Mannia to most areas on the North Coast to play in the tournaments. I was asked once to join them for a five-a-side tournament in Noodsberg, near Greytown. We reached the final that day, when we lost to Sastri of Pietermaritzburg in the final. It was dark and all the car lights were switched on.

We lost in extra time after the two sides were locked at 2-2. Despite the disappointment, we did receive a runners-up trophy plus medals for each player.

Today in the new South Africa, soccer in the Indian-origin community has taken a back seat. Most of youth have taken to indoor soccer.

Soccer will not be the same like we were used to in the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s.

We need dedicated officials and players to bring back soccer in many areas that produced so many memorable moments that the older generations like to recall. Ends – March 7 2023 Updated March 15 2024