INAUGURAL champions Sparta Boss yesterday collected their $600 000 reward for winning the just concluded Busta ‘Soft Shoe’ Football tournament. Led by a hat-trick from Gregory ‘Jackie Chan’ Richardson and a single strike from Devon Millington, Sparta Boss defeated West Front Road (WFR) 4-2 last Tuesday at the Georgetown Football Club (GFC) ground.
WFR collected $300 000 for finishing behind Sparta Boss while Queen Street Tiger Bay, who defeated Kitty for the third place spot, pocketed $200 000.
The tournament’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) Sheldon Shepherd of Sparta Boss was awarded $50 000 compliments of 2J’s General Store and the Highest Goalscorer Dwayne Lowe from Sophia, who netted nine goals, received a gold chain from Junior’s Jewellery.
WFR picked up the Most Disciplined Team accolade along with $25 000, thanks to Guyana Beverage Company.
At the simple presentation ceremony held at the Guinness Bar on D’Urban Street, organisers Petra Organisation thanked the players for making the tournament a success and promised them come next year the event will be bigger.
Behind the Guyana Beverage Company and their Busta soft drink brand, 24 teams drawn only from the capital, battled in the first-ever ‘Soft Shoe’ football tournament.
So successful was the tournament that its major sponsor, who dished out approximately $4M to bring the competition to life, confirmed that next year the tournament will return and hopes it will be extended to Linden and Berbice.