REPEATED FOR THE NEW VISITORS

In the autumn of 2003 a member of Reddish Branch of the CSA completed 30 years as a police officer in Manchester and retired. He then started working in Sierra Leone in West Africa, where his job was to train detectives out there to investigate child abuse. Sierra Leone has for the past several years been either last, or second to last in the world wealth league tables published every year. Average life expectancy is around 38 years and living conditions for most people are appalling. On top of all these problems the country has gone through a particularly bloody civil war that lasted 11 years and only ended in 2000. When he arrived in Freetown, the capital City, Tony noticed the usual scattering of people wearing Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United shirts. It soon became apparent that football is massive in the country and most people follow the English Premier League. At the end of his first week he was enjoying a beer at a beach bar when a young man approached him by the name of Armani Sheku KAMARA who was selling watches, sunglasses etc. He noticed that he was wearing a Manchester United lapel badge. As Tony is a dyed in the wool blue he joked with the young man that he could not buy any of his merchandise from a man wearing and Man United badge. Within a short time he agreed to throw the offending item into the Atlantic Ocean and negotiations commenced. It soon became apparent that not only did he have a good knowledge of Premier League football he also had a good knowledge of the ups and downs of Manchester City. He assured Tony that he was only wearing the United badge because a customer had given it to him and he promised him that if I could get him a City shirt he would be a City fan for the rest of his life. Little did he known what that conversation would lead to. In early 2004 Tony returned to Sierra Leone having spent a few weeks back in Manchester, and of course took back with him a City shirt for Armani. Within a few days of receiving the shirt Armani told Tony that he was setting up a Man City Supporters Club in Freetown. When Tony next returned to UK he discussed the Sierra Leone situation, first with Howard Burr the Secretary of the Reddish Branch and then with Alex Channon the Charity officer of the MCFC Supporters Club It was then that the Sierra Leone Branch of the Manchester City Supporters Club was born. On Tony’s next visit he was able to take back with him several dozen assorted City shirts donated by City fans over here. They proved very popular and soon were being seen all around the Freetown streets. Soon Armani had formed a Manchester City Football team in Freetown as well as a Junior Man City team. The problem was that they were wearing a red and white striped kit that they had to rent on a match-by-match basis. Following discussion with Lorraine Firth at Manchester City the club kindly donated a full kit for the team out there. There was also a concerted effort by a lot of Branches to collect a s many shirts, boots as possible these were also sent. Another recent development is that a Reddish Branch member donated a generator for the community where Armani lives allowing around 100 people to have electricity. The shipping of the generator was financed by MCFC Supporters Club funds with the blessing of its members. Tony Griffiths last visited Sierra Leone in March 2007 and we were proud to hear of many men women and children wearing an array of City shirts around the capital and beyond. The football team formed such a short time ago is going from strength to strength and Armani is something of a local celebrity who is frequently interviewed on national radio in Sierra Leone and works extremely hard to promote Man City for no financial reward. The Phuket Branch of the MCFC Supporters Club then very kindly donated both a new home and away kit as many of the shirts donated were getting a bit passed it. On 23rd. November 2008 Man City Youth team appeared in the Sierra Leone F.A. Youth Cup final and WON. Not bad for a team that did not exist 4 years ago. You now can't walk through Freetown without seeing a City shirt and hearing shouts of City Till I die Unfortunately the first team had to pull out of the main league this season as it did not have enough cash - although the league have agreed to keep their place in division two for next season assuming they have funds in place The next phase is to try and help make the team financially independent by raising shed loads for a bus this would double up as both transport to away matches which is one of the most prohibitive costs to the team - Then during the rest of the week it would become a revenue maker by running it as a proper bus in the Capital this would give two people a job and also raise enough cash to keep the teams running. Also it should provide enough to replace the bus every 10 years. This is not just another fund raiser - the work being done is changing lives and keeping young people off the streets and giving them a common bond - it is CHANGING LIVES and even SAVING some.

We have had a couple more donations

One from Blackpool and another from Stockport great stuff guys keep it up - the auction is gathering a pace and will be ready we hope by xmas the idea being all pledge a £5 then we draw for all the great prizes - more news to follow - Thanks to a very generous member the team are ok for the near future so that we can keep raising monies for the mini bus to make the team self sufficient - lets hope we can realise that dream - its been a slow atart but I have been encoraged in recent days and believe we can achieve our / their dream

donations

Well they are starting to come in with the publicity - we have donations from Italy - Newcastle -Stockport - Manchester in the last few days - Thanks to those who donated and if you hav'nt yet give us yer dosh

If you have a chance please get down to mini coms on sat for the Bert Trautman Trophy KO 1pm proceeds in aid of St Helens Town and OUR appeal - prices £2 for City card holders all others £4 - there will also be a bucket collection at the game - please give what you can for two worthwhile causes

Things are gathering steam

We have had two generous donations of £50 in the last couple of days

On sat get down to the ground for the Bert Trautman game with loads of legends turning up to play at mini coms along with ST Helens and all the proceeds will be split with the SL fund - there will also be a bucket collection on the day

Well I am back

Had a great time - and lots happening whilst I have been away - Mark Hughes has endorsed our campaign - The Phuket branch have made a generous donation to keep the team afloat for the coming season - and the Sunday Mirror are running the story on the web site - very soon we will be holding an auction on line for some great man city stuff including a signed photo of the current team and one of colin bell and more besides

I will be back in the next few days to update all thats happening at the moment

am off to land of smiles for a few weeks

so less from me whilst I am away - but we will be organising a Xmas raffle and an auction on the CSA website - and if worst comes to worst - I will buy a TukTuk whilst I am there and drive the fecking thing to Sierra Leone myself and start work early November - unless you know differnet that is and are willing to give me you hard earned cash - you know you want to - in the words of Garry Cooke JUST DO IT - see you all soon

Phil

please please donate

we now have a "donate button" top right on the site please give now YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO

figure from collection

not as much as we had hoped or estimated - last time I have a go at estimating anyway

£2,300 but a wee bit more to come in yet - so thanks again to all who gave or helped in any way at all

The next step is to set about raising the remainder to that end we will be having an auction of signed man city gear in the near future on the CSA site - it will be linked from both the MEN and the Official site and of course I will post details on here

We are working on a few angles at the moment and will let you know if they come off or not

THANK YOU

Hi All

Just a quick note - to thank you all for the effort put into the collection on Sat - we dont know yet how much we collected a very rough estimate £3-4000 - will let you all know as soon as I do - the money is in the Post Office for counting and changing in something less heavy (ask Tony)

ALL THOSE WHO PUT MONEY INTO THE BUCKETS A BIG BIG THANKYOU

So if you carried a bucket - helped in the organising - ran around with T Shirts - stood next to a Police van for the duration - donated - sweat with the rest of us - work at the club and helped out THANK YOU without any one of you it would not have been the success we think it is


That was a good start - now can we get to £20,000

Phil

talksport tonight

Alex Channon the Chairman of the CSA will be on the Mark Saggers show tonight at 9.40pm talking about the Sierra Leone appeal - give it a listen

http://www.talksport.net/