THIRTY YEARS ON AND Silver Sands Football Club is still going strong.
One of the island’s most popular football clubs celebrated 30 years of existence at the turn of the year, and from the look of things they are looking to make the milestone as memorable as possible.
The brainchild of Carl Clarke, the Silver Sands Football Club was founded on January 23, 1983 with the intention of channelling the energies from youth in the area and surrounding districts into sport.
“The club was formed so as to provide a lot of the youngsters in the area with the opportunity to showcase their skills and talents,” said Carlos Watkins, one of the first players to represent the club.
“There wasn’t much to do at that time so most of the youngsters decided to go and join the club.”
Initially, Hortelle Clarke’s home was used as the club house, and the pasture alongside the St Christopher Boys’ School (now St Christopher’s Primary) was the home ground.
With Clarke at the helm as both manager and coach, the club made its first appearance in competitive football in what was known then as the Christ Church Football League.
The very first Silver Sands team included players such as Wayne Watkins, Keith John, Anthony Caesar, Eddie Caesar, Leslie Ward, Andy Jordan, Cameron Ward, John Walcott, Carlos Watkins, David King, David Bynoe, Neil Bourne and Steven Callender.In 1986, they entered the Barbados Football Association’s (BFA) fourth division competition and were promoted to the third division the following year after finishing second.
They then won the first of their two cups in 1987 when they captured the third division competition, although it would be another three years before they recorded another major success.
It was at the turn of the 1990s, that Silver Sands finally gained promotion to the first division, the highest league at that time.
They only lasted one year in top flight football before being demoted, much to the disappointment of their large contingent of fans who followed the team around.
It wasn’t long before Silver Sands were back competing among the island’s best clubs and this time around they spent eight consecutive years at this level until they were relegated in 2009 to the first division, where they are currently playing.
Despite their recent struggles, the club has been known for producing some of the island’s best footballers.
Players such as Winston Brathwaite, Anderson Clarke, the late Trevor Clarke, Peter Stoute and Paul ‘Soup’ Lovell, all of whom have represented Barbados at the senior national level, were products of Silver Sands.
“We would have loved to win more titles throughout our history, but although winning is important it isn’t everything,” Watkins said.
“But I think that Silver Sands Football Club has achieved what they set out to achieve, because a lot of players from all over the island still want to come and play for Silver Sands.
“The fact that we aren’t even playing Premier League football and players still want to come and play for Silver Sands is a testimony to the kind of club that we are.”
Throughout the years they have been grateful to sponsors Chickmont, Ajax Construction and Elegant Hotel Groups along with parliamentary representatives, the late Tyrone Estwick, Reginald Farley and Dr Denis Lowe for rendering financial assistance.
