Football: West End United spent 16 days in South Asia

Published: 27 January, 2011
by STEVE BARNETT

A TEAM of talented young footballers from across Camden and Islington got the chance to see first hand that there is more to life than winning trophies when they took part in “a life changing” tour of Bangladesh. 

A squad of 24 players from West End United spent 16 days in south Asia after manager Mohammed Salique arranged a series of friendly matches. 

The under-21s team, which plays in the Camden and Islington Midweek League at Market Road, took part in seven games against semi-professional sides, returning home with two wins, four draws and a defeat. The players received an added surprise when they were invited to have tea with the President of  Bangladesh, Zillur Rahman. 

Salique said: “I promised the boys when we put the team together five years ago that if they stuck together I would take them on a tour to either America or Bangladesh as a bonding exercise. It was a chance to show the players how lucky they are by taking them somewhere less fortunate. For some of them it was a life changing trip. Every single player enjoyed himself and I think they will value what they have in life a lot more now.”