The Bisini Park has stood for 50 years with a colourful history behind it.
Overlooked for so long, the venue will get more than a new coat of paint as the Pacific Games venue and infrastructure committee takes over to re-build a new Bisini Park.
The Port Moresby Soccer Association, under the helm of president John Wesley, took the opportunity to mark the day by paying homage to those players, coaches and administrators that set a high benchmark for the nations capital during that period.
On Sunday in following suit with the emotional farewells of the Rita Flynn netball courts and softball diamonds, the popular soccer venue blew its final whistle.
The association, which is the administrator of the venue, is expected to re-locate to Kila Kila Secondary School to complete its season.
Wesley and former national coach/player Stalin Jawa started the proceedings by kicking off the last match, a Super League encounter between Momase and Uni Inter.
Momase won the match with a 66th minute goal to left mid-fielder Mose Arisib, who can take pride in scoring the winner and last at the old Bisini Park. Once revered as the home of soccer that champion star players of the past, including the multi-talented Philip Ragi (University) or ‘Cowboy’ as he was popularly known, Willie Seph (Tarangau), Herman Kawi (Guria), Max Foster (Germaina), Maso Saliau (Works)and Martin Laviong (Defence) to name a few, bought the game to new heights.
To mark the occasion, an official farewell toast and blessing by Wesley, Jawa and pioneer women’s player and administrator Jennifer Popat was made in the presence of all clubs and food was shared among everyone.
The day was of mixed emotions that saw celebrations as well as a sense of sadness for a park that has provided entertainment for what is known as the greatest game.
Jennifer Popat a former player and now the Uni Inter FC president shared moments in her career as a player including a tale of how she met her husband. But she issued a challenge for all the female players to improve the standards of the code.
“When a new facility is built, I want to see major changes in the females that play the game. After the 2015 Pacific Games when the park is handed back to PMSA, I want the clubs to change their attitude towards the game and the way they conduct themselves.”
Stalin Jawa another soccer great of the past said it was only proper that those who had come and gone through the gates since the 1960’s be remembered as they shaped soccer to what it is known today.
“We welcome the new changes that are much-needed but in saying that I challenge all of us to raise the level of the game,” Jawa said.
The Bisini Football Park will see major rehabilitation of the park as part of the National Government’s K80 million Bisini Parade Master Plan.
The new Bisini Parade will feature; two IRB rugby fields, two FIFA soccer fields, 3 cricket fields, one multipurpose AFL field which also fits in two touch rugby fields, a beach volleyball precinct, a lawn bowl oval and a netball facility.
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