Binos team up with African football club
Gambinos connection came from couple’s visit
A Gambian football club which was formed by a kind-spirited Causewayhead man is now officially part of the ‘Stirling Albion family’.
The Binos confirmed that they have had a number of meetings with Bill Gillespie – the man behind the Gambinos FC – to see how the club can help young footballers in the African country.
And, after dialogue with Sarr Touray who is manager and head coach of the club, they decided to form a Gambinos Committee in a bid to further engage everyone associated with Stirling Albion with their aims.
Bill and his wife visited Gambia in 2009 for their 25th wedding anniversary and during their trip they watched a team called Blackpool FC from the village of Mandinary play in their local cup final.
The club had very little matching kit and some players had no boots, so on their return home Bill and Janet committed to helping the club – who have now changed their name to the Gambinos in honour of Bill’s beloved Stirling Albion.
Ever since then the couple have been donating kit, boots and footballs while for years Stirling Albion Supporters’ Club have been donating money to help with expenses.
Stirling Albion this month confirmed that they have also set aside a full set of last season’s home kit, training kit, footballs and football boots to be shipped to Gambia.
This will cost around £200 to ship and this will be met by donations from the board, the manager Dave Mackay, his staff and the first team squad.
And Bill hopes that this latest link-up with Stirling Albion will help generate more essentials and equipment for the Gambian club.
Bill said: “We had several meetings with Stuart Brown [Stirling Albion Chairman] and he asked what he could do to help the Gambinos.
“They agreed that they would pull out all the stops to help and we are now officially part of the Stirling Albion family, and we’re going to set up a committee.”
He added: “A big thing would be if we could perhaps have a Gambinos day each season where we get some buckets out and try and raise some money at the games. We’ve never been able to do that before.
“We could maybe try and involve corporate hospitality somehow too.”
Bill explained that there are currently five teams playing in the village, with around 150 Gambinos currently honing their abilities with the football.
And while they try and assist them with footballing equipment, their aim is also to help with providing food and schooling.
Bill said: “The freight charges to send over things like clothes can be quite expensive so we have to look at all the ways we can raise some money.”
He added that the village has a population of around 20,000 with many stricken by poverty. For a number of people gaining an education and getting food on the table is a major challenge.
For more information on the Gambinos contact Bill Gillespie on billygillespie1957@hotmail.co.uk.