Saturday February 9th was a day set aside for the annual trials of the Brufut-based Gilkock Football Academy.

About 450 players lined up for the trials Sang Mendy, Secretary and Public Relations Officer of the Gilkock Football Academy, informed Pointsport.

Speaking to journalists Mendy said “this annual trial is to beef up the academy but the reasons for it coming so soon this year is due to the high demand from a cross section of people from Brufut and its surroundings. “ I was stunned with the number when I showed up at the field but I know this will provide the coaches with the opportunity to add some new players to the ones they already had”.

Also, Gilkock’s inspirational player, Ebrima Jatta alias E.J, asserted that “the turn out shows that the academy is on the right track,” and he seized the opportunity to urge incoming players to be prepared to learn and be patient because it will take some of them time to adapt to the system.

Addressing the players after the trials, tired-looking Ebrima Bojang singled out the difficulties in such a process before thanking everyone who came to try their luck noting “amongst you only a few are selected but when you are not lucky this time, don’t lose hope, go home and continue training before next year. He warned the selected ones not to assume that they are absorbed in the academy as the screening process continues in the coming weeks.

Out of the number, only 165 were selected but out of these only about 50 or 75 will be enrolled finally.