Buxton United FC, a story to tell

Jan 12, 2009 Sports

By Franklin Wilson

While there has been extremely negative PR coming out of the Buxton Village on the East Coast of Demerara for many reasons, there has been a number of positive things emerging from this community which has produced some of the most brilliant minds in this country.

Some members of the Buxton United Football team.

Prior to their dominance at the senior level of the East Demerara Football Association 2008 season, the club under review here has been dominating at the junior level for quite some years with a bunch of committed and dedicated youths.

We’re talking of the Buxton United Football Club (BUFC), their flagship team with an average age of 20, destroying their senior opponents to lift the 2008 Mackeson Senior League in their first year at the senior level, a remarkable achievement that will be etched in the annuals of history in the EDFA.

The Buxton United Sports Club came on the scene in 1995 following a merger between the Buxton Sports Club and Royals Sports Club.

But according to Head Coach Lyndon France, the initial aim was to promote sports generally but due to a number of factors the recent emphasis has been on football.

“In 2002 because of attitude or mainly discipline the then management of the club decided to relieve itself of all players over the age of 15 and in 2003 started to work with players under the age of 15.”

This is the story behind the birth more or less of the BUFC. Their dominance at the senior level did not come overnight but was as a result of a sustained and disciplined programme of training over the years.

The BUFC were a part of all the junior competitions held under the auspices of the EDFA. In 2003 to 2007 they participated in the under-13 league. In 2005 they won the under-15 championship, came second in the under-17.

Confident that the groundwork and proper foundation had been put in place to take on the competition at a higher level, the club management and head coach Lyndon France decided that the time was right for the young team to step into the realms of senior football.

BUFC did not only win the league but ended as the only unbeaten team, chalking up 5 wins with 3 draws. They also produced the leading striker in the versatile Clive Andries who ended with 7 goals.

Andries, a former junior national cricketer (off spinner & batsman) who represented Guyana from the age of 15 to under-19, proved that he will be a force to reckon with in the future.

After attending the Lusignan Primary, he gained a place at President’s College where he obtained 7 subjects at CXC.

France believes that Andries will go a far in terms of football and putting Guyana on the map.

What is also a significant achievement for the club in the last six years, is the fact that six (6) of their players were selected to represent Guyana.

Heading the list is goalkeeper Andrew Durant who plies his trade in the T&T Pro League, striker Randy Phyll who played as an under-15 in 2005, Keoma Sullivan (defender) and goalkeeper Brian Robinson, who followed in the footsteps of his uncle (Andrew Durant). Another nephew of Durant, Denver Dennis played in 2006 and brother of Randy Phyll, Michael, a midfield and defence player.

France disclosed that the motivational level in the club has been high over the past years due to a number of factors.

“The team has enjoyed a reasonable level of success over the year. It is the policy of the club that the emphasis should not be football alone, but the all round development of these youngsters and as a result of these they have seen the benefits.”

France, who is also the Development Officer of the Guyana Football Federation, went on to disclose that a couple of years ago there was a discussion at the club where the players were all told of using opportunities to attend the Guyana Industrial Training College (GITC) and Georgetown Technical Institute (GTI) to develop themselves.

“And I am happy to say that since then, a number of these players have taken up the challenge and have done well. Education has been a high priority of the club.”

Buxton as a community over the years has always placed a high emphasis on education dating back many, many years.

“Buxton has a history of placing emphasis on school and education. Look back at the Frederick scholarship, in the 80’s and 90’s there were other scholarships developed and even now more have been developed like the Buxton Scholarship. We just hope that with the kind of work being done through sports and other areas that Buxton could return to its glory days.”

The way forward

With the access to the World Wide Web and the availability of information on the modern trends of sports, France believes that this will help in shaping a club and team that is second to none in Guyana.

“With modern findings on nutrition, physiology and conditioning, all these areas of sciences that affect the sport coupled with the fact that with changed behavior, we need to change thinking. We will put a lot of emphasis on educating the players to make sure that the information becomes quickly available to the club when working with the players.”

With this format being adopted, the head coach is confident that the continuous development of the players will be obvious with his charges going to the next level.

Community support for the club from a financial standpoint has been a strong area for them and France sought to highlight those who continue to chip in.

“What we have found that apart from the local support, a number of overseas Buxtonians have made it their duty to contribute on an annual basis to this club.”

Hilroy James, Dr. Ifill, Bradford Cush, Trevor Gentle, Lloyd Dublin, Lorna Campbell (founder of the Buxton Sports Club), who does an annual fund raiser known as a bush cook and lime at her home in New York every August.

BESAC and BUXFUND two New York based organisations also contribute from time to time.

“On behalf of the club, I would like to extend gratitude to all these persons and the business community of Buxton for showing continued confidence in these youngsters. We would like to wish them all a productive and blessed 2009.”