Amidon of soccer yore

Midland College, a slightly obscure and now little known school on Peradeniya Road Kandy, produced one of the giants of local football. Giant is not the most appropriate term for a small-made humble man of 72, one who is barely five feet in height. Tuan Mohamed Amidon, a household name of yesteryear, was kicking a tennis ball around on the Municipal playground at Katukelle. What he started doing "First for kicks" eventually became a lifetime's devotion to the poor man’s sport. Even at a ripe old age, he continues to indulge in a game of soccer with youngsters who may be fifty years his junior.

At fifteen he played for a combined schools side against a visiting combined schools side from Pakistan. Next stop was the prestigious young Wanderers side in Kandy. Shifting location to Colombo, he gained employment at the Wellawatte Spinning and Weaving Mills and turned out for them in the Mercantile league. Talent spotters lured him to one of the premier clubs, Black Square FC.

Amidon excelled in the left inside (and at times left extreme) berth and showed that dribbling was his forte. Brigadier Ramanayake of the Army, who was on the look out for talented recruits to the Army Bullets team was most impressed by Amidon's skills. What followed was Army service for the next twenty two years.

Footballers take to rugby like ducks take to water and Amidon was soon part of Army's rugby team. He enjoyed the enriching experience of pairing off with two of the best scrum halves Sri Lanka has seen the late Denzil Kobbekaduwa and the late Bertie Dias. The Aga Khan Gold Cup Football tournament of 1965 was conducted at the Sugathadasa Stadium. Pakistan scored very early in the first half. Just before half-time, Ceylon equalized through the efforts of Amidon. He met a "Knee-high cross from right winger Edward Wickremasuriya with a daring dive and headed home". Squared on by this Amidon artistry, the Ceylon team went on to win 3-1.

Unlike the situation now, Sri Lanka (Ceylon) met and beat leading European teams at soccer in the 1960s. Red Stars FC of Switzerland was beaten 5-0 by Ceylon and Amidon certainly played his part in that memorable win. The little left inside left-turned Dacca, East Pakistan for the 1970 Aga Khan Gold cup tournament, and represented the country against teams from Indonesia, Iran, Germany and England.

Amidon was a vibrant, unstoppable force in Inter Services Soccer, being part of a side that won the title for nine years. The Army Sappers whipped the Air Force by eight goals to two (Amidon 3, S.P. de Silva 2) and in another game demolished the Navy 15-1. In the latter game, most of the goals had a definite left-side bias as left winger S.P. de Silva scored five and left inner Amidon four.

To quote a newspaper report, "it was Amidon who won this match for the Army. He played a tireless game both in attack and defense and schemed most of the moves which resulted in goals." Army Sappers toppled reigning champions Trinco Olympians 5-2 in a Colombo Football Association cup game and once again Amidon hogged the limelight. "The Army owes their success to left inside Amidon who netted two goals and initiated the moves which resulted in the other three goals scored by them"

Around 40,000 spectators were present at the Sugathadasa Stadium in 1970 when Ceylon hosted the Southern Quadrangular soccer tournament. The local team enjoyed success, beating Madras 5-1, Kerala 3-1, Mysore 1-0, and in the second round, winning against Madras 5-0, Kerala 5-0 and Mysore 3-1. The coach of that successful team was Lawrence Fernando and in addition to Amidon, that side included Lionel Pieris (goal) Edward Wickremasuriya (half) and forwards P.H.S. Albert and Subani Hashimdeen.

Playing against Indonesia, Amidon scored in a match where his team was drubbed 1-9 by Indonesia. His goal was described thus-"Mahinda Aluvihare stormed down the right flank and centered to a well-positioned Amidon that saw Ceylon get her first goal." Amidon played in Ceylon teams that were led by legends such as Mahibnda Aluvihare, Peter Ranasinghe and P.D. Sirisena. He recalls a Pre-Olympic tournament in which Ceylon lost 1-2 to Indonesia, 1-7 and 2-4 to Israel.

Returning to Amidon, the rugger player, he was the full back in a very good Army team that was involved in two epic encounters against the CR & FC in 1965, the first was won by the CR 9-6. However in the return, the Army turned tables on a classier and more sophisticated Longdon Place side to win 12-3. Winger Rajanayagam (Army) and Mohan Sahayam (CR) scored tries.

A soft-spoken retired staff sergeant, Amidon does not like to count controversy. Yet, he adds with a quiet smile, that some of those who run the game have not played any worthwhile soccer.

While climbing on the bandwagon that advocates a foreign coach, Amidon points out that today's soccer players are provided with good footballs, boots and are well-conditioned physically. 'There were no Adidas in my time" he says a trifle sadly.