Brigido scored at every match
- By Vithaldas Hegde (Gomantak Times)
Siolim: Brigidio Fernandes popularly known as Egit
was a prolific centre forward who gave a harrowing
time to the rival defenders and was perhaps one of the
few forwards during those days to score at every
match. Another important characteristic of Brigido is
tha the could read both the mind of the player and the
game. Besides once the ball was passed to him, he
could dodge past two players like nothing.
He was introduced to soccer while studying at St.
Joseph's High School, Arpora and continued at St.
Britto's High School, Mapusa and shot into limelight
when he was in the eighth standard. He palyed in the
inter-village tournaments for Calangute Sports Club
and two years later shifted to Siolim Sodlem Sports
Club.
He was roped in by the Bicholim Sports Club in the
first division league in 1966 and continued even after
team was adopted by Dempo D'Souza in the very next
year. The Bicholim Sports Club was adopted by Dempo
Souza in 1967 and was renamed Dempo Souza Sports Club.
The dashing forward performed well for Dempo Souza
during the 1968 season. He performed a hat-trick in
the vital match of the senior division against Sesa
Goa Sports Club.
Brigido remembers an incident when in Bicholim Sports
Club reached the finals in the league match against
Benfica, Four anti-social elements came to his house
and warned him that if he played against Benfica, they
would break his bones and paralyse him for life. "I
was a bit scared and so were my people at home", says
Brigido.
But my best friend Mathias Fernandes who also was my
protector everywhere I went, accompanied me to the
football ground at the last minute.l Tensions ran
high as the news of the threat spread like wildfire
and my supporters were ready to go to any length to
protect me, recalls Brigido.
"I promised my team manager that I could not let him
down, and I kep to my world". "I shot the goal
at the last minute and Bicholim Sports Club won the
match by a solidarity goal, and I was declared man of
the match". My rivals were all set to assault me
while my fans all ready to protect me and before the
incident could take any ugly turn, the then PI of
Mapusa Aries D'Souza (Maternal uncle of Churchorem PI
Nelson Alburquerque) whisked me off from the football
ground and saved my life and avoided an untoward
incident on that day.
Brigido then switched to Sesa Goa team and played in
the senior division league championship and other
major tournaments in Calicut, Trissur and Cochin in
Kerala. He also played in the Rovers Cup twice ata
Mumbai where he was declared as the top scorer of the
tournament in 1969.
Though he played attractively, he had a short career
due to knee injury substained against a Kerala-based
FS CT team in the Rovers Cup. He was hit on the knee
by a rival player of FSCT deliberately. Despite an
injury, he helped Sesa Goa to win the match by scoring
both the goals.
On return, he was tread by Dr. Gaitonde at the Asilo
Hospital, Mapusa and was advised to take complete rest
for almost one year. After recovery, he played the
last game against Salgaocars Sports Club in the finals
of the Goa Police Cup in 1970 which Sesa Goa won by a
solitary goal.
But before he could decied on his future career, his
brother Antonio Lourenco took him to Kuwait thus
ending his football career abruuptly.
Yet Igit (Brigido) shone in Kuwait where he played for
the United Goans Club for about a decade.
Igit is till date grateful to former Sesa Goa boss
Conzem, who took keen interest in the progress of the
team. "Conzen inspired me and was instrumental in
shaping the team, I owe a lot to him", he says.
Today he has a happy family well backed by his wife
Wencesla, sons Garette, Gilmour and daughter Giselle
settled in Kuwait and the happiest moment of my life
was when my son Gilmour was selected by the Indian
School football team in Kuwait to play against Dubai.
(The above article was published in Gomantak Times in
the column titled "FORGOTTEN HEROES").
- Forwarded by B.M. Viegas to
http://www.goa-world.com/ Gulf-Goans e-Newsletter.
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