Inter branches tourney was all about having fun

There are football fans and then there is the Green Army. While we all know that the Gor Mahia fans are universally acknowledged for their ferocious love and support for the team, what most people do not know is that K’Ogalo fans are undoubtedly the closest knit in Kenyan football.

From fundraising for worthy causes to exchanging friendly banter or just getting together to break bread and fellowship over a drink, the ‘K’Ogalo Nation’ is one big happy family.

And so it came to pass that last Saturday the fans congregated at our home ground of City Stadium for the annual inter branches football tournament. It was that time of the year when the fans – yes, they that are famous for criticizing and analysing each player in every game – came together to put into practice what they preach from the terraces.

Men with midriffs that have truly gone south took to the field with the enthusiasm of a regimental drum sergeant and vuvuzela blowing fans stowed away their trade wares for the pitch.

Refreshingly, the delectable Gor divas exchanged their high heels for soccer boots, risking their well-manicured nails in the rough and tumble of a football match. And the girls came in all shapes, sizes and status. The mothers chased the balls with the married and the single and searching. Now, don’t develop ideas.

DUE DILIGENCE
At Gor Mahia we do thorough due diligence on any men – young and old – who express a whiff of interest in our girls.

So if you ever did time at Kamiti Prison, come from a family of witches or have some dodgy enterprise as source of income, please keep off our girls! Or better still try your luck at our neighbours’, AFC Leopards where the standards are lower.

Back to the tournament. The weeks preceding the event saw some serious campaign as fans whipped up support for their teams. The stories that did the rounds on social media would have left you thinking that it was some European tournament.

From players going ‘abroad’ to train (all them were holed up in Nairobi) to other teams offering ‘staggering amounts of cash to lure star players’ from their rivals (on D-Day the said star players could not run and kick ball at the same time) and some teams threatening a boycott if some weird demands were not met (none of them carried out the threat).

And then the names; we had Chini ya Waba, Gor Mahia Fans Foundation, Gor Mahia Family, Gor Mahia Family Original, Away Branch, Facebook Branch, Media Select team made up of journalists, and ODM.

At the end of the day, it was Far East Branch that lifted the trophy amidst claims that they fielded illegible players.

Kudos to the organisers for a well arranged tournament with lots of fun and camaraderie, and as they say at Gor Mahia, it is never that serious.