By: Mohamed Abu Conteh
East End Lions Football Club has on 13th October 2022 turned the Sod at the Government Technical Institute Training field (Trade Centre) for the construction of a mini stadium for the club.
Anthony Junior Navo Chairman of East End Lions Football Club while Speaking to Journalists said today marks the start of a journey of thousands of miles.
As a club, we have three-years Construction work projects, which is to develop the Government Trade Center Field to be Standard playing Venue in the East End of Freetown.
He showered special thanks to the Management of Trade Centre, because East End Lions Football Club has secured a long term lease agreement to develop the playing Venue to meet FIFA standards.
He affirmed that they are working on getting (a 70,000) seat Stadium with tracks for the Athletics track Athletes this is not only about East End Lions as Club but for the Residents within the East End of Freetown because the club has its large fans based in the East End of Freetown, adding that they are going to bring in Ultra-Modern Facilities in the Stadium to meet the international level and for the Community, the Schools around, Polytechnic that is hosting the Stadium.
He furthered that the day Marks the Start of three years Journey of work.
“The Stadium is going to get a small Hostel for the players, a proper field, and a track at the Venue”, he pointed out.
He noted that the work in the Stadium is not only by himself as Chairman but with the support of the current Executive, especially Ahmed Gento Group of Company who has provided help with Machinery for the start of work and has also promised to do the design work for the construction of the stadium.
Ambassador Anthony Junior Navo said the work of the Stadium is going to be expedited because it going to be used as their home venue when the 2022/2023 Sierra Leone Premier League is going to start.
He said while work will be ongoing the facilities is going to meet FIFA Standard, and as one of biggest clubs not only in Sierra Leone but in the entire West Africa.
The chairman said they want to continue with that trajectory because they have been in existence for over 90 years and the Current Executive want to leave a legacy because the general public has been bashing them for not having a stadium on their own,
According to him they have secured one and promised that they are to develop it to meet FIFA and CAF Standards because if the club wins the upcoming Premier League they will want to use the Venue to host their CAF Champions League matches.
Chairman Anthony Junior Navo said the work of the Stadium is in three phases and after the preparation of the playing venue, they will formally launch a Fundraising to get the estimated cost of the Stadium and that time all fans of East End Lions home and abroad will put their money to work off the Stadium because it is their Club and they need to be part of the history of getting their own Arena.
The Club has started training ahead of the kick start of the Sierra Leone Premier League.
