Βράβευση των «Αγίων»

          Πραγματοποιήθηκε χθες βράδυ στο Εστιατόριο ΟΡΑΜΑ στο ΒΔ Λονδίνο μια εξαιρετικά επιτυχημένη εκδήλωση της Κοινοτικής Ομάδας «Άγ. Παντελεήμων», με σκοπό τη βράβευση των πρωταγωνιστών μετά την πρόσφατη κατάκτηση του Πρωταθλήματος ΚΟΠΑ.

          Ο παρών ιστολόγος, Πρωτοπρ. Αναστάσιος Δ. Σαλαπάτας, με την ιδιότητα του Εφημερίου της Ομάδας, καλωσόρισε τους προσκεκλημένους με τα παρακάτω λόγια:

Good evening everyone!

          Εντιμότατε κ. Γεν. Πρόξενε της Μητέρας Πατρίδας

          Rt. Hon. MP for Harrow East,

          Madam Deputy Mayor of the London Borough of Harrow,

          Honourable General Secretary of KOPA,

          Dearest Members of the London Greek Press,

          Champion Manager & talented Players,

with your kind families

          Dedicated Chairman and members of our Committee

          Generous Sponsors of our Team,

Βountiful friends and supporters,

On behalf of our St. Panteleimon FC, the so-called “SAINTS”, as well as of our local Church and Community, which actually founded this Team, I welcome you all to our first ever Presentation Event, which takes place within our joyous and glorious Easter week.

We are exceedingly thankful to all of the above mentioned, as well as to all others attending this joyful event, for your kindness and generosity, for your support and friendship.

This month of May, is dedicated in our Community to our successful Team.

It was Saturday 16th May 2015, a very beautiful and sunny day in London, when a handful of lovers of the “Beautiful Game”, came together at our Church Office, discussed this crazy idea of establishing a football team, debating it only a little, and then came out having taken the decision to go ahead. It was a really historic day for our Community and for our Team.

The idea attracted many young people and soon we were members of KOPA. The rest you know very well. We became Champions in our debut year and we humbly look forward to move up a step and play at the Premier Division of KOPA next season.

Next Monday, 9^th May, we shall play at the KOPA Division 2 Cup Final. I hope to see you all there. On Sunday 22^nd May we shall have our first annual Dinner & Dance at our Community Hall.

So, May is our St. Panteleimon FC month and I’d like to ask all of you to keep supporting a great Team, a Team of extremely talented and dedicated people, who have a vision. And the vision of St. Panteleimon Football Club is to develop, build and maintain a high quality, transparent and holistic program that provides a quality sporting and social environment, where everyone feels welcome to participate and has a strong and proud association with its Community.

Our principal philosophy is the provision of a safe and supportive Community based setting, which encourages skill development, fitness, fair play and teamwork.

Our commitment both to the local Community and the region as a whole will manifest itself in the promotion of, and the adherence to, the highest standards of behaviour in the manner in which we pursue our responsibilities and execute our duties. Such standards will be applicable to both players and staff.

          We are all extremely proud of the achievements of our Team for the first year of its existence and look forward to continue our successful sporting activities and expand them in the months and years to come.

          Welcome all and enjoy the evening!

          Κατόπιν έγινε η βράβευση των Παικτών μας. Κατ’ αρχάς όλοι οι Παίκτες έλαβαν ένα βραβείο συμμετοχής στην Ομάδα, από τα χέρια του Προπονητή Γιώργου Φραγκέσκου. Στη συνέχεια αρκετοί Παίκτες έλαβαν ειδικά βραβεία για τις επιδόσεις τους στη διάρκεια της χρονιάς.

          Ο Εφημέριος προσέφερε στους κύριους Χορηγούς της Ομάδας Σάββα Ανδρέου και Παναγιώτη Αργυρού, ειδική τιμητική πλακέτα, λέγοντας τα εξής λόγια:

          Good evening again!

          It is my privilege and duty to present in this Ceremony the Chaplain’s Award.

          I am not planning to speak at length, but I need to say that at this first year of our St. Panteleimon FC existence the Chaplain Award should be given to our main Sponsors, which is ORAMA Restaurant, and personally to Savvas Andreou and Panayiotis Argyrou, whom the Saints recognise and acknowledge as their Great Sponsors and Benefactors.

          As our Manager has said before, it is one thing to have an idea and it is definitely another level to actually realise it. And these two kind and generous Sponsors actually made our idea and our dream a reality.

Allow me to say only one little thing about each one of them.

Savvas Andreou, a close friend and valuable associate at our local Church and Community, is the reason for having George Frangeskou as our “chosen one”. Savvas introduced GF to the Saints and insisted that he the right man for us. George started as a Chairman and then he was installed as First Team Manager as well; he worked exceptionally hard and with great success throughout the year and gained the appreciation and respect from everyone in the Team. Therefore, Savvas is the one who secured for the Saints the best man to lead us to the top of the League.

Then, Panayiotis Argyrou, a close friend and collaborator in our Church and in our Community Youth Departments, when we were talking business, in regards to the Saints’ funding, he said to me: “finances: we take care of them”. After this positive declaration I looked at him and immediately I felt -in my heart and my mind- an assurance and a peaceful confidence, that everything is taken care of.

          And the rest is simply history…

          Στο τέλος οι Ποδοσφαιριστές προσέφεραν τιμητική πλακέτα και άλλα δώρα στον Προπονητή τους Γιώργο Φραντζέσκου.