Former 2006 World Cup hero and Premier League striker Stern John heads a cast of past and present national football stars who will descend on the UWI SPEC ground on Sunday as the third annual Wired868 Football Festival kicks off in St Augustine.
The event brings together former national youth and senior players from different eras in a spirit of fun and camaraderie and also gives football fans a chance to join the lime. The action kicks off at 4.30 pm.
The Wired868 XI veterans drew the inaugural festival 2-2 to a Earl “Mango” Pierre XI in 2013 before losing 10-4 in the return fixture in 2014.
But, even with the absence of stalwarts like Leonson Lewis and Clayton Morris, the Wired868 veterans plan to spring a surprise this year with a squad that mixes the experience of 1991 Under-20 World Cup duo Anthony Sherwood and Roger Henry, “Strike Squad” players Hutson Charles and Anton Corneal and former national senior and youth team players like Lyndon Andrews, Reynold Carrington, Chris Durity and Clyde Leon and the St Lucian duo of former Pro League legends Earl Jean and Elijah Joseph with the fresh legs of “Women Soca Warrior” stand-outs Ahkeela Mollon, Khadidra and Khadisha Debesette.
Brent Sancho, another 2006 World Cup player, will run the opposition camp this year although he will not be present on game day.
However, his more youthful squad includes John, who played with Wired868 last year, and 2006 stand-out Aurtis Whitley along with “Women Soca Warrior” captain Maylee Attin-Johnson, Kennya “Ya Ya” Cordner and former national youth and senior men’s team players David Atiba Charles, Gary Glasgow, Marvin Joseph, Darin Lewis and last year’s MVP Lorne Joseph.
Admission is free and there will be entertainment from a house DJ as well as a bouncy castle for children.