Premadasa - a chequered history in football

LESLIE Fernando

M. Premadasa a maestro in football administration from Slave Island has been in the football scene from 1963 as a player, promoter, secretary, manager. He continues to be involved in the promotion of soccer in a big way.

Premadasa who has 45 years of experience is presently the Director (Logistics) at the National Training Centre at Baddegama.

May I mention that Premadasa, a disciplinarian, is an expert in administration and allows no laxity in work.

Premadasa's second religion is football and he thanked football lovers and able promoter Manilal Fernando who has played great part in helping him to reach a top position in football administration.

Premadasa after leaving Sri Sariputtra MV, Colombo 2, played for Muttiah playground where he learnt his fundamentals in kicking a football. He joined Black Square SC, one of the powerful soccer outfit from Slave Island - which won the FA Cup in 1980.

Premadasa took over the Secretary's post of Black Square SC in 1975. He was selected as the City Football League Secretary - while F. A. Yaseen became the President City FL.

Premadasa who has served as the City FL for 25 years, yet continues to be the Secretary. He is very grateful to Yaseen for the support and encouragement extended to him. Premadasa was the key man when three leagues were amalgamated, City FL, Colombo FL and Playground FL during the tenure of late Dunstan de Alwis and late M. Arumugan. Premadasa together with late J. S. N. Anandaraja, M. T. Fernando, G. A. K. Abeysekera were the key personalities who helped prominent lawyer from Kalutara, Manilal Fernando (Kalutara Football League) to victory at the FFSL annual general meeting held at GS Soccer Pavilion at Parsons Road, Manilal was elected as President 1979-1980.

Premadasa worked at Browns and represented the firm at Mercantile 'A' division tournament, playing with Hamzad, Ratnasiri, Rupasinghe, Raheen, Leelananda Jayatissa, Sarath to name a few. Browns won several 'A' division titles. He was also the soccer secretary at Browns.

Dedicated and hardworking Premadasa has held several positions. Secretary - Black Square SC, City Football League, City Football Association, Java Lane SC. He was the Assistant Treasurer and Treasurer FFSL. Executive member of Mercantile FA during J. P. N. Fernando's presidency - JPN was also a Senior Vice President, FFSL.

He has attended Asian Football Confederation Annual Congress in Malaysia in 2000 along with Manilal Fernando, late J. S. N. Anandaraja, Chrysantha Perera, former Mercantile FA Secretary and CEO, FFSL.

Premadasa had also accompanied teams abroad as Manager of the Mercantile FA team to Nepal in 1980, Sri Lanka u-16 team to Nepal in 1997, Sri Lanka under-23 team to South Korea, senior national team to GOA (1996), UAE (1997), Qatar (1999), SAF Games twice 2000 and 2004.