Super Stepney steam home to the title

Emdad Rahman: Stepney FC have cruised home as champions after winning a record breaking 6th Inner London Football League Premier Division title.

The Tower Hamlets based team have enjoyed a terrific run of form - winning 14 out of 18 league games since the start of the season.

During a thrilling title run in, second placed E7 had won 5 games to take the race for Championship to the last game.

Stepney played Mohammedan SC on 28th April 2013 in the season’s penultimate game. There was early frustration from both teams as the match referee called offside to rule out an early goal for Stepney followed by another for Mohammedan after a foul on the keeper.

Stepney's patience paid off as they took the lead in the 30th Minute after a long free kick from keeper Shamimuz Zaman was spilled by the Mohammedan keeper. Forhan Uddin was quickest to react and ripped the net as he struck home a rasping drive.

In the 35th minute, Stepney’s experienced winger Muffazul Uddin was hacked down in the box by the Mohammedan left back and the referee did not hesitate as he pointed to the spot. Muffazul dusted himself and stepped up to take penalty, beating the keeper but the effort rebound off the post.

Mohammedan rallied and an assault on the opposition six yard box resulted in a five shot goal scramble. Stepney's stubborn rearguard blocked, kicked and thwarted the impending threat.

With 20 Minutes remaining, Manager Mujibur Rahman made two bold substitutions which had the hundred odd Stepney supporters and players raising their eyebrows.

Experienced Russell Chowdhury was replaced by Quentin Monville and the clubs record goal scorer Jahed Khan, commonly known as “Zola,” came on for influential midfielder Forhad Ahmed.

The changes were inspiring and within 5 minutes of his introduction Zola picked up the ball on the right wing, twisted and turned 2 defenders before unleashing a fierce shot to the bottom corner of the goal.

The crowd were in raptures as they knew there was no way back from that goal. Mohammedan collapsed and Muffazul redeemed his earlier penalty miss by wrapping up the win.

The game ended 3-0 and Stepney lifted the Premier Division Trophy for the 6th time.

Khalis Miah, Stepney FC's President said: "This team is all about heart, enthusiasm and determination. The players are a credit to the club and their achievements will inspire our youngsters. We are a very proud family here."

Other records were shattered as Stepney finished second in the goal charts with 52 league goals. A miserly defence conceded 23 goals, easily the lowest in the league and outstanding keeper Shamimuz "safe hands" Zaman was named as the recipient of the Premier Division Golden Gloves accolade for his outstanding performances between the sticks.

"I'm very proud of our record breaking title win and thanks to our miserly back four, the personal award is just the icing on the top," he said.

"We've worked so hard and it’s really paid off. We will be celebrating but remain focused on the upcoming summer league, where again we will be gunning for more silverware."

Highlights of the season included a 6-3 drubbing of Mohammedan SC.

Top scorer Mustapha Shahid led the line with 21 goals followed by Forhad Ahmed with 8 and the immense pairing of Sam O' Brian and Abdi Samad. There were goals from all positions with 12 different goal scorers throughout the season.

The Manta Trust

Conservation through Research, Awareness and Education

Emdad Rahman: I recently caught up with the team at the London International Dive Show and was intrigued by the work that takes place through the contribution of project officers and volunteers.

Manta rays are fascinating and captivating creatures. They are among the most charismatic creatures that inhabit our oceans Giants of their kind, they range throughout the tropical and sub-tropical oceans of the world. Born into a life of perpetual motion, they must keep swimming to survive. Driven forwards by powerful beats of their wing-like pectoral fins they search the ocean currents for concentrated patches of the tiny planktonic food upon which they feed.

With the largest brain of all fish their intelligence and curiosity make encounters with these creatures a truly amazing experience. The word ‘Manta’ comes from the Spanish for cloak or shawl and in the Maldivian language mantas are known as En Madi, which in English means ‘small fish eating ray’. Both of these terms are very descriptive of the manta rays, but what do we really know and just as importantly what do we still have to learn about these giant fish?
Research would indicate that mantas probably live to at least 50 and possibly up to 100 years. However, until scientists have been studying these animals for another 20 years we are unlikely to be able to answer this question more accurately.

Oceanic mantas (M.birostris) are the bigger of the two manta species; reaching a wing span (that’s wing tip to wing tip) of up to 7 metres (23ft)! A large oceanic manta might weigh in at up to 2 tonnes (4,440 lbs), making them a real ocean giant!

Although smaller than the oceanic mantas, the reef mantas (M.alfredi) are still pretty big fishes, growing to an average wing span of 3-3.5 metres (9-11.5ft) and a possible maximum of 4.5 metres (15ft), reaching weights of up to 1.4 tonnes (3,100 lbs). In both species the wing span is roughly 2.2 times the length of the body.

However, despite their popularity with divers and snorkelers many aspects of these creatures lives remain a mystery, with only snippets of their life history understood.

The Manta Trust was formed in 2011 to co-ordinate global research and conservation efforts for these amazing animals, their close relatives and their habitat.

As charismatic megafauna manta rays act as flagship species, helping to promote and engage the general public in the wider message of marine ecosystem conservation. Through this top down approach to conservation the manta ray becomes the catalyst for change, engaging and motivating the general public, governments and local communities alike. A UK Registered Charity, the Trust brings together a number of projects from around the globe, both new and long-standing, including the Republic of Maldives, Sri Lanka, Mexico and Indonesia. By conducting long-term, robust studies into manta populations in these locations the trust aims to build the solid foundations upon which Governments, NGO’s and conservationists can make informed and effective decisions to ensure the long term survival of these animals and their habitat.

Good conservation requires a holistic approach. The Manta Trust researchers and volunteers work closely with tourists, local communities, businesses and governments to ensure the preservation of these amazing animals through good science, education, community based initiatives and government legislation. As the scope of the Trust’s work continues to grow the goal is to expand these efforts globally.

The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List of Threatened Species is widely recognised as ‘the most comprehensive global approach for evaluating the conservation status of plant and animal species’. By measuring a species against a number of criteria such as species range, habitat, population and population trends, threats and conservation actions, the IUCN’s Red List assessment process is able to provide a consistent measure of how threatened a species is compared to all other species, as well as, upon re-evaluation, providing a measure of change in population trends. The genus Manta was re-assessed for the IUCN Red List in 2011 to take into account the species reclassification within the genus which took place in 2009. Upon revaluation, both species of manta rays have now been listed as ‘Vulnerable’, an upgrading from ‘Near Threatened’.

Volunteer

Every year volunteers from around the world participate in field research projects with the Manta Trust to collect scientific data and promote the conservation of manta rays through educational awareness campaigns.

If you want to work with the trust as a field volunteer you need to be 21 years or older, fit, a strong swimmer and an advanced open water diver, enthusiastic, computer literate, organised, willing to work long hours and passionate about marine conservation.

Send your CV, along with a covering letter stating why you would like to pursue a volunteer position, what skills you can bring and which projects you are interested in to info@mantatrust.org.

www.mantatrust.org

Hillsborough Mum Anne Williams – The woman who refused to give up

Emdad Rahman: It was business as usual as a severely Cancer stricken Anne Williams defied her Doctors strict orders and attended the 24th Hillsborough memorial this week at Anfield.

Sheila Coleman, of the Hillsborough Justice Campaign, referred to Anne’s courage at the  memorial: "We applaud Anne's tenacity to draw on whatever reserves she has left to be here today - she is quite simply an inspiration."

It was an act so typical of a mum who simply refused to accept defeat and a mere three days later we hear the sad news that she succumbed to her ill health, passing away at the home of her Brother Danny and sister in law Sandra in Birkdale.

Readers will be aware that Anne was the mother of 15 year old Kevin Williams, who on April 15th 1989 became one of the 96 football fans who died during the worst stadium disaster in British history. Kevin joined thousands of fellow Reds to what they hoped would be a memorable FA Cup semi final win against the late great Brian Clough’s Nottingham Forest.  

Like thousands of fellow Reds fans, Kevin bid goodbye to his beloved Mother as he left to travel to Sheffield for the FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest 24 years ago. Like 95 others, the teenager did not come back home.

Anne, who was originally Chair of the “Hillsborough Justice Campaign” and thereafter set up the independent “Hope for Hillsborough,” campaigned indomitably to make public the events and practices surrounding Kevin’s death at Hillsborough that black day. She told me a couple of years ago: “Kevin was a happy, 15 year old boy who did what many children his age do. He went to a football game to watch his heroes. Kevin though never returned home.”

For many years I have stood and watched in awe as her conviction and single minded struggle for the truth led her to question so called official reports, the lack of investigations taking place into despicable Police failings, and the circumstances which led to the tragic events of that fateful day. Her steely determination to fight powerful odds in order to lay bare the truth surrounding the circumstances of Kevin’s death were the core components in her quest to push on and on against the might of thundering typhoons and dark and enveloping gale force winds. It has taken 24 long years for these powerful forces to be lulled and almost beaten totally into submission.  Anne’s indefatigable efforts to prove that Kevin was still alive after the 3.15pm cut off imposed by the coroner at the controversial inquest into the deaths of the Liverpool fans at Hillsborough were completely justified by the verdicts of the Hillsborough Independent Panel in 2012.

The hearing inquests that originally took place in 1991 declared that the deceased fans had not survived past 3:15 pm. Anne did not accept the findings and embarked on a shadowy journey that slowly unravelled the dark and dirty secrets that festered at the heart of this human disaster. She met witnesses who attested to Kevin being alive, living and breathing 45 minutes after the Coroner’s cut off time at 4pm.

The witnesses reported Kevin remained conscious for as long as 45 minutes after the suggested cut-off time and called for his mother, facts which instigated a tireless campaign by Anne for the truth.

Three separate appeals for a new inquest to the Attorney General were rejected and The European Court of Human Rights also refused the case in 2009.

In 2012 at the Anglican Cathedral in Liverpool, the Hillsborough Independent Panel made a breakthrough and their report laid bare the truth of what happened on 15th April 1989. A month and a half after this momentous occasion Anne Williams was diagnosed with Cancer. Her health prompted calls for Kevin's inquest to be brought forward. This was backed by overwhelming public support but was not successful.

The High Court quashed all 96 inquest verdicts and the Government has assured that new hearings will be held

Classy, intelligent, resilient and very resolute, Anne Williams had the ability to spread a smile across the faces of all who had the good fortune of meeting her. I instantly clicked and fondly referred to her as the “Hillsborough Mum.”

Liverpool Football Club issued a Twitter tribute: “Liverpool Football Club was this morning saddened to hear of the death of prominent Hillsborough campaigner Anne Williams. RIP Anne.”

City rivals Everton also provided a mark of respect: “The thoughts of everyone at Everton are with the family of Anne Williams, who sadly passed away this morning. RIP Anne #jft96.”

Anne Williams was in inspiration. She was kind, friendly and had the same approach to with everybody. From my interaction with her I can honestly say that she had the ability to instantly kindle the feeling of warmth and liking towards her. She remains an inspiration and I hope her struggle and legacy will continue to educate us and future generations for years to come.

It is sad that 24 years have elapsed and the serving of justice is within grasp. Yet those who have campaigned long and hard are beginning to depart this life. Anne Williams gave up everything to see justice prevail. It is now down to the rest to finish off her quest for justice.

Here’s the interview I did with Anne about her battle to see justice for Kevin and the 96 who perished at Hillsborough.