It’ll Be Off

From the MEN:

Rebels sign midfielder

Stuart Mathieson
14/10/2008
FC UNITED are set to sign Senegalese midfielder Papis Djeeyte after he impressed in training and friendly games.

But the Rebels will not get international clearance in time for Wednesday’s home clash with Kendal Town at Gigg Lane (7.45).

Manager Karl Marginson is set to stick with the side that blitzed Witton Albion 5-3 in the last game, saying: “That performance was fantastic and now we need to build on that. I don’t want to talk about turning corners because it is too early for that, and Kendal are a very good side, a few places above us in the table.

“But I feel our football this season has been the best we have played in our history, and now the young lads here are starting to realise they can play at the higher level.

“We have dropped silly points but defensively have looked better since we brought in Danny Warrender and Simon Garner as full backs.

“If we can carry on playing the kind of football we have played in our last two games, few teams will live with us.”

Marginson’s links with Manchester College of Arts and Technology, where he coaches, are also paying dividends, with FC getting an early look at talented young African players like Djeeyte and Gambian under-20 international Kebba Bah.

Bah is having visa problems, but Djeeyte should be free to turn out once the club gets clearance from the Senegal FA.

Marginson said: “There are signs that Papis is the real deal, but he is still some way short of full fitness.

“There is a queue of African players hoping to make their fame and fortune in Europe, and quite a few are attracted to us because of our profile.”

Senegalese midfielders? Gambian forwards? International clearance? My, haven’t we grown.

I can’t find anything at all about Papis Djeeyte on the interweb, so instead, here are some facts about people who have a similar sounding name:

Max Papis – An Italian racing driver who has completed in Formula 1, Nascar, and A1 Grand Prix. Papis is the son in law of Emerson Fittipaldi.

David ‘Big Papi’ Ortiz – Big Papi is a designated hitter in Baseball for the Boston Red Sox. He’s a five time All-Star, and with 54, holds the Red Sox’s record for most rounders in a year. Or something.

Papis’s Tacos – A taco restaurant in Chicago that serves breakfast all day. The chicken tacos are apparently good, while the quesadillas are to die for. Sounds like a case for Health and Safety to me. Oh yeah, stay away from the chiles rellenos. It’s not meant to be up to much.