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| Joh (3rd right) thanking Ben, owner of Ararat Sports and Souvenirs, for his generousity in contributing to the team as the players. |
They have named UMS Stadium as their home venue where they will take on Melaka in the opener scheduled for February 17. “We have seen clubs (from Sabah) come and go in the competition, and we don’t want to be like them. We want to be in the scene for as long as we could,” said club president Mohd Joh Wid. “We know this is not going to be easy for a tiny club like us that originated from a fishermen’s village, but we are prepared and ready for the challenges ahead of us.
“On behalf of the club, I would like to express our sincere thanks to the Sabah FA President Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Hj Aman for giving us the inspiration and supports towards our imminent historical appearance in the competition. Joh said this when unveiling the team’s official kit – Carino – house brand of one of their sponsors Ararat Sports and Souvenirs Sdn Bhd on Wednesday night. On the team’s target, Joh said: “Like any other competing teams, we will also set our sight on gaining promotion to the Premier League.”
“We are new to the league and that means we are underdogs in this competition but we should not be underestimated. “We have made good preparations, we have good coaches and we have some capable players who are all eager to prove their worth,” he said, adding that they will be banking on former State skipper Md Reithuddin Ag Emran to lead the way. Joh said the lanky defender has been with the team for some time now, but the news was released only recently to avoid any issues.
“Reithuddin is a valuable asset to the team, as he brings a lot of experience and we will look to that to lead us in the coming challenge. “Reithuddin scored a hat-trick in our friendly match in Tawau recently and we hope to see him performing the same way when we face Melaka on February 17,” said Joh. Reithuddin was among a handful of players who were axed from the State team, but is now with the club side, coached by former national and State players, Razali Zinin (head coach) and Jelius Ating (assistant coach).
“Couple this with the leadership skills of Reithuddin, I think it will be a good season ahead for us. Joh also thanked Ararat Sports and Souvenirs for coming forward to sponsor the team. “This is our own specially designed jersey, which we dedicate to our fans and supporters. They asked for colours that are unique to the club and I believe the design suits us quite well.
“We would like to say a big thank you to Ben (Wong) and his company for kindly sponsoring our team,” he added. The Carino jerseys were designed especially for Cebagoo FC, adapting a signature netting design which symbolises the team’s roots from a fishermen’s village. The team received three sets of official kits and one for friendly matches. Also included in the sponsorship is a track suit kit. On the other hand, Ben congratulated the team on making their debut, and wishing them all the best.
