Sion Hill community honours football stalwart Elliot ‘Morie’ Millington

Stalwart footballer, coach, mentor and father figure of the Sion Hill community Elliot “Morie” Millington has been honoured for his contribution to sport.{{more}}

The hair-raising moment, which was a meant to be a surprise to Millington, took place last Saturday afternoon during the second annual Vincy Day – USA held at Heckscher State Park in Long Island.

Millington was presented with the plaque of appreciation by Cyril “Scorcher “Thomas.

The plaque read: “For using your God given talent in providing inspirational and excellent leadership with inspiring commitment, dedication, steadfast loyalty and limitless zeal in contributing yeoman service to your beloved Sion Football Club”.

Millington, in response, said that the gesture came as a surprise to him, but he was thankful that others have recognized his input over the years.

He noted that what he did in the sphere of football was not only for Sion Hill, but for St Vincent and the Grenadines. This he said he did with pride.

And, immediately, Millington was the recipient of handshakes and congratulations, including from former president of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Football Federation Louis Daisley and former national goal keeper Winston Soso.

Millington made the St Vincent and the Grenadines football team in 1974 and rose to the captaincy in 1977, a position which he held for several years.

He was at the helm when St Vincent and the Grenadines proclaimed its name in regional football, when it placed second in the Caribbean Football Cup in 1979 in Suriname, a feat which was repeated two years later in Puerto Rico.

Millington represented Somerset and Sion Hill football clubs in local competitions, as well as the latter in the regional club championships as player/coach.

As a coach, Millington was instrumental in guiding the once dominant Pepsi Sion Hill to several local football titles.

In St Vincent and the Grenadines’ first outing in the World Cup Qualifiers, Millington was the coach who saw his country to the semi-final stage of the CONCACAF Zone, when the likes of Mexico, Costa Rica and Honduras were their opponents.

Additionally, Millington was the fulcrum of the annual Sion Hill football league, which offered one of the best football competitions in St Vincent and the Grenadines.(RT)