Former national footballer set for FOSH’s lifetime achievement award

Former standout national footballer Elliot “Morie” Millington will be the toast tomorrow evening when Friends of Sion Hill Inc (FOSH) hosts its inaugural black tie event.{{more}}

Set for the Friends of Crown Heights, located at 671 Prospect Place in Brooklyn, New York, the cocktail and dinner affair will see Millington becoming the first recipient of the lifetime achievement award.

One who has contributed greatly to football in Sion Hill, Millington has also made his mark nationally. After emerging from then Somerset B to the Somerset first team, Millington, a midfielder, rose to captain Sion Hill and then St Vincent and the Grenadines.

As captain of Sion Hill, Millington, who also acquired the monikers of “Skip” and “the midfielder general,” navigated his club to a place in the Caribbean Football Union’s club competition in 1988.

This was attained after Sion Hill won the local club championships in 1987.

He, in addition, was in charge on the field when Sion Hill copped the first floodlight tournament in 1992 and repeated this feat, but as a coach two years later.

Morie, again as coach and against all odds, profited by taking the national inter league Under-17 and senior titles in 1989.

At the national level, he was at the helm on both occasions when St Vincent and the Grenadines finished second in the Caribbean Cup in 1979 and 1981, to Haiti and Trinidad and Tobago respectively.

Taking his abilities to another rung, Millington was the head coach of the St Vincent and the Grenadines team that saw this country making its first bid for Word Cup qualification in 1992.

During his tenure as national coach, Millington guided St Vincent and the Grenadines to several entries to the final stage of the then Shell Caribbean Cup.

In his community of Sion Hill, Morie is held in high esteem not only for his exploits in football, but as a mentor and icon.

Now battling kidney disease in his adopted home of the USA, Millington is still upbeat and tuned in to St Vincent and the Grenadines, especially in the area of football.

“There is no one more fitting to receive our first lifetime award than him,” president of FOSH Oxley Lowman said.

It will be the second occasion for FOSH to acknowledge Millington’s contribution to football. The group, at the annual Vincy Day in August 2013, presented him with a plaque as an appreciation and recognition award.

Tomorrow’s function will also see Rhonda Woodley and Francina De Riggs as honourees. Woodley’s award will be granted posthumously.

The featured speaker will be Dr Eversley Linley, one who was born and bred in Sion Hill.(RT)