Former Lautoka football players’ reunion last month saw the spirit and the brotherhood of a like, it also saw the coming together of the die-hard and the famous.

While the likes, turned out in numbers from around the globe, mingled, partied and relished on the good old times, it was also a special moment for one of district’s most famous fan to show his adulation to the stars of the yesteryear.

Koroi Tamana, the most recognised face and one who every Blues player of the era attests him to the district was among the crowd.

Draped in a retro replica jersey, he joined the march through Vitogo Parade, sang and rejoiced the first ever reunion.

Adam Ali, former Lautoka rep, and the organiser of the event, said former players of the 80s and 90s identified Koroi and they all reached out to meet Lautoka’s number one fan, who took time out to take be in the parade and at Churchill Park for the day long festivities.

“We were all happy to see Koroi Tamana join us for the reunion”, he said.

“Majority of players knew who Koroi was. He definitely was a big supporter for the Blues.”

Koroi told SUNsports at Lautoka market where he earns a living as a wheelbarrow deliveryman, he had been told of the reunion last year and he was preparing like many others to meet and greet the stars of the 80s-90s.

“I said to myself I may not be a former player but that doesn’t make anyone believe I was not a famous Lautoka supporter “, he said with a grin.

He said he had already planned to park his wheelbarrow for a day just to be among the players’ who carted Lautoka’s footballing history.

Kelemedi ‘Cheetah’ Vosuqa, Niko Lilo, Upendra Choy, Epeli ‘Kosa’ Ragavatu, Shariff Mohammed, I met them all. They know who I’m.

“Sa I thought I was old but tum jaano (you know) sab qase hoi ge (they all aged).”

Ali said he caught up with Koroi during the march through the city and introduced himself, added Koroi was like, ‘wow, tum buddha hoi aur mota hoi geya (you’ve gone old and fat).

He said Koroi still has the same sense of humor he had some three decades ago.

The best of Koroi was during the Fiji-New Zealand friendly in 1984 at Churchill Park, it was during the halftime break and with the visitors up a goal, Koroi walks up to his homeboy and star of the team, Cheetah and told him, ‘kai, you too much like this and too much like that, meaning dribbling, me no like this, me no like that Koroi shoots he scores as cheers echoed in the backdrop.

Cheetah took Koroi’s vivacious coaching tip as a motivation, sadly Fiji lost 1-2.

This had been a routine for Koroi. All out of immense love for the district, the players and the fan-base.

These days he has lost all interest in football as he spends time on better things.

“I don’t have the same interest no more. Sa oti (that’s it)”.

Like Koroi other football fans have also established a culture of support for their players, coaches and the district but it’s those diehards and famous that have help deliver the entertainment for hundreds during a fixture and these individuals have an unerring love for the likes.

 Edited by  Osea Bola

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