THE last of surviving founder of the original Eagles FC, has died and he is being remembered by footballers and friends.
Aga Khan passed away on Monday at the Surrey Memorial Hospital after a short illness.
Sunny Ahamed Khan, Quddous Hussein, Shafi Hussein and Feroz Dean were the other founders.
The two sets of brothers, Sunny and Aga Khan and Quddous and Shafi Hussein along with Dean were integral members of the club in the formative year.
The quartet passed away over a decade ago, but without leaving indelible memories.
The footballers formed the club in 1994, over a social gathering and featured in the Division 2 league of the Fiji Football Association.
For the next 3-seasons, the club rose the ranks of premiership football.
But following the relocation of key players between Ontario and Alberta Province, the ownership changed hands.The team was named Surrey Eagles.
Jake Singh was a manager for Eagles FC, said Aga, affably known as ‘mata’ was a live wire of a footballer.
“Built to last, that’s the kind of footballer he was, simple and hardworking,” Singh said.
“I’ve known Aga and the brothers Sunny and Wahab from my Edmonton days.”
Singh said Aga was kind, honest and hardworking, who didn’t have an unkind bone in his body.
The Khan’s and the Hussein’s had deep roots in Labasa, and arbitrarily agreed that the Eagles FC, team kit be in a red-white stripe similar to team Labasa’s Fiji attire.
Singh said the club’s name was given by a footballer friend, who had a huge following of Nadi’s oldest football club in Fiji.
He said all 5 men were model footballers, fathers, husbands, brothers and teammates who will never be forgotten.
“These people had innate abilities to connect with people, share their stories, bring about joy, and lift those that felt out of place.
“Prototype. They don’t come any better,” Singh said.
