A Cumbernauld United player is helping footballers from ethnic minorities get their break in the Scottish game.
Evariste ‘Eva’ Bembo runs Afroscots United FC and just last month played a major role in Joe Bevan sealing his move to Albion Rovers.
Bevan, an 18-year-old striker, has scored once in his first three games for the Coatbridge club and the Wee Rovers have high hopes for the teenager, who they signed from Camelon Juniors on January 3.
It was while playing for Afroscots that Bevan was first discovered by the SPFL League Two outfit, with Bembo continuing a strong relationship with Rovers which has already seen the club sign Amaury Testa last season and Michael Semirimu for the reserve team.
Afroscots - who play across Lanarkshire and Glasgow - was launched back in 2005 by a group of African students looking to enjoy the beautiful game and unite players from different backgrounds.
But in 2016, Bembo took a more active role and spotted the opportunity to use the team as a platform for players in his team to get noticed.
Other players to seal deals with professional clubs since then also include Ivorian striker Siriki Dembele, who is now strutting his stuff in the top flight of English football with Bournemouth.
Hamilton man Bembo explained: “Our priority is to give boys from ethnic minorities a chance.
“Not just young boys, anyone. We’ve got all nationalities involved here.
“These boys all play for smaller teams and then they get picked up by bigger teams.
“It’s a project that we do with so much passion and we play in different areas all the time.
“Michael Semirimu is the Albion Rovers reserve team captain now as well.
“Amaury Testa was part of the squad last season.
“But the one who has gone on to play at the highest level is Siriki Dembele, who is now playing at Bournemouth in the English Premier League.
“He is a great example to all the other boys of where you can go.
“Since 2016, we have had boys who didn’t really have an interest in semi-professional football at first, get signed.
“We are trying to raise more awareness of the team now on social media to try and get more players noticed.”
Bembo - who is a striker for Cumbernauld in the West of Scotland Football League on Saturdays and player/manager for Afroscots on a Sunday – tipped off Albion Rovers about Bevan’s potential late last year.
And the club’s assistant manager, Graeme Liveston, was soon on the case.
While attached to Camelon, Bevan would also feature for Afroscots on a Sunday afternoon and quickly impressed Liveston and Rovers boss Brian Reid, before all parties worked together to seal his switch to Coatbridge for an undisclosed fee.
Bembo recalled: “I met Joe through my younger brother Arnault who was playing at Camelon at the time.
“I watched the highlights from one of their games and noticed Joe, so I asked my brother to bring him along to one of our games because I felt we could offer him an opportunity.
“I have a few contacts in the game and I felt I could help him.”It worked out perfectly because after some games I contacted the Albion Rovers reserve team manager Graeme Liveston.
“Graeme usually comes to watch our games and he started coming every week to see Joe.
“He is the first man I go to when we notice a talented player in the group. He believes in me and what we do so we have a good relationship.
“Brian Reid then saw a few games and they liked what they saw.
“They had to pay Camelon a fee to bring him to the club and they also did something for us, which was buy us new strips, so everyone is happy in the end.
“But it’s nice to know I triggered that move as this is what we are here to do.”
Seeing Bevan make a bright start in the SPFL has provided a real buzz throughout the team and Bembo hopes that he won’t be the last to go from Afroscots to bigger things.
He added: “Joe scored his first goal against Stranraer and he has made a big impact.”He’s got a good future ahead of him.
“He is so humble and everyone is so excited to see how he gets on.
“We all go online to check the scores and see how he is getting on.
“I’m even more excited because I discovered him and it’s great to see him doing so well.
“All the boys are so happy for Joe - but now we are looking for the next Joe.
“What we do is, when one goes we try to see who will be the next to move on.”
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