Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) players have embarked on indefinite strike to press home for the payment of their salaries ahead of their final day make or mar clash with Niger Tornadoes on Sunday.
The 3SC players who are being owed salaries, allowances and match bonuses by the management practically stayed away from their training ground at Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba in Ibadan on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The team is scheduled to depart Ibadan on Thursday for Lokoja to face Niger Tornadoes in Sunday’s Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) matchday 38 clash at the Confluence Stadium in Lokoja.
A close source to the team’s camp said the players are insisting on being paid all their entitlements before returning to the pitch for the all-important match at Niger Tornadoes on Sunday.
“The players said pointedly that they are fighting for their right to be paid salaries, allowances and match bonuses. They are insisting on not calling off the strike or returning to the training ground until every debt owed to them is fully paid by the management.
“They feared that the management will not pay the outstanding entitlements once the on-going league season comes to an end on Sunday. They appeared not to trust the management any longer as previous promises to offset the bills have gone unheeded.
“They reasoned that if the management values their welfare and the interest of the team they could even break bank to pay knowing full well that anything short of three points at Niger Tornadoes will spell doom for the team,” said the source said.
Oyo State commissioner of Youth and Sport, Barrister Abayomi Oke, in a telephone chat with PMParrot.com denied the story saying there is nothing like strike in the camp of the Oluyole Warriors.
“Nobody is on strike. There is nothing like strike in the camp of Shooting Stars but I’m in a meeting now, I will get back to you later,” Barrister Oke said.
The Oluyole Warriors presently are 16th on the NPFL table on 50 points 13 behind leaders, Plateau United and must defeat Niger Tornadoes away from home by any margin to stand a good chance of surviving relegation with Niger Tornadoes, Abia Warriors, Wikki Tourists and ABS also in the battle to stay up in the NPFL.
Packaged by Lanre Olabisi
