Manny Ferreirinho (73) is well known in Benoni for starting the first football section at Benoni Northerns Sports Club, while Ted Jarvis (76) is well known within the community for the work he has been putting in at the club.
Both men played cricket for a time, and Jarvis also played for many years on the hockey field. “I attended Benoni West Primary and Benoni Technical High,” Ferreirinho explained.
“While in high school, I played football and cricket mainly because at that time all my classmates were playing those sports. Denis Lindsay, who was a Springbok cricketer, was our customer at our Green Grocer in Western Extension in 1962, and since meeting him I showed an interest in cricket.”
Jarvis added, “I played hockey and cricket at Parktown Boys High.
“I chose hockey as I had previously played football and they are not dissimilar in terms of formation and positions, with scoring goals being the objective. There was no football at Parktown, only rugby or hockey so I chose hockey and I only chose cricket because my family played at the time.”
But how did these two get from playing sport in school to being a part of the teams and committees that started sporting sections in Benoni?
In 1975, Ferreirinho, while waiting for his turn to bat in a cricket match that was taking place, spoke to his friend who suggested to him that he forms a football section at Northerns.
“At the time, I was playing for a football club in Boksburg,” explained Ferreirinho.
“In March 1975, I applied to the Eastern Transvaal Football Association and was accepted as the chairperson of the football section, which lasted for 13 years.”
Jarvis joined Northerns in 1976 just one year after relocating to Benoni and one year after Ferreirinho.
“I joined as a hockey member first and captained the first hockey team,” said Jarvis.
“In 1977, I was elected chairperson of the club for three years until 1980. Northerns then constitutionally created the position of club president in 1982 and I was duly elected. I served another term as chairperson from 1987 to 1989, co-currently with being president, so I served in both capacities.”
These Benoni legends believe that even though they played a part in forming certain sport sections of the Benoni Northerns Club, there are many more who deserve a mention.
“I cannot claim credit for anything specific other than being part of a team of people who established the athletics section, mini hockey, junior football, cricket sections and junior cricket clinics,” explained Jarvis.
“The real credit belongs to extraordinary visionaries like Twis Dudley, Dave Wilson, John Hawkins, Manny Ferreirinho, John Drennan, Dennis Barret, Keith Smith, Bob Forster, Pauline Fellows, Riaan van Wyk, Denis Lindsay, Ray van der Wagen, Peter Walker, Pat Conway, Craig Wittstock and many others. There are just too many to mention. They are the legends and worthy of mention and I do so with great admiration and affection. To me, these people are the real heroes, the legends who established the values, the ethos and the traditions on which this great club is now based.”
These two Benoni residents are now both life members of the Northerns Club, are still active members and to this day, hold their racked up achievements over the years close to their hearts.
Some achievements include:
Ferreirinho
• 1972: cricket committee member when St Patrick’s Cricket Club amalgamated with Benoni Hockey Club to form Benoni Northerns Sports Club
• 1975: formed Benoni Northerns football section
• 1988: was made a life member of Benoni Northerns
• 1990 to 1999: chairperson of Easterns
• 1991: manager of the football section that went down to Bloemfontein for the South African Club championship and came home victorious
• 2005: was elected president of the club
Jarvis
• Played Premier League hockey for 17 years both in Southern Transvaal and in Transvaal
• 1977-1979 and 1987-1989: chairperson of Benoni Northerns
• 1982-1993 and 2002 -2016: president of Northerns
• 1982: elected a life member
• He had the hockey field at Northerns named after him
• He was given number one as his club membership number
These sports fanatics are proud of what they have accomplished over the years and both see themselves as Benonians through and through.
“The club belongs to the community and fulfils its social responsibility with diligence,” concluded Jarvis.
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