Liberian players Emmanuel D Gbamy and Taurus Manneh (holding the Boyz jerseys) after the signing ceremony in Gangtok on Friday. Picture by Prabin Khaling

Gangtok, Aug 20: Sikkim’s premier football club, Denzong Boyz, today signed a new Liberian striker for six months and extended the contract of another as the team set its preparation rolling for two regional-level tournaments starting this month-end.

Emmanuel D. Gbamy, a former player of Goan club Vasco SC, and Boyz inked a contract in Gangtok today. “I will give my best for the success of the club,” said 24-year-old Gbamy in his short speech after the signing.

Boyz general secretary Chewang Zigmee Lachungpa said the club had wooed Gbamy as soon as he left Vasco. He had played for the Goan team in the last season.

Gbamy will be partnered by fellow Liberian striker Taurus Manneh. He has been playing for the Sikkim team since last year and his contract has been renewed for six more months. The club also appointed Karma Loday Bhutia, a Sikkim player who had represented the national football team in 1983, as its coach.

Club president Phurba Sherpa said the team had been invited to play in a tournament organised by Guwahati Town Club in the Assam capital.

“The tournament is scheduled to begin on August 28 and we are expecting a straight quarterfinal berth. All top clubs in the Northeast, including last year I-League team Lajong FC, are participating in the tournament,” said Sherpa.

Lachungpa said after the Guwahati itinerary, the club would be playing in the Governor’s Gold Cup, organised by the Sikkim Football Association annually during September-October.

“After the Gold Cup, we are planning to participate in the second division I-League,” said Lachungpa. “We are also expecting a Japanese boy in our club. He is playing in Bhutan and has heard about our club. The player has expressed interest in the club.”

The Boyz had played in the last season of the second division I-League.

Apart from two foreign players, Boyz has a Mizo and a Manipuri as team members. The rest of the team is made up with players from Sikkim and the Darjeeling hills.

“We don’t have much change in the last year’s team. All Boyz players will be assembling in Gangtok by August 23 and we will have a short practice camp before heading for the Guwahati tournament,” said the club general secretary.