AHEAD of the 61st staging of the Roper Cup, Kingston College Old Boys’ Association President Richard Lindsay says it is one of the best football competitions in the world.

The annual one-day tournament, which sees North Street rivals Kingston College (KC) and St George’s College do battle, is to take place on Saturday, August 30 at KC.

The main draw will see both schools’ under-19 teams clash ahead of the ISSA/Digicel Manning Cup season. The under-14 and under-16 teams will also face off while there will be an exhibition match between the schools’ over 40 teams.

Lindsay, who is part of the Roper Cup’s planning committee, says the tournament deserves more recognition due to its illustrious history.

“I would be hard-pressed to find any competition of this nature in the entire world, much less for it to be going for 61 years,” he said. “The closest thing that can come closer to the Roper Cup is the El Clasico between Real Madrid and Barcelona — and I’m serious.

“Where else in the world can you find a competition where the person who attended one school, founded the other school no more than 50 metres apart, and maintained a 61-year-old competition? I think that’s unprecedented and it’s a national treasure.”

The Roper Cup will also have added value this year as both schools celebrate major anniversaries.

“KC is 100 [years old], and that’s a milestone. St George’s is 175, and that’s such a milestone,” he said. “For all past students and current students, it’s such a special year and I think it’s translating into the Roper Cup this year.”

St George’s forward Matthew Spence says the team will be looking to sharpen its skills ahead of the Manning Cup.

“Preseason has been okay, could be better, but it’s far from over and we’ll keep on improving,” he says. “What we’re looking forward to at this year’s Roper Cup is to ensure the team plays together, stick together, and be victorious in the end.”

Members of the KC and St George’s teams who played in the first staging of the Roper Cup in 1964 will be honoured at this year’s staging while Kingston and St Andrew Mayor Andrew Swaby will be the tournament’s patron.