Johnson relives emotional ‘Jungle’ return

It was a familiar place but different clothes for Jabeur Johnson on Monday night when he ran out on to the field for the Red Stripe Premier League (RSPL) encounter between the home team, Arnett Gardens, and long-time rivals and neighbours Tivoli Gardens.

Johnson, a long-time favourite of the home fans, could no longer count on their warmth and support as he was no longer one of their own. Ten years of association had come to an end.

“At first, I was pretty nervous being on the opposite side. Normally, I would have been wearing the red and black of Arnett Gardens and playing against Tivoli Gardens, but now, I was playing for Tivoli Gardens, so it took a while for me to settle down,” Johnson said in describing the early moments of the game.

Being the professional that he is, Johnson said that he had to do his job.

“I then got it together, saying to myself that this is work. ‘Work has to be done, so you do what you have to do.’

“I did my endeavour best, and in the end, my team won,” said an obviously pleased Johnson, who assisted in his team’s first goal of a come-from-behind 3-1, their first in a number of meetings.

Helping his team back on level terms was a major plus for Johnson, who joined Tivoli Gardens at the beginning of the season after having his services terminated by Arnett Gardens at the end of last season.

A big part of Tivoli Gardens’ win, which lifted them from the foot of the table and into 11th position with the same number of points as 10th-placed UWI and within striking distance of Cavalier, was Johnson’s locking down of Arnett Gardens attacker Fabian Reid.

Having played alongside Reid for a number of years, Johnson’s inside knowledge aided him.

“I was breathing in his ears throughout. Wherever he went, I was there. If he walked, I walked, if he ran, I ran,” the former Dunoon Park Technical High School student explained.

With the victory secured, Johnson was overcome with emotion.

“It was a pretty overwhelming feeling.

Johnson and Tivoli will be looking to continue on the positive path when they travel to Mount Pleasant in one of two RSPL games tomorrow, with UWI and Arnett Gardens also locking horns.

In today’s fixtures, Molynes will host Harbour View at 3 p.m,. the same time that Dunbeholden will welcome Humble Lion.

At 5 p.m., Cavalier will play Vere, while Waterhouse welcome Portmore United to Drewsland at 8 p.m.

Today’s Matches:

Molynes vs Harbour View

– 3 p.m.

Dunbeholden vs Humble Lion

– 3 p.m.

Cavalier vs Vere – 5:00pm.

Waterhouse vs Portmore

– 8 p.m.

Tomorrow’s Matches:

UWI vs Arnett Gardens

– 3 p.m.

Mount Pleasant vs Tivoli

Gardens – 3 p.m.