Hanover FA gets Captain's Bakery sponsorship

Jericho, Lucea in season-opening 0-0 draw

Adrian Frater, News Editor

WESTERN BUREAU:

The Hanover Football Association (HFA) joined the ever-growing list of parishes and entities enjoying Captain's Bakery & Grill sponsorship of their football league on Saturday, when the 2010-11 Major League season was launched in a colourful ceremony at the Watson Taylor Park in Lucea.

"We have been going without a sponsor for the past three years, so needless to say we are extremely happy that we now have the Captain's Bakery on board," said HFA president Lorraine Scringer. "While the sponsorship is for the Major League, we will be using a part of the sponsorship for our division one."

After presenting the sponsorship cheque of J$1.2 million to the HFA, Wayne Saulter, the chief financial controller of the Captain's Bakery & Grill, said all they were asking for in return for the sponsorship is discipline and good sportsmanship.

Good sportsmanship

"This sponsorship will entail one million dollars in cash and $200,000 in the form of footballs, which will be given to the HFA and the competing teams," said Saulter.

"All we are asking for in return is discipline and good sportsmanship at all times."

The Major League started immediately following the launch, with Lucea FC and Jericho Rangers playing to a 0-0 draw in the opening game of the competition, which is being contested by eight teams.

"We will be playing a three-round format, which will see all eight teams meeting each other twice," said Sheridan Samuels, the league coordinator for the HFA. "In the third round, the top four teams will play together for championship honours, while the bottom four will play off to avoid relegation."

Mid-season final

At the end of the first round, there will be a mid-season final, from which the winner will receive $10,000 and a trophy, and the beaten finalist $6,000.

For the overall competition, the winner will take home $100,000, the largest payday in the history of Hanover's football, as well as the Captain's Bakery & Grill Trophy.

The second-place team will receive $60,000, third $30,000 and fourth $15,000.

While she was naturally elated that the parish's sponsorship woes have been resolved, Scringer expressed much displeasure at the unbecoming state of the playing surface at the Watson Taylor Park, which is the parish's premier venue.

"I am not happy with the state of the park in general, and I am calling on the media to help me in reminding the Sports Development Foundation (SDF) of its promise to upgrade the park this year," said Scringer. "I was promised by the SDF that this year would be the year we would get the promised help, and I would like to see that promise kept."