Fogo United, Rosemount the toast of awards ceremony - SSP Watkis implores criminals to make switch to football

WESTERN BUREAU:League champions Fogo United and Rosemount were the toast of Thursday night's end of season presentation and awards ceremony for the 2010/11 St James Football Association (StJFA) Claro Senior League and Division One competitions in Montego Bay, walking away with the major awards.

Fogo United, which won the Major League and earned qualification to next season's Captain's Bakery & Grill Western Super League, took home $150,000 along with the coveted Claro Major League Trophy.

The team's player/coach Alme McFarlane, the former Rusea's High School DaCosta Cup star striker, took the Major League's Coach of the Year award and top player Obrian Robinson earned the competition's Most Valuable Player (MVP) crown.

"This is just reward for the hard work we put in," said McFarlane, who played alongside his son, Alex, on the team. "We will be taking the same approach going into the Western Super League."

Guest speaker at the awards ceremony, Senior Superintendent of Police Devon Watkis, commended the players for what he described as a "disciplined season", based on the significant reduction in red and yellow cards over the previous season. He reminded them that discipline and hard work were the keys to success.

Reminiscing on the days when St James ruled the roost in national football, Watkis reminded them that the outstanding players of that era always strived for excellence and did what was necessary, both individually and as a team to achieve positive results.

restoring glory days

In urging the players to strive to bring back the glory days, the senior policeman offered up shared values, mutual trust, inspiring vision, complementary skills and rewards as five pillars to build on.

"We (the police) are willing to work with you in partnering for success," said SSP Watkis. "In fact, we are calling on those youngsters who are involved in killings and the Lotto scam to leave that lifestyle and join us in the bid to make a positive change."

The breakdown for the other awards in the Major League read as follows: Leroy Christie of Montego Bay Boys' Club took the award for leading goalscorer and first hat-trick of the season; Most Disciplined team - Mountain Villa; fourth place - Mountain Villa; third - Granville City; second - Little Miami; and champions Fogo United.

In Division One, Rosemount pocketed $100,000 and the Claro Division Two Trophy for emerging champions. Their coach, the hard-working Barrington Brooks, walked away with the Coach of the Year honour.

Rosemount also took the MVP award via the talented Javier Peak.

While his team failed to win the title, star striker Roshane Reid, of beaten Division One finalists Norwood Strikers, walked away as the competition's leading goalscorer with his tally of 25 goals. This is the second consecutive year in which Reid is copping the coveted award.

The breakdown of the other awards read as follows: Most Disciplined Team - Marl Road; fourth place - Marl Road; third - Westgreen; second - Norwood Strikers; and champions, Rosemount.