football: premier league

Montego Bay United and Highgate United have been the most active clubs in the Premier League transfer market, despite a number of clubs joining the race ahead of the close of the window for the start of the 2011-12 window.

The St Mary-based Highgate, who will be competing in the league for the first time, have so far made 19 new signings, while Montego Bay United, formerly Seba United, out of St James, have also done a fair bit of pre-season shopping by adding 11 new players to their roster.

Among those who have been added to the Highgate roster are three players from the Portland-based St Georges Sports Club and St Ann-based Benfica, two teams which were relegated from the league last season.

The St Georges transfers are Zanike Anderson, Donovan Davis and Delroy James, while the Benfica players who have put pen to paper are Carlos Smith, André Dyce and Adrian Peart.

Two other Premier League players who will be plying their trade this season for the Braxton Hyre-conditioned St Mary unit will be David Boswell, who moves from Clarendon's Sporting Central Academy and Shamal Briscoe, formerly of Portmore United.

The non-league players to have signed are mainly from teams within the parish. They are Donovan Foreman and Dane Henry from Star Cosmos, Jason McFarlane and George Giscombe of Bridgegate, Rodney Hamilton of Famous, Orlando Smith of Frazier's Wood, Kemroy Farrier, Kristoh Forrester, André Nelson and Michael Cousins of Axum, along with Judah Juah of Yellow Stars.

Mobay sign eight

Montego Bay United have so far signed eight players from neighbouring Village United, one of the western region's two standard bearers in the league last season.

The eight are Keneil Kirlew, Donovan Carey, Winston Wilkinson, Rohan Bernard, Mario Samuels, Nicolie Barrett, Jermaine Woozencroft and Ajohn Barker.

The Orville Powell-led club has also signed two of Reno's top-rated players, Troy Reid and Shane Anderson.

Among the teams to have retained their place last season, Clarendon's Humble Lion have been the most active with 14 transfers.

Some of the most prominent players include Michael Blygen of champions Tivoli Gardens, Joel Anderson of Boys' Town, Oneke Ford of Sporting Central and the Benfica pair of Omar Walters and Damion James.

The others moving to Humble Lion are Carlton Aikens of Mood Hall, Demar Sewell of West Park, Sanjay Allen of White Marl, Wilton Silvera of Cockpit United, Orane McLean of New Longsville, Kamoy Irving of Bodles, Travis Roberts of Chateau Progressive, Rannaldo Christian of Baileys and Baileys, and Germaine McFarlane of Palmer's Cross.

Other clubs that have so far completed transfers include Harbour View (six), Village United (five), Arnett Gardens (three), Portmore United (one) and Reno (one).

The new additions to the Village roster are Damion Williams and Renford Williams of Spicy Hill, Beneto Lawrence of Preston, Kevon Bartley and Chavaughn Barnett of Duanvale.

Those who have gone to Arnett are Kamoy Simpson and Horatio Nelson of Cavalier, and Kerwin Hill of Santos, while Kerry Esprit of Windsor Lion has joined Reno, and Kemar Foster of Frazier's Whip will now don the colours of Portmore United.

Harbour View have acquired the services of Ashek Taylor from Boys' Town, Danian Reid and Damion Harwood of St. Georges, Romaine Lewis of Holland United, Miguel Barnaby of Downs and Marlon Walters of Shortwood.

Meanwhile, several other clubs are yet to register their roster of players, according to a recent release from the Professional Football Association of Jamaica, which along with the Premier League Clubs Association, administers the league.

These include Waterhouse, Boys' Town and Sporting Central Academy, who have either submitted incomplete documents or have missed their original deadline for registration.