George Evans, president of the St James Football Association (left), hugs Paul 'Tegat' Davis, minutes after Invaders of Trelawny qualified for next season's National Premier League by beating Santos of Kingston 2-1 in the final round of the play-offs at the Elliston Wakeland Community Centre in Falmouth on Sunday. Invaders, of Bunkers Hill, will join Village as the two teams from the parish in the nation's top club football league. - Paul Reid / Staff Photographer WESTERN BUREAU:
THAT SOUND you heard about 5:30 p.m. on Sunday was a collective sigh of relief from western Jamaican football fans and came out of the Elliston Wakeland Community Centre after Invaders qualified for next season's National Premier League (NPL).
For all intents and purposes, Invaders replaced Wadadah who were relegated at the end of last season after a long run in the top league. The first time entry of Invaders will ensure western Jamaica will have four teams in the NPL next season and, interestingly, two are from Trelawny.
Both Trelawny teams, Village included, were being coached by the same man, Paul 'Tegat' Davis, when they earned qualification.
Success as a coach is nothing new to Tegat, however, as the first Trelawny school team to qualify for the finals of the daCosta Cup finals, William Knibb, got there under his guidance, but that's another story for another time.
Before we even start thinking about what it will take to be competitive in the NPL, their achievements must be commended and no praise can be high enough for Davis pulling off another great coaching job.
Not that the trip was a smooth one and, even though there were signs from early in the season that they could qualify, there were still bumps and bruises and hiccups long the way.
HURDLE
After flying through the early rounds of the Fred Smith Western Confederation Super League, Invaders hit a hurdle near the end, but managed to get to the finals where they beat Granville on penalty kicks. Then after a good start in the play-offs, they went three matches without a win and had to wait until the last game to book their place, albeit at the expense of Santos.
To say the mood at Elliston on Sunday was overwhelmingly in favour of Invaders, is putting it mildly. The vast majority of the hundreds who came out, came with one thing in mind, to see Invaders in the Premier League and nothing short of this would have appeased them.
Spare a thought though for Santos and their ebullient coach, Carlton 'Spanner' Dennis, who came up just short after a great season.
The Santos name is firmly etched in the history of Jamaica's club football, not that one could have ever forgotten it over the last week and a half. From listening to the national electronic media you would think that Santos was the only team in the play-offs and the other three teams were there just to give them match practice.
There certainly was no love lost for KSAFA and Santos being their representative got the short end of the stick.
The animosity against KSAFA puzzles me, however, as I can't for the life of me understand why would anyone begrudge them what they obviously worked hard for and is enjoying.
That they have the most teams in the NPL and have won a number of titles on the trot is no one's fault, but the other Confederations have not worked as hard to get their standards up.
HEYDAYS
When western Jamaica teams were in their heydays and were winning title after title after title, we never heard a peep from the fans here, other than to berate KSAFA.
Now that they have put their ships in order and are reaping the benefits, it is time for us to do the same and try to get back on top.
Western club football has been a joke over the past five seasons with one disaster after another and, to be quite honest, there is precious little that has been happening to give hope that things are turning around.
Who knows, maybe this qualification by Invaders might just spark a change in fortunes. Whatever success one western team or parish enjoys, the entire west rejoices and benefits.
