Howard Walker, Staff Reporter
FORMER LOCAL kingpins Boys' Town and Seba start their final journey back to the pinnacle of local football when they clash in one of two National Premier League Confederation qualifying games at Collie Smith Drive at 3:30 p.m.
In the other play-off, Los Perfectos (Los P) of Manchester host St. Mary's Star Cosmos at Brook Park, also at 3:30 p.m.
Boys' Town of the Kingston and St. Andrew Football Associa-tion (KSAFA) who ruled the roost in the 1980s, winning the Premier League in 1984, '86 and '89 while losing the 1987 final to Seba in controversial fashion, are confident of advancing to the top league.
The combination of local violence and a lack of funding contributed to an exodus of players from the team and, in 1994, the club fell from the top league.
Andrew Price, coach of Boys' Town, believes his talented crop of youngsters will get back to the top flight but won't be taking any team lightly.
"We are hoping to get in the top two. We must be in that top two. I think it is between Seba and us, so we have to get those three points at home," said Price.
NO EFFECT
Boys' Town are coming off an enthralling and hard-fought KSAFA final against Bull Bay in which extra time was played, but Price doesn't see it affecting his team.
"We have a lot of grit and determination and we are physically fit and rearing to go," he said.
Seba, the Western Confederation champions and last rural winners of the Premier League in 1997, fell from grace in 2004 and were relegated after consistently carrying the flag for western Jamaica for many years.
Paul 'Tegat' Davis, head coach of Seba, is also confident but expects a tough fight.
"When you reach this far in the league you have to be confident. I expect the football that Boys' Town used to play ten years ago, hard tackling and tough, plus they are more focused now having being out (of the NPL) for so long," said Davis.
TWO-WEEK BREAK
"We had a two-week break which kind of set us back in a little sense but the guys are in a good frame of mind for the game," he added.
In the other game at Brooks Park in Mandeville, home team Los P, the South Central Confederation winners, tackle Star Cosmos, the Eastern Confederation champions, in what is expected to be an equally intriguing encounter.
Los P, who last played in the Premier League 14 years ago in 1991, carry the burden of the entire parish on Manchester begging for a Premier League representative.
Under coach Bradley Stewart, who took over in January, the club has improved significantly and expectations are high. "The fans are expecting a lot as they want a team from Manchester in the NPL," Stewart said.
"I expect a difficult game. Qualification is a big motivation and the four teams will give of their all to get to the top. Every game will be difficult but we hope to take advantage of our home game to get maximum points," he said.
Star Cosmos, who last played in the top league in 2003, want a swift return following last year's failed attempt.
Head coach Donovan Duckie said the "training is all right, the vibes in the camp are good and the players are rearing to go. They knows what this means and they have done it before."
But, according to Duckie, players like goalkeeper Ralston Robinson, on loan to Constant Spring, and Keon Clunis, at Waterhouse, won't be available because they are still involved in the NPL.
"Basically, we have the same set of players that played in the NPL two seasons ago. We have an all-round team and at the end of the season we should be in the top league," said Everton Rose, manager of Star Cosmos.
