Howard Walker, Staff Reporter
SINCLAIR
DESPITE A rift between the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) and league winners Portmore United FC over prize money owing and a proposed sponsorship deal gone bad, Wayne Sinclair, chairman of Portmore United, said his team will be participating in all competitions this season.
"Just to be clear and unequivocal, Portmore United FC will be defending their NPL championship. We are aware that over the past 24 hours some news items have circulated suggesting otherwise, so let me just clear it up," Sinclair pointed out.
"The issue came about as a result of the circulation of some internal memo within Portmore United that was dealing with some issues that we have had with respect to our Federation and partnerships and sponsorship deals that we have been working on," he said at press conference yesterday to announce Saturday's Portmore United Day in the municipality.
"But these are issues that we are working around. There is some confusion out there but we will be participating," said Sinclair.
Portmore United swept almost everything before them last season, winning the Wray and Nephew National Premier League (NPL), the Red Stripe All-Island Knockout Championship, the National Under-21 tournament, the Red Stripe Light Beach Football and the Happy Sutherland Knockout competition.
A JFF cheque for $200,000 was drawn to Portmore United for the Red Stripe Light Beach Football prize money, but was returned by the bank, which angered the management of the club.
But Burchell Gibson, JFF general secretary, said there was a mix up at the bank and the problem had been solved with the replacement of a manager's cheque and a letter from the bank apologising to Portmore United.
Portmore United spends between $10 to $15 million on operations, and Sinclair, though not wanting to specify how much money was owing, stated that his club "is a business and every nickel does make a muckle and it is important for us to settle what is due."
"On the road to becoming a professional organisation, NPL clubs can spend anywhere from $10-15 million a year to bring themselves to a state of professionalism," noted Sinclair.
A proposed $7 million sponsorship deal with the club from a rival alcohol company was thrown out by the JFF and the league sponsors Wray and Nephew as a conflict of interest, which heightened tensions between the club and the organising body.
