Falmouth United’s future in doubt

Western Bureau:

Reggae singer Ky-Mani Marley, the owner of Western Confederation Charley's JB Rum Super League outfit Falmouth United, says he doesn't know if his club will be able to recover from the financial blow it has taken in light of the Jamaica Football Federation's (JFF) decision to cancel and declare the 2019-20 football season null and void.

The JFF declared that the 2019-20 season was cancelled for all competitions at all levels nationally. It means no champions will be crowned and there will be no promotion or relegation.

Falmouth United were strongly favoured to advance to the Red Stripe Premier League play-off when the coronavirus pandemic brought the western Super League season to a halt after match day eleven. They were on top of the table with 25 points, one more than Faulkland FC.

Marley, son of reggae legend Bob Marley, said it will be difficult for his club to survive after this season as he had spent a lot of money to take the them to the top out west.

"I definitely would not be able to pump so much (money) into the football next year. You have to think about it, it's like buying a car two times when nothing was wrong with the first one," he said.

Marley's investment

It has been over a decade since the parish of Trelawny has had a representative in the nation's top-flight football competition. However, Marley's investment in Falmouth United reignited belief that they could make a return to the Red Stripe Premier League.

President of the Trelawny Football Association, Marlene Brown, when asked about the effect it would have on football in the parish if Marley was not able to fund Falmouth United like he did for the past three years, said she hopes things will work out financially for the parish's flagbearers.

"I hope that they will be able to continue to get the help that they have been getting over the past three years. I know things will be tough, but I hope they (Falmouth United) will find ways and means," Brown said.