After seven years of existence in the TT Pro League, Sangre Grande based North East Stars are at the helm of a pull-out as explained by Owner/Manager Darryl Mahabir this week.
The Sangre Grande Recreation Ground has been in a deplorable state for the past few years with 2008 being the worst forcing the Stars to play all of their home games at away venues.
"We have reached to point where we can strongly say that North East Stars is in doubt for the 2009 season," said a distressed Mahabir.
Mahabir is hoping the Regional Corporation will pull their act together and maintain the neglected Sangre Grande Recreation Ground.
"We have lost our home ground advantage in 2008. Our basic concern at North East Stars is being a community based structure and without a proper home venue it's useless. When we started this club it was really to bring something to the community," said a disgruntled Mahabir.
In 2008, without their home facilities North East Stars were forced to scrap their youth programs and using players out of their district to represent the club at U14, U16 and U18 levels.
Further to that, Mahabir's club is facing the of landing a huge sponsor saying, "Without any big sponsors things are only looking down for us."
Mahabir believes that if things don't turn in their favour by the end of the month, North East Stars will not be one of the teams in the line-up of the 2009 season.
North East Stars have proven themselves in their seven year history as one of the top community based clubs lifting the 2003 FA title and finishing third in the League, winning the 2004 League Championship and in 2008 after starting at the bottom of the League, the Grande Boys finished with a brilliant third proving that they didn't lack talent.
Trinidad and Tobago talents Jerron Nixon, Kendall Jagdeosingh, Anthony Wolfe, Glenton Wolfe, Leslie Fitzpatrick and Brent Sancho are a few to names that have passed through North East Stars and it would only be unfortunate to see a pullout by the Grande based side.