FORMER national central defenders Yohance Marshall and Derek King were named Most Valuable Player (MVP) and Coach of the Year respectively, as the TT Super League held its 2018 end-of-season awards at the WASA Sports Club, St Joseph on Thursday evening.
Marshall, in his first season at Queen’s Park, earned 13 Player of the Week selections and played an instrumental role as the club finished second in the League (behind FC Santa Rosa) and Cup (behind Cunupia FC).
Coach King and Marshall worked together last year at North East Stars and won the 2017 TT Pro League crown. King will be leaving FC Santa Rosa to join Canadian Premier League team Halifax Wanderers as an assistant to ex-TT head coach Stephen Hart.
Another top awardee on the evening was striker Kevon “Showtime” Woodley of Cunupia FC who claimed the Golden Boot as the leading goalscorer this season with 24 goals (23 in the League and one in the Cup).
Santa Rosa’s Jesse Peters captured the Goalkeeper of the Year award, Adesh Dwarika was named as the Match Commissioner of the Year and San Fernando Giants copped the Fair Play Award.
In his address, Super League president Keith Look Loy said the registration policy, whereby teams unable to meet the requirements will be debarred, stays in effect in 2019.
“I’m saying this tonight, if you do not pay you do not play,” said Look Loy.
The Super League president hopes to see an expansion of teams and a return of two divisions next season.
“The ambition is to have two divisions again next year,” he said. “But it all hinges (on registration)...and then we’ll have to decide how we’re configuring what we have and if teams that will be relegated will in fact be relegated, because teams that are supposed to be in the first division don’t pay and will fall by the wayside.”
He also hopes to attract sponsors for the forthcoming season.
“The League needs to have sponsorship,” Look Loy said. “We want to (give) actual cash. We have already spoken to two marketing agencies to help us find sponsors. The Super League has to be a dynamic league – a visionary league.”
HONOUR ROLL:
Most Valuable Player – Yohance Marshall (Queen's Park)
Most Goals (Golden Boot) – Kevon Woodley (Cunupia FC)
Coach of the Year – Derek King (FC Santa Rosa)
Goalkeeper of the Year – Jesse Peters (FC Santa Rosa)
Fair Play Award – San Fernando Giants
Match Commissioner of the Year – Adesh Dwarika
League – 1. FC Santa Rosa; 2. Queen's Park; 3. Prison FC
SOURCE: T&T Newsday
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