Reigning champions Mount Pleasant Football Academy reclaimed their regular position in the top two on the Wray and Nephew Jamaica Premier League standing, following a come-from-behind 2-1 win over Harbour View at the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex on Monday.

Devonte Campbell (25^th) and Shaqueil Bradford (35^th) got the goals for Mount Pleasant, after Demar Rose gave Harbour View an early second-minute lead in the encounter that started at a decent pace, but lost tempo in the second half.

The win, which extended Mount Pleasant’s unbeaten run across seven games, pushed the St Ann-based team up to 39 points, one behind leaders Cavalier, on 40 points.

Tivoli Gardens (37 points), Portmore United (36 points), Arnett Gardens (34 points) and Waterhouse FC (26 points), occupy the other playoff positions. Harbour View are ninth on 19 points.

Winning coach Theodore Whitmore was pleased with his team’s recovery after conceding early.

“It was a high intensity game which is what we expected, but the problem is how we started the first half, and secondly, we played in the middle, instead of going out wide where we needed to play because that is where we are dangerous. After we sorted that, we got back into the game and got the job done,” Whitmore said in a post-game interview.

“After conceding, we didn’t panic, we maintained our focus and used the width of the pitch and that is where we were successful. So, it was a good win, but we want to take it game-by-game and just do what we have to do,” he added.

It was a frantic start to the contest, as Harbour View grabbed the early ascendancy, when Demar Rose lashed a right-footer past Mount Pleasant’s goalkeeper Shaquan Davis from deep inside the 18-yard box, after Jashaun Anglin neatly chested the ball down into his path.

The ‘Stars of the East’ continued to enjoy the better of possession and should have doubled the lead in the 11^th Okeemo Jones broke down the right channel with Rose for company in a two-on-one situation. However, he was hesitant in getting the pass off and was later dispossessed by a recovering defender.

That missed opportunity proved costly 14 minutes later, as Mount Pleasant pulled level courtesy of a tidy team build up, which ended with Campbell firing home his second of the season from an angle, after Daniel Green’s initial effort was parried by Davis.

From there, Whitmore’s side took advantage of the game, as they spread the ball to the left channel, in particular, where Campbell utilized his speed and nippy footwork to rattle Harbour View’s defence.

Three minutes past the half-hour mark, the 20-year-old Campbell produced a burst of speed down the left channel and was felled inside the danger area by Jones.

Referee Christopher Mason quickly pointed to the spot, and Bradford, who was assigned responsibility, made no mistakes from the 12-yard spot to put Mount Pleasant 2-1 up.

Mount Pleasant thought they had a third when Sue-Lae McCalla got the ball in the back of the net, but the goal was disallowed by referee Mason, who spotted a handball.

They again got the ball in the net on the stroke of half-time, but again it didn’t count as Bradford’s finish was from an offside position, and the score remained 2-1 at the break.

The second half, which was marred by stoppages, offered very little to write home about where goalmouth action is concerned, as both teams nullified each other’s attacking prowess and, as such, were unable to really produce anything meaningful in the final third.

Though slightly disappointed with the outcome, Harbour View’s Head coach Ludlow Bernard took heart from his team’s performance.

“I thought we gave it our all it is just unfortunate that after two breaks, we conceded and this about the third time this has happened, so we have to concentrate better,” said Bernard, who also took a jab at the officiating.

“I wouldn’t entirely say it was down to indiscipline, but more incompetence on the part of the officials. I think they were extremely poor, but that is that my guys battled hard, I think we needed to continue being patient with our build ups and that is a positive that we will build on going forward,” he noted.

Matchweek 18 Results

Cavalier 4, Lime Hall Academy 0

Molynes United 2, Portmore United 2

Dunbeholden FC 1, Treasure Beach FC 1

Humble Lion 0, Tivoli Gardens 2

Montego Bay United 0, Arnett Gardens 0

Vere United 0, Waterhouse FC 1

Harbour View 1, Mount Pleasant FA 2

Reigning Jamaica Premier League (JPL) champions Mount Pleasant Academy and English Football League One representatives Charlton Athletic have engaged a partnership with the long-term aim to further improve the quantity of elite players graduating from the club’s esteemed academy.

Mount Pleasant Academy (MPA) is a charitable organization offering talented children from throughout the Caribbean fully-funded boarding school scholarships.  The club has also provided two members of the current Reggae Boyz squad, as have the Addicks, in Michael Hector and Karoy Anderson.

The 'Mountain to Valley Partnership’ will provide a clear pathway for young, talented Caribbean footballers to play professionally in London, and will also allow Mount Pleasant to benefit from the knowledge, experience and expertise of Charlton's academy.

Non-Executive Director Paul Elliott CBE MBE, a Charlton academy graduate, who himself has Jamaican roots said the partnership is a strategic one that will prove beneficial to both parties.

“This long-term, strategic partnership will allow Charlton to dramatically increase the talent pool our brilliant academy is able to draw from. A lot of Charlton’s most successful homegrown players of the last 50 years have been of Jamaican origin - including many in the current team - so there is also a really good cultural fit,” Elliott said.

Mount Pleasant’s owner Peter Gould echoed similar sentiments.

“This Memorandum of Understanding is a symbol of the solid partnership and mutual commitment to the development of football talent in Jamaica and the wider Caribbean. This will help move regional football forward as young athletes will get an opportunity to hone their skills and develop their talents outside of the region,” Gould noted.

As Mount Pleasant continues to showcase its unique blend of Football and Academics, Sporting Director Paul Christie pointed out that the academy is already fortunate enough to attract many of the very best young players from throughout the Caribbean.

“Our belief is that this partnership with such a renowned London club will make us even more of an attractive proposition for talent. Charlton and Mount Pleasant have long-standing connections at many levels, from our respective ownerships to directors to coaching staff, so we are going to be building on firm foundations,” Christie reasoned.

Charlton’s academy was ranked eighth in England as of 2022 and long-standing Academy Director Steve Avory pointed to quality recruitment as key to a successful academy.

“Our recruitment of talented players in the immediate Charlton catchment area has been a key factor in our success and youth development over so many years. It all starts with talent ID,” Avory said.

“The Mount Pleasant partnership is an interesting, potentially fruitful, link outside of our south and east London focus and I know Bert Dawkins [Academy Recruitment Manager], who has been over to Jamaica to visit Mount Pleasant, is very positive about the possibilities with player recruitment from an emergent CONCACAF academy programme.,” he added.

As part of the various commitments underpinning the partnership, Charlton’s young players will take part in an annual youth tournament at Mount Pleasant’s campus, while the Addicks will host Mount Pleasant’s senior side in an annual pre-season charity match at The Valley.

Mount Pleasant Academy and Ballaz Academy are pleased to announce the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) aimed at fostering the development and execution of a comprehensive grassroots & elite youth development plan.  

This collaborative effort will focus on the holistic development of players and coaches, with the ultimate goal of establishing a feeder system for Mount Pleasant Academy as well as added growth opportunities for Ballaz Academy players.

The agreement outlines the commitment of Ballaz Academy to identify and present talented players for potential signing with Mount Pleasant Academy. The process will be conducted with the utmost consideration for the players' well-being and in accordance with the wishes of the players' parents or legal guardians, particularly in cases where the players are minors. 

Additional objectives of the partnership include expanding the elite player pathway for Ballaz Academy. This will be achieved through joint hosting of games, tournaments, and other events to showcase talent and promote player and coaching exposure and development. 

Andre Virtue, Director of Ballaz Academy, shared his thoughts on the collaboration, stating: "We are thrilled to formalize this partnership with Mount Pleasant Academy. This Memorandum of Understanding represents a significant step forward in our collective efforts in fostering the growth of football at the grassroots level and creating a pathway for young talent to flourish within the sport, as well as to expand the elite player pathway and provide invaluable opportunities for player and coaching development. We are committed to nurturing talent, promoting exposure, and creating a sustainable framework for the growth of football at the grassroots level.” 

By leveraging the expertise and resources of each participating organization, the MOU aims to create a sustainable framework for nurturing and honing the skills of aspiring footballers and coaches. 

"We are excited to formalize this partnership with Ballaz Academy as we collectively work towards advancing grassroots football development," said Peter Gould, Founder at Mount Pleasant Academy. "This Memorandum of Understanding underscores our shared commitment to empowering young athletes and enhancing the overall football landscape. We look forward to the positive impact that this collaboration will have on the development of football talent in our community and beyond." 

The MOU represents a significant milestone in the ongoing efforts to elevate football development in Jamaica and the region and is a testament to the collective dedication of all parties involved.

After a 16-year halt, the Wray and Nephew Group, through its White Overproof Rum brand has embarked on another major marketing investment in the Jamaica Premier League (JPL), with a multi-year deal as the league’s new title sponsor.

The three-year partnership valued at well over $60 million fills a pricey opening left by Digicel, who recently completed a three-year deal of their own worth $200 million.

Wray and Nephew last sponsored the league in 2002, and in 2006 it extended the contract until 2012. However, the deal ended abruptly in 2007 after Wray and Nephew released the Jamaica Football Federation from its contract without penalty.

At the time, Wray and Nephew officials stated that they stood ready to continue supporting football should any opportunity arise in the future and with Digicel, who took over the title sponsorship from Red Stripe in 2020, now backing out, the premium rum company is now back to bridge the gap.

However, unlike previous deals, Wray and Nephew’s Managing Director Jean-Philippe Beyer, explained that this partnership with the league organizers Professional Football Jamaica Limited (PFJL), will go much deeper.

Beyer, though reluctant to go in details, announced during Tuesday’s launch that his company is also intent on investing in the country’s sporting infrastructure development.

“We understand that supporting this league goes beyond supporting footballers, but we also have an impact on the coaches, management, spectators and the vendors, among others. So, a big thank you to everyone who has made this such an important platform to Jamaican society,” Beyer said during the event held at their Dominica Drive base.

“More importantly, this partnership is part of a wider initiative in national football progress. We are working with the Professional Football Jamaica Limited to build a long-term viable football initiative and so we are planning to commit a significant amount of money to develop sporting infrastructure,” he added.

Beyer pointed out that Wray and Nephew’s sponsorship across Jamaica’s sporting landscape has been significant. This, as besides football, they have invested in boxing, cricket, bobsleigh and even the Sunshine Girls recent World Cup campaign.

“J Wray and Nephew is a true stakeholder in Jamaica, making our country a decent place to live, work, raise a family and to do business. This is not just talk because in a little less than 10 years, our contribution to sport sponsorship has easily surpassed $1 billion, so we are putting our money where our mouth is,” he declared.

“This investment represents our commitment to celebrating Jamaica’s talent and we look forward to the success of the Jamaica Premier League and working with you to meet the challenges. We believe that partnerships are more important because we achieve more together,” Beyer noted.

PFJL’s CEO Owen Hill, said it was easy to get Wray and Nephew back on board, as both party's objectives are aligned, particularly where community involvement is concerned.

 “We want to give options and opportunities to the players, the clubs and coaches and others of the football landscape. So, having Wray and Nephew on board just shows how important it is, and along with other partners, it helps to build out that platform,” he told SportsMax.TV.

“What we did was show them the value added and how it can impact more lives and become deeper than it really is now. So, the alignment between brands is very clear and they want community involvement, so it was an easy sell because it helps to advance their own cause,” Hill shared.

As it has been over the years, all the action for the next eight months, will be on SportsMax and the SportsMax app.

CEO Nicholas Matthews, promised that the coverage will, as always, represent the class and quality of the Home of Champions.

“We have been working a lot with the JPL and this season we are going to lift that game. The league wants to go back into the communities, and we have looked at the plan and we will be going back into some of the communities to produce games. So, you are going to see a lot more involvement where the communities are concerned, but we are ensuring the quality of the product remains the same,” said Matthews.

The 2023/24 edition of the Jamaica Premier League is scheduled for kick off on October 22, with Lime Hall, out of St Ann and St Elizabeth’s Treasure Beach, being the new additions. 

Another St Ann-situated club, Mount Pleasant Academy, are defending champions.

For some, owning a football club is a statement that you are at a certain level as a businessman. But for Mount Pleasant Football Academy’s owner Peter Gould, it is not just about status.

In fact, Gould would readily tell you that he cares little what others think about his financial status and more about fulfilling his heart’s desire –to change the landscape and, by extension, help shape the legacy of Jamaica’s football through his academy.

“We had a couple of setbacks, you know the Covid-19 pandemic was a big setback obviously, but we are gaining back our strength and momentum and I think we should be in a better place by September. So, we are pretty excited, we have put a lot of work into the academy and the platform is well and truly set to accomplish all that we want to,” Gould declared.

“It will take a few years to build a complete institution, but we have people willing to come along and help us to move to another level, so we firmly believe we will be able to get there and put Jamaica’s football on the map the real way,” he added.

The Englishman established the academy in 2016 after he travelled to Jamaica and fell in love with the Mount Pleasant community in St Ann. Two years later, Gould opened a state-of-the-art football facility, which he said was designed to properly develop and nurture the talent of some of country’s young football prospects.

Incidentally, 2018 was also the same year that Mount Pleasant’s senior team, formerly known as “Stush in the Bush”, earned promotion to the Jamaica Premier League (JPL), and five years later, they are crowned kings of top-flight football.

The team, boasting one of its academy products, Devonte Campbell, defeated Cavalier 2-1 in Sunday’s final at Sabina Park, courtesy of a Sue-Lae McCalla brace. Collin Anderson got Cavalier’s goal.

“This is our first Premier League success, so it feels good, this was one of our objectives and it is great that we achieved it. I am happy, the fans are happy, and I also believe the community is widening in terms of people supporting our movement. So, obviously we are doing something right and I firmly believe that they only way to build is from the community,” Gould noted, as they continue to celebrate the parish’s first national title.

While it is unlikely that the entire Mount Pleasant setup, including the academy is yielding much return on investment for Gould and his wife Amanda, he said it is imperative that they maintain their standards to continue impacting the lives of the young charges, in particular.

Through the innovative project at the academy, the young men benefit from a high school education, as directed by the Ministry of Education, along with a structured football training programme.

The Mount Pleasant Football Academy has already sent Under-13 and Under-15 teams overseas to compete, with the latter currently representing St Ann in a Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) youth tournament.

“Listen the investment, I don’t even count it, the investment is about changing people’s lives, it is about the kids and exposing them. The ambition is to develop talent for the future, but more than that, they are getting an education and that I believe is the way of getting quality football…educating your players and then you get that discipline on and off the field," Gould opined.

He continued: “This is what we have coming through the vine and as we keep expanding you will have more kids coming to Jamaica to do their English and Mathematics and to play football. Many parents are making plans for their kids in the coming period, so they can go into officiating or coaching and analytics, so it is looking quite lovely.

“So, we are absolutely in it for the long haul, we are still building and putting in plans as we go along, it is just to get it done faster but it has been non-stop movements.”

Though admitting that there were times when he was infuriated by the Premier League team’s substandard performances, Gould reiterated that his approach is one of heart over head as he is well aware that in football, success comes at a high price. As such, he pointed out that the thought of backing out never once surfaced.

“I can’t say I was never disappointed especially when we were losing against 10 men, I was like what the hell, but still I was planning for the next match. So, we had some bad days on the road but no, never felt like backing out. We are here for the cause, we started something, and we intend to see it through. We know it won’t all happen one time, but we are managing to stay on the horse and get down the course,” the benefactor shared.

“We will announce some plans in a few weeks that I think really will engage the audience and will hopefully help the transformation of football and the youths. So, we have some experienced people coming on board because obviously it is not a two-person job me and my wife, we have other people wanting to join the train,” Gould disclosed.

Like every sporting team, Mount Pleasant also have their fair share of behind-the-scenes flaws, but Gould praised the efforts of Head coach Theodore “Tappa” Whitmore and his assistant Davion Ferguson, as well as manager Paul Christie in ensuring that whatever issues arise, are dealt with in a professional manner.

“To be quite honest I don’t really get involved in the day-to-day happenings. We have a management in place and Paul Christie is that lieutenant, he manages to take that control of leading with Tappa and Fergie. We have a meeting once a week when I’m in the country, but he [Christie] has put in tremendous work since he joined, Tappa has been so easy to work with, Fergie as well, so it has been a good team effort.

“They have a good team there, doctors and physios, again I don’t want to get involved in the players’ day-to-day, so yes we have issues, but we have people there that manage it as best as we can,” Gould explained.

Finally, the businessman said they will continue to aim high with Mount Pleasant Football Academy which he believes boasts a bright future.

“The plan is just to keep engaging the kids in Jamaica, we will be taking more kids on, and we will be doing a few projects in the summer,” he said.

“The future is looking bright, and we want to make Mount Pleasant a household name in Jamaica and so we will carry on with pride. I am not saying we will win the title every year, but we want to continue raising the bar,” Gould ended.