Clarendon FA president Michael Ricketts has issued an inspired appeal to his parish's most successful players to give back from the incomes they have gained through the vehicle of football.

Ricketts, who is also the South Central Confed chairman, made the appeal the centrepiece of his address at the annual Clarendon awards ceremony hosted at Bridge Palm Hotel, in Toll Gate. Ricketts provided an overview of football in the parish, citing the presence of two Premier League teams, the best by a parish outside of KSAFA, the presence of five FIFA referees, the best by any parish or region. He also pointed to Lennon's five-year reign as champions of the ISSA schoolgirl football competition.

sponsorship

Despite these achievements, Rickett's said the parish languished in the area of sponsorship since the loss of the multimillion dollar deal it had with Claro, who have since pulled out of Jamaica. Currently the parish's division one and knockout competitions are unsponsored.

Ricketts spoke directly to current players who were deemed to have made a successful career because of football. At present, the best known of the group, which Ricketts has appealed to include Rodolph Austin and Jevaughn Watson, who have contracts overseas and are key members of the national senior squad.

"I am using this occasion to make an appeal to those that are comfortable now because of football. Remember there is some little student somewhere who needs help so they can be afforded the same opportunity that you got to develop your football."

No names were called and Ricketts did not expand the basis of the appeal, but his comments resonated well seemed to have struck an immediate responsive chord among other speakers. The parish's custos, William Shagoury, who later spoke, said he appreciated Ricketts comments and would join in the appeal.

"The best self-satisfaction comes when one knows they have given back to someone in need," Shagoury said.

Even Dalton Wint, the Confed secretary and Manchester FA president, who was in attendance, weighed in.

"I do understand and I am 100 per cent behind his appeal because personally I've experienced a lot of pain from knowing players who have gone on overseas through scholarship and otherwise, and they come around and not even two balls they wouldn't give. I am not expecting them to give me anything personally, as I don't need it, but give something back."