Richard Bryan, Star Writer

Local alumina plant Jamalco is still keen to fund a team through the various tiers and qualify for the national Premier League.

The plan was first mentioned three years ago by general manager Jerome Maxwell at the company's annual presentation award for the community football league. The league, the Jamalco Football League (JFL), is currently one of the most lucrative community-based competitions locally, with the winner pocketing $120,000 in addition to other healthy cash incentives.

Corporate Affairs Manager Leo Lambert, who is now spearheading the National Premier League dream, restated the company's plan.

"As a sponsor, we made that commitment and we stand by it," Lambert told a similar audience at the 2013 awards, held at the newly refurbished Wembley Excellence Centre.

"Already, we are the netball factory of Jamaica and in a couple of years we will be the football factory," a confident Lambert predicted.

The Wembley Excellence Centre is on the grounds which contains the football field that exclusively hosts matches in the annual JFL. It is expected that the field will be further developed as a top-class football facility complete with stands.

An ambitious plan

The initial announcement encompassed an ambitious plan to achieve National Premier League status in three years, using a team of players mainly drawn from teams which contest its community league. The first year began with a bang when they won the Clarendon Division One at one shot. The Major league was the next hurdle, but they faltered at the end, losing by one point to Four Paths who qualified for the South Central Confed Super League. This past season, the Jamalco team made amends and easily won that competition and will now participate in the new season of the Confed league. Before that though, they will get a taste of football at the national level when they participate in the national knockout competition.

Ewan Scott, who is in charge of the football operations at Jamalco, disclosed that a squad had been assembled and will begin training next week. The squad comprises players from the Major League campaign and specially invited players from the just concluded league. The company, he said, is on the lookout for others who can strengthen the team.

"First, we are not looking for professional players who expect to be paid a salary, and we cannot guarantee that the players we recruit can get jobs at the company," he emphasised.

"What we are looking for are players who can work with us in achieving that dream and, of course, we will provide the usual basic necessaries that go with having a team," he added. Currently, players who ply their trade in the Premier League at any of the two Clarendon clubs - Humble Lion and Sporting Central - are welcome, he said, as long as they understand the criteria.