2009 TT Pro League

Football league season

The 2009 TT Pro League season (known as the Digicel Pro League for sponsorship reasons) was the eleventh season of the TT Pro League, the Trinidad and Tobago professional league for association football clubs, since its establishment in 1999. A total of eleven teams contested the league, with San Juan Jabloteh the defending champions.^[1] The season began on 8 May, with Super Friday, and ended on 27 October. The format of the season was changed from each club playing three rounds to two rounds in the regular season to facilitate the national team with its attempt to qualify for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.^[2]

Police were re-admitted into the league following a one-year absence, whereas FC South End were admitted as a new club.^[3] However, North East Stars withdrew siting the state of their home ground, Sangre Grande Recreational Ground, for the past few years as the cause to sit out the season.^[4] The Sangre Grande Boys stated that they intend to return to the league for 2010. Furthermore, Caledonia AIA changed the name of the club to Caledonia AIA of Morvant/Laventille.

The first goal of the season was scored by Caledonia AIA's Walter Moore against Joe Public in the second minute of the first game on 8 May.^[5] Kendall Velox of Caledonia AIA scored the first hat-trick of the season against Police on 23 May. Kerry Baptiste won the Golden Boot by providing 35 goals for Joe Public on their way to becoming league champions.^[6]

On 12 September, Joe Public used a 2–1 win over W Connection at Manny Ramjohn Stadium to clinch the regular season crown on 41 points. San Juan Jabloteh, Caledonia AIA, W Connection, Ma Pau, and Defence Force all qualified for the Big Six. On 24 October, Joe Public claimed the league title with a 1–1 draw against Caledonia AIA. The achievement marked their second Pro League title with the first coming in the 2006 season.^[1] Having finished as the league champion, Joe Public qualified for the 2010 CFU Club Championship. By finishing runners-up in the league, San Juan Jabloteh also qualified for the CFU Club Championship.

With an 8–0 loss to W Connection on 1 September, Police finished bottom in the league. The club had a disappointing campaign having only recorded nine points with a -48 goal difference. This marked the first season in which Tobago United did not finish the league season bottom of the table. Furthermore, on 8 January 2010, United Petrotrin announced that they had pulled the club from the Pro League.^[7]

Changes from the 2008 season

The following changes were made since the 2008 season:

• The TT Pro League signed a sponsorship deal with Digicel and is now known as the Digicel Pro League.^[8]
• The number of rounds in the regular season were reduced from three to two to compensate the national team's attempt to qualify for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.^[2]
• Club rosters were expanded from 25 to 35 players to provide clubs relief during the league season that involved 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification, CONCACAF Champions League, and other domestic fixtures.^[9]
• There were a number of changes to the clubs competing in the 2009 season.
  • FC South End, a new club based in Point Fortin were admitted into the league.
  • North East Stars withdrew from the league and will return in 2010.^[10]
  • Police were re-admitted after sitting out the 2008 season.^[3]
  • Caledonia AIA changed the name of the club to Caledonia AIA of Morvant/Laventille.
  • The Trinidad and Tobago U20 national team were admitted to the Pro League to prepare for the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Egypt, but eventually did not enter.^[11]
  • Applications for admission by Marabella Flames, 1976 Phoenix, and St. Clair's Coaching School to join the Pro League were rejected.^[12]
• The Pro Bowl was shifted to close off the 2009 calendar in November and December with new branding partner Digicel following a pullout by former sponsors Courts Trinidad and Tobago Limited.
• A new knockout tournament named the Lucozade Sport Goal Shield took place in May and June with a unique prize money system.^[13] As a result, Lucozade Sport will no longer sponsor the Big Six.

Teams

Team summaries

Caledonia

Defence

Joe Public

Ma Pau

Police

Jabloteh

South End

Rangers

Tobago Utd

Petrotrin

W Connection

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Location of the 2009 TT Pro League teams

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Player transfers

Managerial changes

Regular season

Competition table

Updated to match(es) played on 20 September 2009. Source: TT Pro League
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(A) Advance to a further round
Notes:

1. Following the season, United Petrotrin withdrew from the Pro League for the 2010–11 season.

Results

Updated to match(es) played on 20 September 2009. Source: TT Pro League
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Pro League Big Six

Competition table

Updated to match(es) played on 27 October 2009. Source: TT Pro League
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(O) Play-off winners

Results

League table

Updated to match(es) played on 27 October 2009. Source: TT Pro League
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions
Notes:

1. Following the season, United Petrotrin withdrew from the Pro League for the 2010–11 season.

Positions by round

The table lists the positions of teams after each week of matches. In order to preserve chronological evolvements, any postponed matches are not included to the round at which they were originally scheduled, but added to the full round they were played immediately afterwards. For example, if a match is scheduled for the tenth round of matches, but then postponed and played between rounds 16 and 17, it will be added to the standings for round 16.

Updated to match(es) played on 27 October 2009. Source: TT Pro League

Season statistics

Scoring

• First goal of the season: Walter Moore for Caledonia AIA against Joe Public, (8 May 2009).^[5]
• Last goal of the season: Akim Armstrong for Caledonia AIA against Defence Force, (27 October 2009).^[26]
• First own goal of the season: Randy Harris (Police) for United Petrotrin, (19 May 2009).^[27]
• First penalty kick of the season: Reginald Payne (scored) for Tobago United against Ma Pau (9 May 2009).
• First hat-trick of the season: Kendall Velox (Caledonia AIA) against Police, 22', 40', 62' (23 May 2009).
• Most goals scored by one player in a match: 5 goals
  • Kerry Baptiste (Joe Public) against St. Ann's Rangers, 13', 41', 45', 78', 88' (21 July 2009).^[28]
• Widest winning margin: 8 goals
  • W Connection 8–0 Police (4 September 2009)^[29]
• Most goals in a match: 9 goals
  • Caledonia AIA 7–2 Police (18 August 2009)^[30]
  • San Juan Jabloteh 5–4 Defence Force (15 October 2009)^[31]
• Most goals in one half: 7 goals
  • San Juan Jabloteh v Defence Force (15 October 2009) 1–1 at half-time, 5–4 final.^[31]
• Most goals in one half by a single team: 5 goals
  • W Connection v Police (4 September 2009) 5–0 at half-time, 8–0 final.^[29]

Top scorers

Hat-tricks

• * Home team score first in result
• ⁴ Player scored four goals
• ⁵ Player scored five goals

Discipline

• First yellow card of the season: Nuru Abdallah Muhammad for Caledonia AIA against Joe Public, (8 May 2009).^[5]
• First red card of the season: Mark Leslie for Ma Pau against Tobago United, (9 May 2009).
• Most yellow cards in a single match: 6
  • W Connection 0–1 United Petrotrin – 2 for W Connection (Eder Gilmar Aras & Gerard Williams) and 4 for United Petrotrin (Cyd Gray, Lyndon Diaz, Ghymo Harper & Nigel Daniel) (23 June 2009)^[33]
  • Joe Public 1–1 United Petrotrin – 3 for Joe Public (Kerry Baptiste, Keyeno Thomas & Jason Springer) and 3 for United Petrotrin (Cyd Gray, Makan Hislop & Luis Andre Lima) (25 July 2009)^[42]
• Most red cards in a single match: 2
  • W Connection 0–1 United Petrotrin – 2 for W Connection (Eder Gilmar Arias & Marvin Phillip) (23 June 2009)^[33]
  • San Juan Jabloteh 3–0 Police – 1 for San Juan Jabloteh (Noel Williams) and 1 for Police (Devon Bristol) (3 July 2009)^[43]

Awards

Round awards

Annual awards

The 2009 TT Pro League awards distribution took place on 7 April 2010, at Cascadia Hotel in St. Ann's, Trinidad, prior to the 2010–11 season.^[44]

Joe Public took home the majority of the league honours including Team of the Year. Eastern Lion Kerry Baptiste was named the league's Player of the Year for the first time in his career, by providing 35 league goals.^[45] Baptiste also received the Golden Boot and was named the Best Forward.^[6] Joe Public manager Derek King became the youngest manager in the Pro League to win the league championship and claimed the Manager of the Year.^[46] In addition, Joe Public's Alejandro Figueroa, Trent Noel, and Keyeno Thomas were named the league's Best Goalkeeper, Best Midfielder, and Best Defender respectively. The remaining team award was won by Caledonia AIA for the Most Disciplined Team of the Year. FIFA international referee, Neal Brizan, won the Referee of the Year for the third consecutive year, whereas Boris Punch won the Match Commissioner of the Year in back-to-back years.

References

1. "Trinidad and Tobago - List of Champions". Radek Jelínekm, Hans Schöggl and RSSSF. 2009-04-03. Retrieved 2009-07-31.
2. Inshan Mohammed (2009-05-08). "Pro League welcome new sponsors". Ian Prescott (T&T Express). Archived from the original on 2009-05-11. Retrieved 2009-09-13.
3. Inshan Mohammed (2009-01-29). "Police return to Pro League". T&T Guardian. Archived from the original on February 2, 2009. Retrieved 2009-06-08.
4. Inshan Mohammed (2009-04-02). "North East Stars doubtful of 2009". Randy Bando (TTProLeague.com). Archived from the original on 2012-03-13. Retrieved 2009-08-22.
5. "Match Report – Matchday 1". Soca Warriors Online. 8 May 2009. Archived from the original on 13 March 2012. Retrieved 2009-08-16.
6. "2009 Pro-League Fixtures". Soca Warriors Online. 2009-10-23. Archived from the original on 2016-01-29. Retrieved 2009-10-23.
7. "Petrotrin pull out from Pro League". Joel Bailey (T&T Newsday). 2010-01-14. Retrieved 2010-01-14.
8. "Digicel to sponsor Pro League football". Stephon Nicholas (T&T Newsday). 2009-08-05. Archived from the original on 2009-05-15. Retrieved 2009-01-08.
9. "TT Pro League, TTFF resolve FIFA 5-day ruling". Randy Bando (TTProLeague.com). 2009-09-08. Retrieved 2012-12-29.
10. "North East Stars to miss 2009 Pro League season". Randy Bando (TTProLeague.com). 2009-06-02. Retrieved 2009-06-08.
11. "T&T U-20s to join Pro League". T&T Express. 2009-03-14. Retrieved 2009-08-19.
12. Inshan Mohammed (2009-03-07). "Only Police makes Pro League grade". T&T Guardian. Archived from the original on 2012-03-13. Retrieved 2009-08-28.
13. "Lucozade Sport joins Pro League knockout scheme". Randy Bando (TTProLeague.com). 2009-05-27. Retrieved 2009-01-08.
14. "Police return to Pro League". T&T Guardian. 2009-01-29. Archived from the original on 2009-01-30. Retrieved 2009-12-03.
15. "Jabloteh march on". Lasana Liburd (T&T Express). 2008-09-25. Archived from the original on August 15, 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-08.
16. "Brazilian tactician plots Petrotrin's '09 success". T&T Newsday. 2009-02-27. Archived from the original on 2009-04-30. Retrieved 2009-05-08.
17. "Ross Russell to coach Army". T&T Guardian. 2009-10-04. Archived from the original on 2009-04-12. Retrieved 2009-05-08.
18. "La Forest awaits new offer". T&T Guardian. 2009-01-17. Archived from the original on March 2, 2012. Retrieved 2009-05-08.
19. "Ma Pau ousts La Forest, Brazilian is new coach". T&T Newsday. 2009-01-21. Retrieved 2009-11-27.
20. "Ma Pau axe Da Silva". Randy Bando (TTProLeague.com). 2009-04-15. Retrieved 2009-05-08.
21. "McComie takes over from Brazilian at Ma Pau". T&T Guardian. 2009-08-04. Retrieved 2009-05-08.^{[permanent dead link]}
22. "Fed-up Fenwick bails". Lasana Liburd (T&T Express). 2009-04-17. Retrieved 2009-05-08.
23. "Earl Jean: Jabloteh will defend League title". Randy Bando (TTProLeague.com). 2009-04-28. Retrieved 2009-11-02.
24. "Fenwick returns to Jabloteh". Nigel Simon (T&T Guardian). 2009-11-29. Retrieved 2009-11-30.
25. "Fenwick back as coach of struggling Jabloteh". Walter Alibey (T&T Newsday). 2009-11-29. Retrieved 2009-11-29.
26. "Defence Force lose all five". Joel Bailey (T&T Newsday). 29 October 2009. Retrieved 2010-03-11.
27. "Jabloteh stretched by Tobago United". Joel Bailey (T&T Newsday). 21 May 2009. Retrieved 2010-03-11.
28. "Match Report – Matchday 12". Soca Warriors Online. 21 July 2009. Archived from the original on 13 March 2012. Retrieved 2009-08-16.
29. "Connection humble Lawmen 8-0". Joel Bailey (T&T Newsday). 6 September 2009. Retrieved 2009-11-24.
30. "Caledonia go top in Pro League". Joel Bailey (T&T Newsday). 20 August 2009. Retrieved 2010-03-11.
31. "Match Report – Big Six Round 1". Soca Warriors Online. 15 October 2009. Retrieved 2009-11-22.
32. "Match Report – Match Day 6". Soca Warriors Online. 16 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-11-22.
33. "Match Report – Matchday 7". Soca Warriors Online. 23 June 2009. Archived from the original on 13 March 2012. Retrieved 2009-08-16.
34. "Match Report – Match Day 16". Soca Warriors Online. 4 August 2009. Retrieved 2009-11-22.
35. "Guyana's 'Lily' Pollard, scores in T&T Pro League". Stabroek News. 17 August 2009. Retrieved 2009-11-24.
36. "Lawrence stars in Jabloteh win, Ma Pau new leaders". Randy Bando (TTProLeague.com). 24 August 2009. Retrieved 2009-11-24.
37. "Samuel fires Ma Pau to Pro League top". Kevin Sunich (T&T Guardian). 23 August 2009. Retrieved 2009-12-15.
38. "Baptiste, Smith demolish Police". Joel Bailey (T&T Newsday). 31 August 2009. Retrieved 2009-11-24.
39. "Joe Public, W Connection tangle". Nigel Simon (T&T Guardian). 1 September 2009. Retrieved 2010-01-25.
40. Inshan Mohammed (2009-12-13). "2009 Pro-League Fixtures". Archived from the original on 2012-09-29. Retrieved 2010-01-26.
41. "Jabloteh edge Army in 5-4 goal rush". Randy Bando (TTProLeague.com). 16 October 2009. Retrieved 2009-12-15.
42. "Match Report – Matchday 13". Soca Warriors Online. 25 July 2009. Archived from the original on 13 March 2012. Retrieved 2009-08-16.
43. "Match Report – Matchday 8". Soca Warriors Online. 3 July 2009. Retrieved 2009-08-16.
44. "Joe Public dominate 2009 awardees". Randy Bando (TTProLeague.com). 2010-04-08. Retrieved 2010-04-08.
45. "Baptiste named 2009 TOYOTA Player of the Year". Randy Bando (TTProLeague.com). 2010-04-08. Retrieved 2010-04-08.
46. "CONCACAF's ups and downs in '09". FIFA.com. 28 December 2009. Archived from the original on December 31, 2009. Retrieved 2010-05-15.

External links

• Official Website
• Soca Warriors Online, TT Pro League