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28
Thu, Mar

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North-East Stars celebrate
HAIL THE CHAMPS: PLAYERS and staff of North-East Stars celebrate their success in the T&T Professional Football League, after defeating Defence Force in their penultimate match last week Sunday at home on the Sangre Grande Recreation Ground.


CONGRATULATIONS North East Stars - the new holders of the league title in the T&T Professional Football League.

In rags to riches fashion, the Sangre Grande-based North-East Stars footballers were officially crowned champions on Sunday with another gritty performance, coming from behind to whip South Starworld Strikers 4-3 at Manny Ramjoihn Stadium in Marabella.

Three years ago when owner Darryl Mahabir decided to enter the unknown "Stars" in the biggest competition in the country the team fell to heavy defeats, losing their first 18 matches in the process.

At the time, all sorts of negative remarks were made about the team. But one year later North-East Stars, playing with almost the same team, proved the critics wrong by improving leaps and bounds, finishing third to stalwarts CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh and Vibe CT 105 W Connection.

The only difference was the recruiting of Guyanese coach James Mc Clean, who took over from Lloyd Solomon at the beginning of the 2003 season, and the hiring of Guyanese defencemen Charles Pollard and the late inclusion of fleet-footed Jerren Nixon.

Under Mc Clean, North-East Stars grew from strength to strength, as he managed to put a winning combination together.

In addition to Pollard and Nixon, Mc Clean was instrumental in influencing owner Mahabir to hire his countrymen Kayode McKinnon, Carry Harris, Howard Lowe and Abassi McPherson.

With the strong Guyanese influence, plus Kendall Velox of St Vincent, hometown boy Anthony Wolfe, die-hard goalkeeper Trevor Nottingham and a couple of the other players from the inception, the "Stars" have shown brighter than their more distinguished rivals, winning the league in clearcut fashion.

Champions

Trevor Nottingham
Charles Pollard
Abassi McPherson
Glenton Wolfe
Carry Harris
Kayode McKinnon
Kern Thomas
Howard Lowe
Kendall Velox
Davidson Neptune
Keryn Navarro
Anthony Wolfe
Wilford Joseph
Jerren Nixon (capt)
Keston Pierre
Ochieng Abosi
Anthony Crichlow
Simeon Augustus
Kendell Jagdeosingh
Kerron Winter
Richard Reynolds
Mark Leslie
Devin Elcock
Michel Peters
James Mc Clean (coach)
Philbert Charles(asst coach)
Martin Minus (manager)
Alston Joefield (physio/trainer)
Mitchell Jones (physio/trainer)
Darryl Mahabir (president)

Journey to the title

Round 1:


Arima/Morvant Fire 0 vs North-East Stars 3
North-East Stars 3 vs Starworld Strikers 3
North-East Stars 0 vs CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh 1
South-West Drillers 1 vs North-East Stars 2
North-East Stars 2 vs Vibe CT 105 W Connection
North-East Stars 5 vs Tobago Utd 0
Defence Force 1 vs North-East Stars 3

Round 2:

North-East Stars 2 vs Arima/Morvant Fire 2
Starworld Strikers 5 vs North-East Stars 2
CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh 1 vs North-East Stars 2
North-East Stars 2 vs South-West Drillers 0
Vibe CT 105 Connection 0 vs North-East Stars 0
Tobago Utd 1 vs North-East Stars 13
North-East Stars 5 vs Defence Force 2

Round 3:

Arima/Morvant Fire 1 vs North-East Stars 5
North-East Stars 3 vs Starworld Strikers 1
North-East Stars 1 vs CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh 1
South-West Drillers 2 vs North-East Stars 8
North-East Stars 1 vs Vibe CT 105 Connection 3
North-East Stars 3 vs Tobago Utd 0 (default)
Defence Force 0 vs North-East Stars 3

Big 6

North-East Stars 0 vs Arima/Morvant Fire 0
Vibe CT 105 Connection 3 vs North-East Stars 1
CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh 1 vs North-East Stars 3
North-East Stars 3 vs Defence Force 1
Starworld Strikers 3 vs North-East Stars 4

Standings

Teams P W D L F A Pts

North East Stars 26 16 6 3 80 33 57
Jabloteh 26 15 6 5 65 23 51
W Connection 26 15 6 5 67 26 51
Strikers 26 10 9 7 64 41 39
Defence Force 26 11 6 9 45 43 39
Fire 26 8 5 13 42 42 29