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TWO footballers who will represent Trinidad and Tobago at next year’s World Cup in Germany and another former national player will be honoured tomorrow night at a gala prize-giving ceremony when the curtains come down on the La Brea Community and Environs Football League.
 The honourees are striker Kenwyn Jones who plays for Southampton in the English Second Division; defender Avery John and former ex-national midfielder Anthony Rougier. They are all products of the deep south. Jones is also the nephew of former national striker Philbert Jones who made his mark for Trinidad and Tobago national debut for the “Strike Squad” which came within a point of qualifying for the 1990 World Cup in Italy.

They were beaten 1-0 by the United States of America (USA) at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo needing just a draw to qualify. The former St Anthony’s College star began playing football in his native Sobo Village in La Brea while John and Rougier both grew up in the neighbouring Vance River. Secretary of the league Larry Joseph, who represented Trinidad and Tobago in football said that Rougier, John and Jones played from the start of the qualification series and they are very proud of their performances. Joseph said their achievements are an indication of the talent that exists in the area and promised  next year to stage an even bigger La Brea Football League competition. Meanwhile over $30,000 in cash will be distributed at the presentation function which is carded for the La Brea Community Centre from 5 pm, courtesy the league’s “Big Four” sponsors Alutrint.

The new company, operating at the Union Industrial Estate in La Brea, has come out in support of the league which aimed at reviving the sport in the deep south as well as helping in the fight against juvenile delinquency and crime. Last week La Brea Bosnia shot two unanswered goals past Stoke City in the final of the “Big Four” tournament to be crowned champions. La Brea Bosnia got goals from former national youth footballer Andre Alexis and Anton Passey for a comfortable 2-0 win and copped the $10, 000 cash prize which will be given to them tomorrow night. In addition the Bosnia outfit will also receive the Mikey Lambert Memorial Trophy in honour of the popular La Brea coach and “father” to the many young footballers in the deep south. Lambert died two months ago and will be remembered at the prize-giving function tomorrow evening. League officials are also planning to select a La Brea All-Star team that will compete in exhibition matches across the country in the new year.

Stoke City will collect the $7,000 runners-up prize while Vance River will pocket the third place incentive of $4,000 following their triumph over Mixed Generation in a keenly contested play-off. The winners of the Knockout competition Stoke City Savannah Boys will receive $3,000 courtesy Trinidad Lake Asphalt. They secured the top spot after they outclassed Sobo United  in the play-off. Sobo however will also receive a cash award for their performance. Joseph meanwhile has expressed satisfaction with the way the league was conducted. He said that football is the most popular sport in his part of the country but it had fallen short because of a lack of financial support. He expressed his gratitude to Alutrint, saying that it was because of their support for the new company that they were able to get things going again in the deep south and offer good prizes to the winning teams.