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Lack of support holding back Boys’ Town – Brown
July 19, 2023
Former Boys' Town player and coach Carl Brown says lack of financial support is crippling the club, and he believes a club with such a rich history should be attracting greater support.
Boys' Town, one of the dominant football clubs in the 1970s and early 1980s, were relegated from the Premier League in 2018 and have struggled to return to the top flight. On Sunday, the club defeated Constant Spring 4-2 in the KSAFA Championship League final to book a spot in the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) National Tier II League, the second tier of local football.
Brown feels the club is being neglected both by political representatives and private sector entities, but he believes they can rediscover their former glory and become a top club again.
"The club is going through a transition. We have rebuilt the team. They have reached a final, so hopefully, we can move to the next stage. But again, lack of financial support continues to hold back this club.
"It will take good past players and private sector people to get them back in the Premier League but there is a lot of work to be done," he said.
He noted also that political representatives over the years have always favoured neighbours Arnett Gardens, and he said it's time for that to change.
"We (community) have been politically branded over the years. You are either JLP or PNP, and from my recollection only one member of parliament has ever assisted, us and that is (former MP) Omar Davies, and I have to lift my hat to him.
"But no other politician has ever come forward to help. When you plant a seed, you have to water it. The seed is already planted and it needs fertiliser and water to grow," Brown said, while calling for help from current St Andrew Southern MP Mark Golding.
Brown, who currently resides in the United States, said he will offer any support he can to the club, and regrets not living in the island to personally assist with the development of the club.
"I may not be here but any form of assistance I can offer the club I will. It's one of the things I regret, not being here to help them in that process.
"But it has always been difficult and it is not getting better and the young people of Boys' Town need to start feel hopeful that there is something for them to aspire to.
"But it can be done. The last time we were ten years out of the Premier League before we got back in. So I am very hopeful that the day will come when we are back in the Premier League," he said.
In Sunday's final, two goals each from Rafiek Thomas and Raheem Porter saw Boys' Town go past Constant Spring, who got consolation goals from Javier Wilmot and Orville Mullings.
