Beckford remains in control of SAFA

St Ann Football Association (SAFA) president Danny Beckford has been returned unopposed for a next fours years, after the nomination process closed on Sunday.

Beckford, who has reigned over the parish's football since 2004 and will be serving his fifth term in office, said he wants to continue growing the sport in the parish.

He noted that the recent achievements of Mount Pleasant, who won the Jamaica Premier League (JPL) and Lime Hall, who went to the final of the National Tier II competition and advanced to the JPL, show they have become one of the strongest football parish associations and he wants to continue on that trend.

"We want to spread football in the parish because we are now one of the strongest parishes and we need the support of the communities.

"There are no real feelings or emotions it is just business as usual. I was expecting this so my expectation just only came through. Once we got five nominations we knew we were all right and we had 12," he pointed out.

"This year alone we had a team that won the Premier League, a team that qualified for the Premier League and a team that qualified for the Tier II.

"Our under-15s went to the semifinals of the national competition and we have a Jody Brown representing Jamaica at the World Cup," Beckford added.

He said the main plan on his agenda for this term is to get approval for Drax Hall to be one of the four technical centres the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) wants to establish across the island.

"We have 33 acres and we hope to put in, within the next couple of years, an all-weather running track and Astro turf. Once we can put that together it will be a significant boost to the infrastructure at Drax Hall.

"The JFF wants to have four technical centres, one is at UWI already. The one in the north east would ideally be at Drax Hall. So we are hoping it can be approved and within the next year to start development at Drax Hall. We intend to utilise the entire 33 acres," he stated.

Beckford's position will be confirmed when the voting congress convenes on August 13 at Drax Hall at 10 a.m.

His slate includes Sherlock Thorney as first vice-president, Gerald Green as second vice-president, Melissa Parkes-Wisdom as treasurer and Debbie Parkes as her assistant. Junior Wallace is the public relations officer.