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Chapelton Maroons buoyed by St Ann move President optimistic club will excel in JPL
August 25, 2026
After cutting ties with the Clarendon Football Association and forging an alliance with the St Ann Football Association, Chapelton Maroons are eyeing their best season yet in the Jamaica Premier League (JPL).
Chapelton Maroons were forced to abandon their original home at Turner’s Oval in Chapelton, Clarendon, after Cavalier boss Rudolph Speid purchased the property.
Speid and Phoenix Academy CEO Craig Butler have had a long and contentious history, and, in an effort to avoid future clashes, he opted to relocate the Maroons to Drax Hall.
Kaycie Butler, Craig’s daughter, who is the Phoenix club president, admitted it was a difficult decision to move the club from the community it has represented for over 40 years.
“We will play at Drax Hall this season. I think it is going to have a really good impact,” she said.
“We were forced to leave Clarendon because we no longer had a home ground there. So, while we love and appreciate the people of Clarendon, we are happy to keep the name of the club and to keep the relationship when we bought the club.
“However, when we looked at our options, Phoenix St Ann had already been playing in the league in St Ann for many years, and we’ve maintained our affiliation.
“So, we were more than happy to return to Drax Hall and to the people of St Ann. Whenever we play, the stadium is always packed. So we are happy to have them as fans, and we want to represent the parish of St Ann,” she said.
Transfer window
In this transfer window, Chapelton have acquired centre back Josiah Trimmingham and wingers Trevis Byron and Josiah Edward from Trinidad, along with Cameroon international Albright Wesley Tala Suh.
They have also picked up Leonard Rankin and Brian Brown from Montego Bay United, along with free agent central midfielder Tevin Shaw.
They are expected to strengthen a squad that already includes Robinho Gordon, Zhaine Pinnock, Nathaniel Howe, Denzel McKenzie, Sean Leighton, Levaughn Williams and Jason Wright.
With the squad they have assembled, the experience they have gained and the type of support they anticipate at their new home, Kasey Butler said they are ready to challenge for the JPL title this season.
“The team is loaded with talent, and we are very excited about the prospects. The team looks very strong, and we are looking forward to challenging for this year’s Premier League,” she said.
“We always say we are going to win the league. The first year, we didn’t do so great. The second year, we almost made it, and the third year, we usually come up to the top.
“We did that with the Manning Cup, and we are doing the same procedure with the Premier League. So, we are looking forward to being up there next season,” she said.
