Super League refuses TTFA two-tier offer

THE TT Super League’s member clubs have refused the offer from the TT Football Association (TTFA) to participate in a two-tier competition, which was expected to kick off in October. On Saturday, the TTFA, in a media release, said they were going ahead with the new competition, after a meeting of its National Football Committee, comprising 25 clubs from the TT Pro League, TT Super League and Champion of Champion competitions. The two-tiered competition was set to comprise the ten Pro League clubs in the first tier (each receiving US$108,000 to cover club operations) and 12 clubs in the second tier (who will each get US$8,000 and pay no registration fees). The Super League, in a letter issued to the TTFA yesterday and signed by its secretary Peter Thomas, said, “At an extraordinary general meeting on Sunday, member clubs rejected the joint offer from the TTFA and the Pro League to join the latter as its second division. “(The Super League) believes the effort of (both) TTFA and Pro League to form a second tier in the latter by poaching Super League members is unethical, political and short sighted,” the letter continued. Referring to the cancellation of the proposed T-League last month, the Super League members “agreed to stage the 2019 Super League competition between October 4 and December 14.” The 2019 Super League will be sponsored by both Ascension Limited and Raymond Tim Kee Investments, which is owned by former TTFA president Raymond Tim Kee. The Super League clubs will pay a registration fee of $1,000 for the tournament (which will be called Super League Cup) and at least one Tobago-based club will be involved. According to the Super League media release, 13 clubs will be featuring in the Super League Cup – Bethel United, Club Sando, Metal X Erin FC, FC Santa Rosa, Guaya United, Matura ReUnited, Petit Valley/Diego Martin United, Police, Prisons FC, Queen’s Park, RSSR FC, San Fernando Giants and UTT.