Jaric Titans: We were never out in the cold

JARIC TITANS Sports and Development Club managing director and head coach Brian Browne says contrary to media reports, the members of the club did have accommodation when they travelled to England.

The group went to compete in the Manchester International Easter Cup from March 29-31.

The club, which returned to Tobago via a British Airways flight on April 5, came under heavy criticism after it was revealed that the members had travelled to England without adequate funding for accommodation.

So dire was the situation, the club had to set up a GoFundMe page to raise money to provide shelter for the group while in Manchester. The public was asked to donate money to the club’s Republic Bank account.

The group was temporarily accommodated at the Hilton Garden Inn, which is connected to Manchester United's Old Trafford Stadium.

On the Tobago Updates morning show on April 8, Browne claimed accommodation was never an issue.

“One of the main things in England, once you set foot outside of that airport is presenting some address. You can’t get through immigration without presenting them with where you are going to stay. Immediately, we had some place to stay and that was supposed to be Holiday Inn,” he said.

“The plea that was made was for assistance to help cover the cost of that, not to find accommodation.

"So contrary to what some of the media houses are reporting and publishing, we were not on the street. We were not out in the cold. That was never the case.”

Browne said apart from an estimated $3 million spent on airfare for the 80-plus contingent, which comprised 57 active players, a part of their payments for accommodation, ground transport and meals was made before they arrived in England.