Dunbeholden fans expect another big season

Dunbeholden Football Club fans are still beaming with pride from an outstanding 2021-2022 Jamaica Premier League (JPL) season and are expecting much of the same this term.

The St Catherine-based club finished second in the regular season and went all the way to the final where they lost to Harbour View in sudden-death penalty shootout.

However, that hasn’t dampened the spirit of the community, and supporters are expecting the team to pick up where it left off despite losing manager Paul Christie and players Kimorlie Bailey, Demario Phillips and Shaquille Dyer to Mount Pleasant and last season’s JPL topscorer Atapharoy Bygrave, who has moved overseas.

Contrary to widespread belief that Christie’s departure left a void in the club, Dunbeholden fans, and president Donovan Witter, have said it will not and are convinced the title will be theirs this season.

Angela Hull, who operates a restaurant across from the team’s training ground, insists Witter is the man behind the club and that Mr Christie was just an addition to his team.

“I can’t comment on Mr Christie’s part. But Donovan Witter is my management,” she stated.

She added that although they have lost a few players, they gained some very good ones in the process and she sees them going all the way.

“Players come and go. We will miss them because they were excellent players but we have excellent new players.

“We not losing no game this season. We will win from the league start till it end. We’ll take it to them. So Dunbeholden coming back full force.”

Ryan, a barber in the community, is encouraged by the acquisitions, which includes Tivoli Gardens forward Stephen Barnett and Waterhouse utility player Stephen Williams.

“Last season was great. This season we expect nothing less than the same. The same attitude, performance, everything.

“In every club there are changes. People come and go, so we have to motivate ourselves and move on. We recruited some good quality players and it can only get better,” he said.

Herman Chin is also convinced they will be more successful this term.

“We want a better season and the trophy. Some people have gone but better will come. We believe we can do it. It is a serious thing we are dealing with this year. We want it and we looking for better than last season,” he insists.

Terri-Ann Douglas, a bartender, said it is full steam ahead.

“They will do well again because it’s a good team, with very strong support. When one door close many more open. We going right through. No stopping or looking behind,” she said.

Rohan Wilson, diehard fan, who insists he would walk on water to watch his team, is a bit more measured in his expectations.

“It can happen but we have to wait until the league starts to see how we are performing before we know how far we can go.

“If we are going on well we can go back. But if we are not winning games, we will not go back up there. But I am confident we can go back and win the final.

“The team is performing well in practice matches but win or lose is Dunbeholden mi say,” he declared.

Meanwhile, Witter insists the club has a professional structure in place and won’t be affected by their losses, he recently confirmed that long- time club servant Michael Cohen will fill the void left by Christie.

The new JPL season is scheduled to kick off on October 23.

livingston.scott@gleanerjm.com