- PHOTO BY PAUL REID
Andrew Price ... guiding Boys' Town back into the big time.Howard Walker, Staff Reporter
IT TOOK Boys' Town 10 years to return to the top of the league, but now they have only two weeks to get their home facility up to standard to participate in the upcoming Wray and Nephew National Premier League (NPL).
Andrew Price, communications and promotions manager at Wray and Nephew and current head coach of Boys' Town, said it cost approximately $7 million to get the home of Boys' Town up to par with Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) regulations.
"We are getting there. For infrastructure alone we are looking at somewhere in the region of $7 million. We are putting in some temporary stands that we got from the Air Jamaica Stand at Sabina Park," Price told The Gleaner. "The permanent stands will come in a phase basis," he added.
MANY SPONSORS ONBOARD
Price, while not wanting too disclose much about his sponsors, did revealed that "a lot of sponsors are onboard but I don't want to disclose the names as yet".
Boys' Town or 'Red Brigade' as they are popularly known, is located on Collie Smith Drive, in one of the most volatile communities known as Rema or Wilton Garden and in order to stay afloat in the Premiership certain structural changes are necessary.
According to Price, the final work is almost complete and the perimeter fencing will be elevated to keep the place properly secure and to maximise on gate receipts. At the entrance there will be a turn style and a ticket office.
Boys' Town dominated local football in the 1970s and '80s winning several titles before falling into oblivion in the '90s as their neighbours Arnett and Tivoli Gardens came to the fore.
But under Price's tutelage and persistence, the Red Brigade, which had one of the largest following in local football, finally made it back to the top league to the delight of their faithful supporters.
Boys' Town, over the years, lost most of their supporters and players to their west Kingston neighbours especially Tivoli Gardens who are of the same political affiliation the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP).
It was easy or more accepted for the Boys' Town fans and players to head south to join Tivoli Gardens rather than heading up north to Arnett Gardens, the People's National Party (PNP) team.
For the first time in over a decade the three neighbouring powerhouses will be clashing in the top league. In 1994, while Boys' Town were being relegated, Tivoli Gardens gained promotion to become the arch rivals of Arnett Gardens.
STRONG RIVALS
Price, the former Boys' Town hard man, knows what these derbies will mean and is looking forward to such battles.
"Oh definitely. They have been our strong rivals throughout the years and I don't think anything is going to change this season," Price said.
"They will always be good games. It will augur well for this coming Premier League season," he said.
