Boxhill ally replaced as South Central Confed chairman
published: Sunday | May 21, 2006

Richard Bryan, Gleaner Writer

IN A development which could have implications for today's board of directors' meeting of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF), Dale Spencer, the Manchester president, has replaced Michael Ricketts of Clarendon as chairman of the South Central Confederation.
Ricketts is considered a key ally of the Crenston Boxhill administration, while Spencer was widely conceived as one of the architects behind the failed vote of no confidence against the JFF president earlier this year which was aimed at ushering the return of former president, Horace Burrell.

Spencer's successful nomination means automatic elevation to the JFF management committee which Ricketts served upon.

EXTRAORDINARY MEETING

Spencer's takeover came at an extraordinary meeting of the Confed hosted at Golf View Hotel in Mandeville yesterday, where Dalton Wint was returned as general secretary and Recardo Valentine of St. Catherine was elected as the new treasurer, replacing Dwight Thomas of Clarendon.

Ricketts was absent from the proceedings, as were representatives of the Clarendon FA. When contacted by The Gleaner, Ricketts said the move was politically contrived and he had no respect for the process.

"The meeting ought to be unconstitutional," Ricketts said. "I got notice that there was going to be an extraordinary meeting, not a voting one. Usually the voting of that magnitude would take place at an annual general meeting unless there was going to be a vote of no confidence, and that was not communicated to me by any member of the executive," he said.

'MAIN DETRACTORS'

Asked if he would be appealing the process, Ricketts lashed out at those he called his 'main detractors'. "Right now, I don't know what will happen. But I have no vibes to work with people like Dale and 'Happy' (Lincoln Sutherland)."

The general secretary and the new chairman strongly denied claims the meeting had been unconstitutional. The meeting was attended by 12 council members, four from Manchester, five from St. Catherine and three from St. Elizabeth.

Ricketts was elected as chairman in April 2004 by the casting vote of then chairman Boxhill, who opted to concentrate on his responsibilities as the newly-elected president of the JFF.