Montserrat Championship
The Montserrat Championship is the top association football division in Montserrat. It was created in 1974 but has been competed-for only sporadically since then, partially as a result of the Soufrière Hills eruption causing widespread devastation to the island in 1997. Between 2005 and 2015, no league was played in this country at all. The league restarted in 2016, but has not been played since 2018.[1]
Sport | Football |
---|---|
Founded | 1974 |
No. of teams | 5 |
Country | Montserrat |
Most recent champion(s) | Police |
Level on pyramid | 1 |
International cup(s) | CFU Club Championship |
History
Football was first brought to Montserrat during World War 2 and grew in popularity during the 1960s and 1970s at which time the championship and Football Association were established,[1] The first iteration of the national championship was held in 1974 and was won by the Police.[1] A second season was played the following year, won by Bata Falcons, but following that there are no records of any form of organized competition until 1995, when the Police team again won the championship. Just as organized football on Montserrat was beginning to get going, a major eruption of the Soufrière Hills volcano caused widespread destruction of large parts of the island, with many villages being abandoned.[2] As a result, the 1996–97 season was abandoned part way through and no formal competition was held on the island until 2000, when the competition was again won by the police team.[3] Further competitions were held each year until 2004, when Ideal became only the third team to win the championship in its history.[4] This was the last recorded season of formal competition on the island until 2016 when the competition occurred again.[1]
Current clubs
Source:[5]
Most league games took place at the 1,000-capacity Blakes Estate Stadium.
- Bata Falcons
- Elberton
- Ideal
- Jolly Roger
- Little Bay
- Montserrat Volcano Observatory Tremors
- P.C. United FC
- Royal Montserrat Police Force
- Seven Day Adventists Trendsetters
- St. John's
Previous clubs
- Montserrat Secondary School
- Salem FC
Previous winners
Season | Winner |
---|---|
1974 | Police |
1975 | Bata Falcons |
1976–1995 | not known |
1995–96 | Royal Montserrat Police Force |
1996–97 | abandoned |
1998–99 | no championship |
2000 | Royal Montserrat Police Force |
2001 | Royal Montserrat Police Force |
2002–03 | Royal Montserrat Police Force |
2004 | Ideal |
2005–15 | no championship |
2016 | Royal Montserrat Police Force |
2016 | no championship |
2018 | ? |
2019–present | no championship |
Source:[1]
Topscorers
Year | Best scorers | Team | Goals |
2001 | Ottley Laborde | Royal Montserrat Police Force | 21[6] |
2002/03 | Ottley Laborde | Royal Montserrat Police Force | 8[7] |
2016 champions
Team | Location | Stadium | Capacity |
---|---|---|---|
Royal Montserrat Police Force FC | St. John's | Blakes Estate Stadium | 1,000 |
References
- Schöggl, Hans (18 December 2014). "Montserrat — List of Champions". RSSSF. Retrieved 12 November 2015.
- Schöggl, Hans (18 December 2014). "Montserrat 1996/97". RSSSF. Retrieved 12 November 2015.
- Schöggl, Hans (22 July 2004). "Montserrat 2000". RSSSF. Retrieved 12 November 2015.
- Schöggl, Hans (18 December 2014). "Montserrat 2004". RSSSF. Retrieved 12 November 2015.
- "MONTSERRAT 2017-2018". keltia.ch. Retrieved 28 June 2019.
- Schöggl, Hans (22 July 2004). "Montserrat 2000". RSSSF. Retrieved 12 November 2015.
- Schöggl, Hans (26 February 2014). "Montserrat 2002/03". RSSSF. Retrieved 12 November 2015.