THE Georgetown Football Association (GFA), in collaboration with Grace Kennedy Remittance Service (GKRS), yesterday launched the Western Union Division One Football League which is set to kick off on May 10 at the Camptown ground with a double-header.

Addressing members of the media at GKRS head office, Water Street, GFA secretary Marlon Cole informed that nine teams will contest the 2009 League and they are Beacons, Houston Stars, Santos, Uprising, Northern Rangers, Black Pearl, Thomas United, Riddim Squad and The University of Guyana.

GFA’s first vice-president Captain Tyrone Smith of the Guyana Defence Force (second left) accepts the sponsorship cheque and the champion trophy from Western Union’s Marketing Manager Natheeah King, while others in this Sonell Nelson photo are: from left, GFA’s competitions organiser Lyall Gittens, secretary Marlon Cole and GKRS representative Vaughn Alleyne.

Santos and Uprising were relegated from the GFA’s Premier League after placing seventh and eight respectively in the 2008 Premier League season and will be seeking to finish among the top two teams in this year’s 1st Division League in order to reclaim their spot in the 2010 Premier League.

According to Cole, the Western Union’s Division One League will be played on a round robin basis with the top four teams contesting a Super Four competition to determine which two teams will be elevated to the 2010 Premier League

Cole said in the round robin stage, each team will play each other once and the top four teams will subsequently play each other once also.

The winning team will receive $150 000 and a trophy while the second- and third-placed teams will collect $75 000 and a trophy and $50 000 and a trophy respectively, while the fourth-placed team will receive $25 000 only.

There will also be prizes for the Most Valuable Player, the Highest Goals Scorer, the Best Goalkeeper and the Most Disciplined team.

Matches will be played every Sunday morning at the Camptown ground beginning at 08:00 h.

Meanwhile, Western Union’s Marketing Manager Natheeah King in brief remarks charged the GFA and the players in the league to execute the games in a professional manner that ill make them recognisable as leaders in the Guyanese society.

She said while the best team may win, it is important that they acknowledge that they are all winners as a result of the league experience.

King said it is an honour for Western Union to pledge its sponsorship to the venture as football is seen as one of the most popular sporting activities in Guyana, and more so, it provides a meaningful outlet for the young men in Guyana and as such Western Union is proud to be associated with the GFA to assist in the development of football, a sporting discipline which enables many to realise a dream.

Western Union, she said, sees itself as the crossroad where youths and sports meet and as a result will give support where it can touch lives meaningfully.

“Western Union is known internationally for its reliability to customers. Hence today, this sponsorship reinforces our reliability, our caring and our commitment to football in Guyana, more so, to the development of our youths.

“We believe that the youths of today, once nurtured properly, will be the ambassadors of tomorrow, to represent and bring glory to our country, a recognition which can put Guyana on the map in the football fraternity.