2009 TT Pro League

TT Pro League
Season2009
ChampionsJoe Public
2nd Pro League title
3rd T&T title
CFU Club ChampionshipSan Juan Jabloteh
Joe Public
Matches played125
Goals scored372 (2.98 per match)
Top goalscorerKerry Baptiste (35 goals)
Biggest home winW Connection 8–0 Police (4 September 2009)
Biggest away winPolice 0–7 Joe Public (29 August 2009)
Highest scoringCaledonia AIA 7–2 Police (18 August 2009)
Jabloteh 5–4 Defence Force (15 October 2009)
← 2008
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The 2009 TT Pro League season (known as the Digicel Pro League for sponsorship reasons) was the eleventh season of the TT Pro League, the Trinidad and Tobago professional league for association football clubs, since its establishment in 1999. A total of eleven teams contested the league, with San Juan Jabloteh the defending champions.[1] The season began on 8 May, with Super Friday, and ended on 27 October. The format of the season was changed from each club playing three rounds to two rounds in the regular season to facilitate the national team with its attempt to qualify for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.[2]

Police were re-admitted into the league following a one-year absence, whereas FC South End were admitted as a new club.[3] However, North East Stars withdrew siting the state of their home ground, Sangre Grande Recreational Ground, for the past few years as the cause to sit out the season.[4] The Sangre Grande Boys stated that they intend to return to the league for 2010. Furthermore, Caledonia AIA changed the name of the club to Caledonia AIA of Morvant/Laventille.

The first goal of the season was scored by Caledonia AIA's Walter Moore against Joe Public in the second minute of the first game on 8 May.[5] Kendall Velox of Caledonia AIA scored the first hat-trick of the season against Police on 23 May. Kerry Baptiste won the Golden Boot by providing 35 goals for Joe Public on their way to becoming league champions.[6]

On 12 September, Joe Public used a 2–1 win over W Connection at Manny Ramjohn Stadium to clinch the regular season crown on 41 points. San Juan Jabloteh, Caledonia AIA, W Connection, Ma Pau, and Defence Force all qualified for the Big Six. On 24 October, Joe Public claimed the league title with a 1–1 draw against Caledonia AIA. The achievement marked their second Pro League title with the first coming in the 2006 season.[1] Having finished as the league champion, Joe Public qualified for the 2010 CFU Club Championship. By finishing runners-up in the league, San Juan Jabloteh also qualified for the CFU Club Championship.

With an 8–0 loss to W Connection on 1 September, Police finished bottom in the league. The club had a disappointing campaign having only recorded nine points with a -48 goal difference. This marked the first season in which Tobago United did not finish the league season bottom of the table. Furthermore, on 8 January 2010, United Petrotrin announced that they had pulled the club from the Pro League.[7]

  1. ^ a b "Trinidad and Tobago - List of Champions". Radek Jelínekm, Hans Schöggl and RSSSF. 2009-04-03. Retrieved 2009-07-31.
  2. ^ Inshan Mohammed (2009-05-08). "Pro League welcome new sponsors". Ian Prescott (T&T Express). Archived from the original on 2009-05-11. Retrieved 2009-09-13.
  3. ^ Inshan Mohammed (2009-01-29). "Police return to Pro League". T&T Guardian. Archived from the original on February 2, 2009. Retrieved 2009-06-08.
  4. ^ Inshan Mohammed (2009-04-02). "North East Stars doubtful of 2009". Randy Bando (TTProLeague.com). Archived from the original on 2012-03-13. Retrieved 2009-08-22.
  5. ^ "Match Report – Matchday 1". Soca Warriors Online. 8 May 2009. Archived from the original on 13 March 2012. Retrieved 2009-08-16.
  6. ^ "2009 Pro-League Fixtures". Soca Warriors Online. 2009-10-23. Archived from the original on 2016-01-29. Retrieved 2009-10-23.
  7. ^ "Petrotrin pull out from Pro League". Joel Bailey (T&T Newsday). 2010-01-14. Retrieved 2010-01-14.