FROME, Westmoreland

Former three-time national champions Reno FC will return to their traditional home – Frome Sports Club – for the first time in over two years this Sunday when they host leader Harbour View in the Digicel Premier League.

Ransford Malcolm, president of Reno, told the OBSERVER WEST this week that although a technical team from the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) will inspect the facilities today, it was expected to be given the green light.

Reno played most of the last two seasons at the St Elizabeth Technical Sports Complex in Santa Cruz, as the surface at Frome deteriorated badly during the 2006 football season.

The Frome Sports Club has been undergoing repairs for the past 18 months and the club and players, Malcolm said, are all eagerly looking forward to returning.

Reno’s move from Frome had caused some friction between the club and the Westmoreland Football Association whose president, Everton Tomlinson, had described the move then as premature and questioned whether there were other motives.

Wendell Downswell, technical director of Reno, had told the OBSERVER WEST earlier this year that while they appreciated the kindness extended to them by the St Elizabeth FA and the people of St Elizabeth over the past two seasons, it was good to be returning home.

The notoriously loyal Reno fans, he said, would also appreciate the move back home as it would cost less to see their favourite team play.

Downswell estimated it would cost each patron a minimum of $1,000 to see Reno play home games as it costs about $500 to travel from Sav-la-Mar to Santa Cruz; $300 to get into the game and a further $200 for refreshment.

The taxi fare from Sav-la-Mar to Frome is about $50.

Meanwhile, Reno has attracted another sponsor, Williams Health and Fitness, who has donated 10 months supply of supplements and vitamins for the team valued at $165,000.