MONTEGO BAY, St James — FORMER champions Reno FC and Village United, western Jamaica’s two representatives in the 2010-11 Digicel Premier League, will open their season with home games on Sunday.

Reno who were promoted back to the top league after a season in the Western Confederation Super League, will host Portmore United at Frome Sports Complex while Village who were a top six team last season, will be at home to Arnett Gardens at the Elliston Wakeland Centre.

Both Portmore United and Arnett Gardens struggled last season and finished close to the bottom of the point’s tables.

Neither of the two western teams have made wide-scale changes to their teams from last season but are hoping they will contend late in the season.

Marvin Tate will replace Cassman Williams at the helm of the Village team while Hopeton Gilchrist has joined the coaching staff of the Trelawny base club.

Tate told the Observer West that his young squad with an average age of 22 years old, started preparation late but will be playing a more attacking style of football.

Reno’s president, Ransford Malcolm, said their squad has been strengthened by the return of their own players. Nicholy Findlayson returns from a year-long loan to Waterhouse while Fabian Blake who missed most of last season due to work commitments will also be back as well as the US-based O’brien Woodbine, who will join the team after the third round of games.

Malcolm said also that one of their aims this season is to stay out of the bottom six at all times.