THE 2015 Red Stripe Premier League football final was by no means a connoisseur’s choice.

For the impartial, especially those watching on television, an inadequacy of fluent football aggravated by very poor passing made the first half best forgotten. And while the second half was much improved the game never came close to the dizzying heights of a year earlier when Montego Bay United stunned Waterhouse FC with flair and creativity.

That said, all praise is due to Arnett Gardens FC, their players, and coach Mr Jerome Waite, for winning their first top-flight title in 13 years.

Just as last year’s triumph by Montego Bay United would have done wonders for the western city and the wider western Jamaica, this victory for Arnett Gardens is of incalculable value to that socially and economically depressed South St Andrew community.

Perhaps only those with knowledge of life in Jamaica’s inner-city communities can readily understand the extent of the pride and ‘ownership’ that residents feel for their football teams.

The sense of well-being and self-esteem among the people of Arnett Gardens and neighbouring communities following Monday night’s triumph can’t be measured.

Lest we forget, football was pivotal to the coming of peace to communities such as Trench Town (inclusive of Arnett Gardens) and the wider Southern St Andrew and West Kingston in the 1990s following years of politically tribalised gang warfare.

The Premier League, we know, is very expensive and increasingly difficult to run. Great credit is due to the sponsors, Red Stripe, and others, as well as football authorities at all levels who have worked to make the league possible year after year.

We note that two of three local-based players now off to the Copa America in Chile with the Reggae Boyz were part of last Monday’s final. We refer of course to Messrs Allan Ottey and Dino Williams of Montego Bay United.

They along with Mr Hughan Gray of Waterhouse will be metaphorically carrying the flag of the Red Stripe Premier League in Chile. The remaining 20 members of that national squad all represent clubs overseas, mainly, if not entirely, in North America and Europe.

It needs to be said, of course, that a number of those 20, including Messrs Rodolph Austin, DuWayne Kerr, Dwayne Miller, Jermaine Taylor, Kemar Lawrence, et al, graduated from Jamaica’s club football to a higher stage overseas.

The hope must be that Messrs Gray, Ottey and Williams will so impress for Jamaica in Chile that they, too, will become strong candidates for contracts with overseas professional clubs, thereby emphasising the value of the Red Stripe Premier League.