The word respect echoed throughout the Red Stripe Premier League (RSPL) awards ceremony on Thursday night, especially as champions Montego Bay United swept most of the prizes at the Courtleigh Auditorium.

The champions, all dressed in black Polo shirts in continuance of their respect protest against the football hierarchy, copped 11 awards and over $3.2m.

Owayne Gordon, now overseas at Indy Eleven in the National American Soccer League in the USA, won four individual awards — the Most Valuable Player; Tony Burrowes Award; Overall Top Scorer and Top Scorer for the Third Round and $350,000 for his magnificent season.

The St James club, formerly Seba United, also took home the $2.5m-winning cheque and a lovely trophy; The Best Defensive Team ($75,000); Best Attacking Team ($75,000). Dino Williams was the Top Goalscorer First Round with 10 goals, and Top Goalkeeper and $100,000 went to Jacomeno Barrett for the third-consecutive year. Dwayne Ambusley collected the Winning Captain Trophy.

Paul ‘Tegat’ Davis won the Premier League Winning Coach and, having won the premier league as a player in 1987 for Seba for a unique double, was pleased.

“It’s good because the first premier league we won, we won in the National Stadium and we didn’t get to really celebrate with the fans. It’s unbelievable. The fan base and the camaraderie of the whole Montego Bay and western Jamaica….this one was spectacular,” said Davis, a prolific striker for Seba and Jamaica.

Premier League runners-up Portmore United received $1.5 million and won the Team With Most Wins ($75,000) and collected their $1m for the Preliminary Round Top Team.

Marcel Gayle, who led the promoted University of the West Indies to within a whisker of a semi-final playoff spot in their first season in top-flight football, was the Coach of the Year and collected $150,000.

“I am really ecstatic,” said the 37-year-old Gayle. The coaching staff was brilliant; it wasn’t a one-man support. My staff backed me, but I am so excited words can’t tell,” said Gayle.

Anthony Cooke was again the Match Commissioner of the Year, and this was his ninth award in the last 12 years. Top Referee Award went to Valdin Ledgister and he had no doubt as he started to make his way towards the podium before his name was announced. Richard Washington was the Top Assistant Referee. All three officials collected $30,000.

Boys’ Town walked away with the Fair Play trophy and $100,000, while Cory Burke of Rivoli United won the Top Goalscorer for the Second Round with six goals and received $50,000. The Junior Player of the Year was Junior Flemmings of Tivoli Gardens, now at New York Red Bulls.

St James Football Association was the Winning Parish and they had three players — Dino Williams, Owayne Gordon and Ladale Richie — in the RSPL Team of the Season. Third-placed Arnett Gardens had the most players — Damian Hyatt, Oneil Thompson, Renae Lloyd and Vishinul Harris in the RSPL Team. Losing finalists Portmore United had Kareem Manning and Ricardo Morris, with Harbour View’s Rosario Harriott and Andrew Vanzie of Humble Lion completing the 11.