When the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) introduced the fund-raising football extravaganza in January as part of its welfare programme, members of the football fraternity expressed delight at the initiative, which they believe holds the potential for growth.

Despite the premature end to the inaugural event at Drax Hall in St Ann, due to a power outage, the stakeholders lauded the Football Fundraising Extravaganza as a significant step in the country’s football development.

As such, it comes as no surprise that the Michael Ricketts-led administration has decided to host a second edition of the event on January 1, this time at York Oval in St Thomas.

The event is being used to generate more funds for the JFF’s veterans’ welfare programme, which will aid past national players and other football stalwarts who have fallen on hard times.

To ensure that the programme is seamless, Ricketts revealed that his administration has put in place a structural committee which will take on the responsibility of ensuring that the country’s governing body of football reaches out to assist those in need.

Former Netball Jamaica boss Marva Bernard; Denzil Wilks, general manager of Sports Development Foundation (SDF); banker Peter Moses; JFF’s Vice-President Raymond Anderson; former national player Neville Oxford; and current Reggae Boyz goalkeeper Amal Knight have so far been confirmed to make up the welfare committee.

According to Ricketts, one more individual will be assigned to the committee.

“We decided that we would reorganise ourselves and restart the programme, because each time I speak to former players I am more enlightened about the need and necessity of a programme like this.

“So they [the committee] will make a determination who the beneficiaries are, and I want it to be totally independent of the JFF; the JFF will have absolutely nothing to do with this programme. Of course, players who are in need will make an application to the committee, and they will make a determination based on their investigation,” Ricketts shared during the event’s launch at the JFF’s offices on Friday.

He continued: “I think it is needed. There are past players who would have given so much to the country and football locally, and they are really struggling mentally, health-wise and [with] living conditions. So we really need to ensure that this programme works, and we will be having more fund-raising events.

“We will be working closely with the welfare committee to ensure that there is some sustainability. The JFF, from time to time, will make contributions and, of course, we want to encourage corporate Jamaica to come on board and give us whatever assistance they can,” said the JFF boss.

Ricketts, while sharing that the federation will be using next year’s World Cup qualifiers as a platform to highlight the needs, expressed his belief that some of the past players can have an impact on the national programme, and hinted at the possibility of bringing them on board.

“Well, this is certainly the start of something new with these former national players. Neville Oxford and I had discussions before and he’s very excited at the prospects of what some of these past players could contribute to the programme.

“I know for sure that some of them would have had the experience and the necessary exposure, it is just now to get them into modern-day coaching. And certainly we will have them attend some of our courses and I’m sure that some of them will have a role to play,” Ricketts reasoned.

Meanwhile, Clive “Busy” Campbell, who has been a long-time advocate for a change in how the past players are treated, also lent his voice to the proceedings.

“I always say thank the Creator, because as long as I can remember it has been my wish that an initiative be put in place to help former footballers who played at the national level. Often we hear the sad stories of these players falling on hard times and having little or no resources, so I hope that this effort can be sustained so that we can show that we care,” said Campbell, who is the conceptualiser of the Bell/Ziadie Memorial and Bob Marley One Love charity matches.