The back page of our Friday edition summed up the immediate status of the Jamaica Premier League football competition. ‘Big Man Time’ read the headline, reflecting news that defending champions Cavalier FC, Montego Bay United, Portmore United, and Mount Pleasant FC are through to Sunday’s semi-finals of Jamaica’s top-flight football competition.

Truthfully, they were among the favourites to get to this stage at the start of the season. However, many, if not most football watchers, would’ve been taken aback at the start had they got a message from the future that Harbour View FC — which is among Jamaica’s most successful clubs — would be relegated.

Of course, we also know that football, like all sport, is a great leveller.

We are reminded that other top clubs have fallen and recovered. We also know that several others have remained more or less dormant in the lower leagues, such as the famous Boys’ Town FC out of Trench Town in the capital city’s west.

Our reporter tells us Boys’ Town was the last Corporate Area club to be relegated from the top tier. That was in 2018.

In the case of Harbour View, the outstanding Mr Ricardo “Bibi“ Gardner — among Jamaica’s stars at the 1998 FIFA Men’s World Cup in France — comes readily to mind as a player. Even more recent were the extraordinarily skilful midfielder Mr Jermaine Hue and the prolific goalscorer for club and country Mr Luton Shelton, who died young.

Going back 50 years and more, we recall epic encounters and abundant talent involving Harbour View in the Major League and National League. Back then, clashes of east and west, featuring Harbour View as ‘Stars of the East’ and Boys’ Town as ‘Colour Red’ drew jam-packed crowds.

All those decades ago, Harbour View fans worshipped at the feet of such outstanding players as Messrs Owen “Ital Stew” Stewart, Trevor “Jumpy” Harris, Russell Bell, Clyde Jureidini, Nigel Goodison, Bert Robinson, and Michael Thompson.

It’s worth noting that near-lifelong servants of Harbour View FC, such as Mr Jureidini and current Chairman Mr Carvel Stewart, not only built a culture of football in the east Kingston community, but also the infrastructure to go with it.

In large measure, Harbour View Mini Stadium represents the handiwork of those faithful.

With all that in mind, we take very seriously the pledge by Mr Stewart that Harbour View FC will rebound. We applaud the determination to look to youth.

“We have a very bright, vibrant youth situation, and they will be brought up…” Mr Stewart told this newspaper.

Newsworthy as has been Harbour View’s exit from the top tier, so too surely is the achievement of Treasure Beach FC in staying up, despite Hurricane Melissa, which devastated western Jamaica last October.

And let’s not forget that just 15 months earlier Hurricane Beryl, which sideswiped Jamaica’s south coast, did extensive damage in communities such as Treasure Beach.

The leadership of the club, not least the youthful, up-and-coming coach Mr Kemar Ricketts, players, sponsors, and supporters deserve the highest praise.

We are at one with CEO of Professional Football Jamaica Limited Mr Owen Hill who, in applauding Treasure Beach FC, commented that “once there’s structure and organisation around any team” then there will be that ability to challenge and perform “week in, week out”.

It’s no secret that Jamaica’s football took a devastating body blow in failing to qualify for next month’s FIFA World Cup. But if all can pick themselves up and show fight in the face of great adversity, as has Treasure Beach, there’s light ahead.