MONTEGO BAY, St James — Newly promoted Faulkland FC claim they are not playing in the Jamaica Premier League (JPL) to make up numbers, but are in it to win it.

Faulkland FC qualified for the JPL for the first time after winning the Jamaica Football Federation’s Tier II competition in July and Coach Gregory Palmer said while they started late in their pre-season, they are ready for Sunday’s opening game against Mt Pleasant Football Academy at Drax Hall.

“We are not here to try and just survive,” Palmer told the Jamaica Observer, “you must compete and try to compete at the best, we have to try and instill a winning mentality in the minds of the players.”

He said Faulkland FC would be ready when the first whistle is blown.

“We are as ready as we can be; we started late but preparation has been going well and we should progress as the season goes along,” noted Palmer.

Faulkland FC, who progressed through the ranks in the St James Football Association from the second division to the Western Confederation Super League, winning consecutive titles in three-straight years, have managed to maintain the core of their team over the last few seasons and have added more fire power.

Prince Christie and Jowell Powell, both originally from St James but played at Mt Pleasant FA last season; Robert Morrison, Sanjay Anderson, Romario Clarke and Tereto Gregory are some of the new names that Palmer will have at his disposal.

Obrien Robinson, who was the joint top scorer in the Tier II league last year, is expected to lead the Faulkland FC team this year, while the likes of central defenders Kyle Anderson and Michael Heaven, Tyshan Hill, Rodcliff Dawkins and Val Armstrong were part of the team from last year.

“The first order of business is to put yourself in a position to win the competition, once you enter a competition you must enter it to win it, he emphasised and said their fans will not settle for anything less.

“The fan base expect Faulkland to play an exciting brand of football, the passing game [as] that is what they have grown accustomed to see, ever since we were in the division two, so they won’t expect anything less,” he stated.

Last season Faulkland FC lost just once in the JFF Tier II competition, to Treasure Beach, after they became the first team to secure a semi-final place and topped the regular season points tables.

They then beat Falmouth United in an all western semi-finals before beating Chapleton Maroons in the final played at Drax Hall.

Faulkland FC beat Chapleton Maroons twice as they also beat them in the regular season.

— Paul Reid