Joe Public F.C.

Joe Public Football Club was a football club from Trinidad and Tobago that used to play in the TT Pro League. Nicknamed the Eastern Lions, it was owned by former FIFA vice-president Jack Warner.

Joe Public
Full nameB Mobile Joe Public Football Club
Nickname(s)Eastern Lions
Saints
Founded1996 (1996)
Dissolved2011 (2011)
GroundMarvin Lee Stadium
Tunapuna, Trinidad and Tobago
Capacity6,000
ChairmanJack Warner
ManagerRajesh Latchoo
LeagueNational Super League
2010–11TT Pro League, 3rd
(relegated)

History

Following the disappointment in 1996 of the Trinidad national team, which saw the country fail to qualify for World Cup 1998, Austin "Jack" Warner proposed that creating a league to produce home grown players would function as the building blocks to qualify for the next World Cup in Japan and South Korea. Thus, the need for a professional league and the ability for clubs to operate as business entities, the Joe Public Football Club was formed.

After entering and winning the Eastern Football Association's Competitions in 1996, Joe Public qualified for and won the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association's Champion of Champions Tournament. This allowed the club entry into the Semi-Professional Football League (SPFL) after only one season in existence. During the beginning years of the club's existence, Joe Public had established an operative football office with paid staff and employed several players from countries throughout the Caribbean, Nicaragua, Mexico and Brazil.

The club finished second in their first season of the SPFL in 1997, and in 1998 they won the Champions' League Tournament, the Craven A SPFL League title, and the CFU Caribbean Club Championship.[1]

However, in 2004, Joe Public withdrew from the Professional Football League to play in the National Super League, Trinidad and Tobago's second division, but returned after two years for the 2006 season, in which they clinched the league championship title.

In November 2007, as a result going undefeated through the group stage of the CFU Club Championship 2007, Joe Public advanced to the knockout rounds after decisive wins over Sagicor South East United from Dominica 5–0, and SV Racing Club Aruba 7–0. In the quarterfinals they defeated Bassa F.C. from Antigua and Barbuda 4–0 and then in the semifinals, Joe Public upended the Puerto Rico Islanders 1–0 to advance to the final. On 16 November, Joe Public fell to Harbour View of Jamaica 1–2 to finish runner-up. However, due to the reorganized CONCACAF Champions' Cup into the CONCACAF Champions League, Joe Public qualified for the Champions League in August 2008.

2008–09 CONCACAF Champions League

On 26 August 2008, Joe Public faced the New England Revolution, from the United States in the first leg of the preliminary round in the CONCACAF Champions League 2008–09. The Eastern Lions defeated New England Revolution 2–1 in front of a crowd of 2,100 at the Marvin Lee Stadium. Then, on the return leg before 3,523 spectators in Foxborough, Massachusetts, Public used a hat trick from Gregory Richardson in routing New England Revolution 4–0 in Gillette Stadium to advance to the group stage on a 6–1 aggregate score. With the result, Joe Public became the first Caribbean club to defeat a team from the United States in a CONCACAF club competition. In addition, Public were also the first to score as many as three goals against a club from the United States.[2]

In the group stage, Joe Public were drawn with Atlante, Olimpia, and Montreal Impact. On 17 September 2008, Joe Public did not start the group stage on a positive note, falling 2–0 to Montreal Impact in Montreal.[3] The Eastern Lions home opener for the CONCACAF Champions League did not go well either, as Joe Public lost 3–1 to C.D. Olimpia in the Marvin Lee Stadium giving the club no points from its first two games in the group stage.[4] However, in their third game, Joe Public traveled to Cancun, Mexico and defeated Atlante 1–0.[5] On 8 October, Joe Public lost another game in the group stage. This time they fell to Montreal Impact again 4–1, slashing the chances of Joe Public advancing beyond the group stage. With the loss to Atlante 2–0 in Cancún, Mexico on 21 October, Public was officially eliminated from the CONCACAF Champions League 2008–09. Finally, to finish the group stage, Public travelled to Tegucigalpa, Honduras to face Olimpia. They lost the match 4–0 to end their run in the CONCACAF Champions League with a record of 3–0–5 in the competition, with a disappointing 1–0–5 record in the group stage to finish at the bottom of their group.

Only two days after a loss to Montreal Impact in the CONCACAF Champions League, Joe Public needed a goal from Gregory Richardson in the 47th minute to defeat San Juan Jabloteh 1–0. With the win Joe Public advanced to the final of the First Citizens Cup. However, in the final, W Connection won a thrilling match, which saw Joe Public level the score 2–2 in the second half following a goal from Keyeno Thomas. But Public eventually lost the game on penalty kicks 6–5.

Recent events

In 2011, Joe Public withdraw from TT proleague due to issues arising from owner Jack warner [6] In 2014, the club withdrew from Super League due to financial reasons [7]

Stadium
Marvin Lee Stadium

Joe Public plays their home games at the Marvin Lee Stadium located at the Dr. João Havelange Centre of Excellence in Tunapuna. The stadium serves as a multi-use stadium which has a capacity of approximately 6,000. The stadium was named after the national U-20 football captain, a standout defender at the time, who sustained head and neck injuries suffered in a collision with Landon Donovan in an U-20 game against the United States. He was left paralysed after the incident and died of illness as a result of his weakened state. Lee was later recognised by the Trinidad and Tobago government for his service to the nation and is remembered as a strong-willed individual who refused to let his injuries get the better of him.[8]

In 2005, CONCACAF and CFU president Jack Warner proposed that Marvin Lee Stadium install an artificial playing surface, citing that it would bring more credibility for the region.[9] Two years later, through a developmental grant from FIFA, Joe Public became the first Caribbean club to install an artificial playing surface, reportedly costing in excess of TT$8 million (US$600,000). The first game played on the newly installed playing surface, Joe Public faced Caledonia AIA in a TT Professional Football League match, which saw Caledonia AIA win a hard fought game 1–0 over the Eastern Lions.

Team management
  • Head Coach: Derek King
  • Asst Coach: Ralph Nelson
  • Asst Coach: Richard Mitchell
  • Team Manager: Roland Sampath
  • Trainer: David Prince
  • Physiotherapist: David Cumberbatch
  • Physiotherapist: Adisa Davis
  • Equipment Manager: Michael Williams

Honours

Domestic

Invitational

International

Year-by-year
Season League Season FA Trophy First
Citizens Cup		 Digicel
Pro Bowl		 TOYOTA
Classic		 Lucozade Sport
Goal Shield		 CFU Club
Championship		 CONCACAF
Champions League
League Result Big Six
1997 2nd Unknown did not qualify
1998 Champions Quarter-Finals Champions Quarter-Finals
1999 2nd Final Not Held Quarter-Finals
2000 4th Final Semi-Finals Champions Quarter-Finals
2001 2nd Champions did not qualify Semi-Finals did not qualify Not Held
2002 3rd Quarter-Finals Semi-Finals Semi-Finals did not qualify
2003 5th Quarter-Finals Semi-Finals Unknown did not qualify
2004 Withdrew† did not enter Abandoned did not enter did not qualify
2005 did not enter† did not enter did not enter Final did not qualify
2006 Champions 4th Round of 16 Quarter-Finals did not qualify Quarter-Finals did not qualify
2007 2nd 3rd Champions Quarter-Finals Quarter-Finals Champions Final did not qualify
2008 5th 5th Round of 16 Final Quarter-Finals Quarter-Finals Not Held did not qualify
2009 Champions Winners Champions Final Champions Champions Quarter-Finals did not qualify Group Stage
2010–11 3rd Quarter-finals Champions Second Place did not qualify
2011–12 did not enter In progress

†Joe Public voluntarily spent the 2004 and 2005 seasons in the National Super League. The Eastern Lions won the National Super League title in both years.

Continental record
Quarter-Finals v. Barbados Notre Dame – 4:0
Semi-Finals v. Jamaica Waterhouse – 3:1
Final v. Trinidad and Tobago Caledonia AIA Fire – 1:0
Quarter-Finals v. United States D.C. United – 0:8
Quarter-Finals v. United States Chicago Fire – 0:2
Group Stage v. Dominica Guinness Harlem Bombers – 2:0
Group Stage v. Suriname SV Robinhood – 5:0
Group Stage v. Netherlands Antilles RKV FC Sithoc – 7:0
Championship Group v. Haiti Carioca – 1:1
Championship Group v. Jamaica Harbour View – 1:1
Championship Group v. Trinidad and Tobago W Connection – 1:0
Quarter-Finals v. Mexico Pachuca – 0:1
  • Copa Finta Internacional (in Brazil)
Third place
Group Stage v. Dominica Sagicor South East United – 5:0
Group Stage v. Aruba SV Racing Club Aruba – 7:0
Quarter-Finals v. Antigua and Barbuda Bassa – 4:0
Semi-Finals v. Puerto Rico Puerto Rico Islanders – 1:0
Final v. Jamaica Harbour View – 1:2
Preliminary Round v. United States New England Revolution – 2:1, 4:0 (Joe Public F.C. advances 6:1 on aggregate)
Group Stage v. Canada Montreal Impact – 0:2, 1:4
Group Stage v. Honduras Olimpia – 1:3, 0:4
Group Stage v. Mexico Atlante – 1:0, 0:2
First Round v. Suriname SV Leo Victor – 4:3
First Round v. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Avenues United – 6:0
First Round v. Bermuda Devonshire Cougars – 8:2
Second Round v. Suriname Walking Boys – 5:0
Second Round v. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Systems 3 – 3:1
Final Round v. Trinidad and Tobago San Juan Jabloteh – 1:0
Final Round v. Puerto Rico Puerto Rico Islanders – 1:1
Final Round v. Puerto Rico Bayamón – 1:3
Preliminary Round v. Costa Rica Brujas – 2:2, 4:2 (Joe Public F.C. advances 6:4 on aggregate)
Group Stage v. Guatemala Municipal – 2:3, 1:1
Group Stage v. Mexico Santos – 2:5, 1:5
Group Stage v. United States Columbus Crew – 1:4, 0:3

References
  1. "Joe Public F.C. History". Joe Public F.C. Official Website. 2007. Archived from the original on 2008-12-02. Retrieved 2008-09-04.
  2. "Joe Public shuts down New England in prelims". Associated Press. 2008-09-03. Retrieved 2008-09-03.
  3. "Donatelli, Jordan lift Montreal past Joe Public 2:0 in CONCACAF Champions League". CONCACAF. 2008-09-17. Archived from the original on 2008-09-19. Retrieved 2008-09-17.
  4. "Bruschi scores pair, leads Olimpia to 3:1 victory over Joe Public". CONCACAF. 2008-09-24. Archived from the original on 2008-09-25. Retrieved 2008-09-25.
  5. "Trinidad's Joe Public stuns Atlante in Cancun 1:0". CONCACAF. 2008-10-03. Archived from the original on 2008-10-03. Retrieved 2008-10-03.
  6. "Pro League not surprised by Joe Public exit | Antigua Observer Newspaper". antiguaobserver.com. Archived from the original on 2018-09-05.
  7. "Joe Public withdraws from Super League, EFA - Trinidad Guardian".
  8. "Marvin Lee Stadium". Soca Warriors Online. 2009-07-30. Archived from the original on 2012-03-13. Retrieved 2009-07-30.
  9. "US$600,000 Artificial Pitch at Marvin Lee Stadium". The Trinidad Guardian. 2007-02-26. Retrieved 2008-09-06.
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