Joe Public F.C.

Football club infobox
clubname = Joe Public


fullname = B Mobile Joe Public Football Club
nickname = "Eastern Lions"
founded = 1996
ground = Marvin Lee Stadium Tunapuna, Trinidad and Tobago
capacity = 6,000
chairman = flagicon|Trinidad and Tobago Jack Warner
manager = flagicon|Barbados Keith Griffith
league = TT Pro League
season = 2007
position = 2nd
honours = TT Pro League (2)
Trinidad and Tobago Cup (2)
Kashif & Shanghai Knockout Tournament (1)
CFU Club Championship (2) | pattern_la1=|pattern_b1=_vneckwhite
leftarm1=ff0000|body1=ff0000|rightarm1=ff0000|shorts1=ff0000|socks1=ff0000
pattern_la2=|pattern_b2=_vneckwhite
leftarm2=ffffff|body2=ffffff|rightarm2=ffffff|shorts2=ff0000|socks2=ffffff

Joe Public Football Club is a football club from Trinidad and Tobago currently playing in the TT Pro League. Known as the "Eastern Lions", is owned by FIFA vice-president Jack Warner. Joe Public also sponsors the Munroe Road Cricket Club.

History

Following the disappointment in 1996, of the National Senior Team, which saw the team not 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. [cite news
title = Joe Public F.C. History
url = http://www.joepubliconline.com/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=44&Itemid=49
publisher = Joe Public F.C. Official Website
date = 2007
accessdate = 2008-09-04
language = English]

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.

2007 – Present

In November 2007, as a result going undefeated through the group stage of the 2007 CFU Club Championship, 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 November 16, 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 which starts in August 2008.

On August 26, 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. The "Eastern Lions" defeated New England Revolution 2-1 in front of a crowd of 2,100 at Marvin Lee Stadium. Then, on the return leg before a mere 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. [cite news
title = Joe Public shuts down New England in prelims
url = http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=569037&cc=5901
publisher = Associated Press
date = 2008-09-03
accessdate = 2008-09-03
language = English]

In the group stage, Joe Public will face Atlante F.C., C.D. Olimpia, and Montreal Impact. Each side will be faced twice over September and October, with the top two clubs in the group advancing to the quarterfinal round. On September 17, 2008, Joe Public did not start the group stage on a positive note, falling 2-0 to Montreal Impact in Montreal. [cite news
title = Donatelli, Jordan lift Montreal past Joe Public 2:0 in CONCACAF Champions League
url = http://www.concacaf.com/view_article.aspx?id=4385
publisher = CONCACAF
date = 2008-09-17
accessdate = 2008-09-17
language = English] The "Eastern Lions"' home opener for the CONCACAF Champions League did not go well, as Joe Public lost 3-1 to C.D. Olimpia in Marvin Lee Stadium giving the club 0 points from its first two games in the group stage. [cite news
title = Bruschi scores pair, leads Olimpia to 3:1 victory over Joe Public
url = http://www.concacaf.com/view_article.aspx?id=4401
publisher = CONCACAF
date = 2008-09-24
accessdate = 2008-09-25
language = English] However, in their third game, Joe Public traveled to Cancun, Mexico and defeated Atlante 1-0. [cite news
title = Trinidad's Joe Public stuns Atlante in Cancun 1:0
url = http://www.concacaf.com/view_article.aspx?ID=4426
publisher = CONCACAF
date = 2008-10-03
accessdate = 2008-10-03
language = English] . On October 8, 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.

Only two days after a loss to Montreal Impact in the CONCACAF Champions League, Joe Public used another goal from Gregory Richardson in the 47th minute to defeat San Juan Jabloteh 1-0. [cite news
title = Richardson pushes Joe Public into First Citizens final
url = http://www.ttproleague.com/cms/News/ViewArticle/tabid/55/selectmoduleid/370/ArticleID/86/reftab/36/Default.aspx
author = Randy Bando
publisher = TT Professional League
date = 2008-09-21
accessdate = 2008-09-21
language = English] With the win Joe Public advanced to the final of the First Citizens Bank Cup, where they will face W Connection. In the final, W Connection won a thrilling match, which saw Joe Public F.C. level the score 2-2 in the second half following a goal from Keyeno Thomas. However, Public eventually lost the game on penalty kicks 6-5. [cite news
title = W Connection completes "magnificent six" First Citizens Cup title
url = http://www.ttproleague.com/cms/News/ViewArticle/tabid/55/selectmoduleid/370/ArticleID/99/reftab/36/Default.aspx
publisher = TT Pro League
author = Randy Bando
date = 2008-09-26
accessdate = 2008-09-28
language = English]

tadium

*Marvin Lee Stadium (1996–)

Joe Public plays their home games at the Marvin Lee Stadium located at the João Havelange Centre of Excellence in Tunapuna. The stadium serves as a multi-use stadium which has a capacity of approximately 6,000. 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. [cite news
title = US$600,000 Artificial Pitch at Marvin Lee Stadium
url = http://www.guardian.co.tt/archives/2007-02-26/sports7.html
publisher = The Trinidad Guardian
date = 2007-02-26
accessdate = 2008-09-06
language = English] Two years later, through a developmental grant from FIFA, Marvin Lee Stadium became the first Caribbean club to install an artificial playing surface, reportedly costing in excess of $600,000 (TT$8 million).

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".

Honours

Domestic
*TT Professional League:
** Winner (2): 1998, 2006

*Trinidad and Tobago Cup:
** Winner (2): 2001, 2007

*First Citizens Bank Cup:
** Runner-up (1): 2008

Invitational
*Kashif & Shanghai Knockout Tournament:
** Winner (1): 2006

International
*CFU Club Championship:
** Winner (2): 1998, 2000
** Runner-up (1): 2007

Team Management

*Head Coach: Keith Griffith
*Asst Coach: Walt Noreiga
*Goalkeeper Coach: Jefferson George
*Team Manager: Roland Sampath
*Asst Team Manager: Gillian Williams
*Physiotherapist: David Cumberbatch
*Physiotherapist: Ian Dore
*Equipment Manager: Michael Williams

Players

Current Roster

Notable Former Players

"This list of former players includes those who received international caps while playing for the team, made significant contributions to the team in terms of appearances or goals while playing for the team, or who made significant contributions to the sport either before they played for the team, or after they left. It is clearly not yet complete and all inclusive, and additions and refinements will continue to be made over time."

*flagicon|TRI Kevaughn Connell (2003–2004)
*flagicon|TRI Cyd Gray (1999–2001)
*flagicon|TRI Kenwyne Jones (2002)
*flagicon|TRI Brent Sancho (2003)
*flagicon|TRI Densill Theobald (2003)

International Competition

*"'1998 CFU Club Championship
** Quarterfinals v. flagicon|BAR Notre Dame SC -- 4:0
** Semifinals v. flagicon|JAM Waterhouse F.C. -- 3:1
** Final v. flagicon|TRI Caledonia AIA Fire -- 1:0

*"'1998 CONCACAF Champions' Cup
** Quarterfinals v. flagicon|USA D.C. United -- 0:8

*"'1999 CONCACAF Champions' Cup
** Quarterfinals v. flagicon|USA Chicago Fire -- 0:2

*"'2000 CFU Club Championship
** Group Stage v. flagicon|DMA Guinness Harlem Bombers -- 2:0
** Group Stage v. flagicon|SUR SV Robinhood -- 5:0
** Group Stage v. flagicon|ANT RKV FC Sithoc -- 7:0
** Championship Group v. flagicon|HAI Carioca F.C. -- 1:1
** Championship Group v. flagicon|JAM Harbour View F.C. -- 1:1
** Championship Group v. flagicon|TRI W Connection 1:0

*"'2000 CONCACAF Champions' Cup
** Quarterfinals v. flagicon|MEX Pachuca C.F. -- 0:1

*"'2007 CFU Club Championship
** Group Stage v. flagicon|DMA Sagicor South East United -- 5:0
** Group Stage v. flagicon|ARU SV Racing Club Aruba -- 7:0
** Quarterfinals v. flagicon|ATG Bassa F.C. -- 4:0
** Semifinals v. flagicon|PUR Puerto Rico Islanders -- 1:0
** Final v. flagicon|JAM Harbour View F.C. -- 1:2

*2008-09 CONCACAF Champions League
** Preliminary Round v. flagicon|USA New England Revolution -- 2:1, 0:4 (Joe Public F.C. advances 6:1 on aggregate)
** Group Stage v. flagicon|CAN Montreal Impact -- 2:0, 1:4
** Group Stage v. flagicon|HON C.D. Olimpia -- 1:3
** Group Stage v. flagicon|MEX Atlante F.C. -- 0:1

References

External links

* [http://www.joepubliconline.com/ Official Website]