TT Premier Football League
However, it was during this period Trinidad and Tobago experienced an upswing in support for football following a rise in international success at both club and national team levels.
In response, Trinidadian and former FIFA vice-president Jack Warner spoke out describing Trinidad and Tobago's football as being "in shambles" and crowd support was "non-existent".
In November 1995, Jack Warner proposed that creating a professional league to produce homegrown players would function as the building blocks to qualify for the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France.
His proposal, which included the clubs' ability to operate as business entities, laid the foundation for professional football in Trinidad and Tobago.
[1][10] The eight inaugural members were Defence Force, Doc's Khelwalaas, FUTGOF, Joe Public, Point Fortin Civic, Police, San Juan Jabloteh, and W Connection.
[7] In the first professional season, Defence Force continued a theme set during the 1970s, 1980s, and early 1990s, which saw the club win a record twentieth league championship.
Early league results suggested an improvement in player development with several domestic professionals named to starting roles in the national team.
[11] One month later, the TT Pro League began with eight members: Arima Fire, Caledonia AIA, Defence Force, Joe Public, North East Stars, San Juan Jabloteh, South Starworld Strikers, and defending champions W Connection.
Kenwyne Jones, former standout for Joe Public and W Connection, signed with Southampton,[12] whereas Cornell Glen of San Juan Jabloteh joined the MetroStars of Major League Soccer during the 2004 season.
Beginning in 2009, the league witnessed a return of several former national team stars, including Stern John,[20] Russell Latapy,[21] Dennis Lawrence,[22] and Dwight Yorke.
The board of directors, consisting of a representative from each club, sets out the policy to oversee league operations and selects a neutral chairman and CEO.
In addition, clubs are also required to have a dedicated home venue, which is secure allowing for the collection of gate receipts and with a good playing surface.
More recently, the league has now set a new mission to create more local talent and make the players not just available for the Trinidad and Tobago audience, but for the world.
The Pro League agreed to create another knock-out cup competition in 2009 for its clubs named the Goal Shield with a unique prize system.
In addition, Pro League clubs also compete in the annual FA Trophy organised by and named after the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association.
Although the country has five football stadiums, which were constructed to stage the 2001 FIFA U-17 World Championship, none of which are located within a club's respective community and are owned by the Ministry of Sport.
The most prominent title sponsor agreement occurred when W Connection ended their partnership with Vibe CT 105.1 FM in favour of an undisclosed deal with DirecTV in 2012.
[40] In addition, clubs may also sell ad space on the front of their shirts, following the practice of international sport, specifically association football.
is currently the lone TT Premier Football League club to place gold stars above their badge during domestic and international competitions.
Until the early 1980s, the national team held its home matches in Queen's Park Oval, generally thought of as the most picturesque and largest of the old cricket grounds in the West Indies.
In 2005, Jack Warner proposed that Marvin Lee Stadium install an artificial playing surface, citing that it would bring more credibility to the region.
Two years later, through a developmental grant from FIFA, Joe Public became the first Caribbean club to install astroturf, reportedly costing in excess of TT$8 million.
With the additions of the Mahaica Oval Pavilion, Palo Seco Velodrome, and Sangre Grande Regional Complex, home of Point Fortin Civic, former club United Petrotrin, and North East Stars, respectively, Pro League teams have played in sixteen football stadiums.
The league's longest-serving manager was Jamaal Shabazz, who was in charge of Morvant Caledonia United from April 2000 until he agreed to become the Trinidad and Tobago national team co-manager in November 2012 (12 years and 236 days).
Charles Pollard (Guyana) won the award in 2003–04 while playing for North East Stars, while Gefferson (Brazil) claimed the honour in 2005 with W Connection.
Defence Force and Trinidad and Tobago international, Devorn Jorsling, holds the record for the most Pro League goals with 144, following the 2015–16 season.
The first foreign player to claim the Golden Boot was Guyanese international Randolph Jerome of North East Stars who finished with 28 goals in 2003–04.
Former Joe Public, North East Stars, and current San Juan Jabloteh winger Kerry Baptiste has scored three or more goals on eight occasions.
[61] TT Pro League clubs have competed in international competitions organised through CONCACAF since 1999, when Joe Public qualified for the Champions' Cup.
Based on results during the previous calendar year, the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS) has the Pro League currently ranked 135th in the world and 12th in CONCACAF.
