Arnett Gardens F.C.

The Arnett Gardens Football Club is a Jamaican professional football club based in Kingston, which currently plays in the Jamaica Premier League.

Arnett Gardens F.C.
Full nameArnett Gardens Football Club
Nickname(s)Junglists[1]
Founded1977; 47 years ago (1977)
GroundAnthony Spaulding Sports Complex
Kingston, Jamaica
Capacity7,000
PresidentJamaica Chris Bicknell
ChairmanJamaica Mark Golding
ManagerJamaica Xavier Gilbert
LeagueJamaica Premier League
2022–23Regular season: 1st
Playoffs: Third place
WebsiteClub website

The team is based in the Arnett Gardens community of South Saint Andrew, Jamaica, and plays in the Anthony Spaulding Sports Complex.

History

The team came out of a merger between the All Saints and Jones Town Football teams in 1977. Arnett's fans originate primarily from Arnett Gardens and its adjoining communities – Jones Town, Craig Town, Hannah Town & Admiral Town. The Junglists, as their fans are known, are very passionate and vociferous about their team and will travel all over the country in support of the team. The Arnett Gardens part of Kingston is popularly known as the Concrete Jungle, hence the nickname of the club.

The club won the league in its first season, 1978. Although it suffered a long drought after that, it re-emerged at the start of the new millennium, winning both the 2000–01 and 2001–02 championships.

Recent seasons and managerial changes

The start of the 2007–08 season proved to be one of their worst ever and forced coach Max Straw to resign on 14 January 2008 to be replaced by former coach Jerome Waite,[2] who led Arnett Gardens to the celebrated back-to-back titles of 2001 and 2002. They then finished the season four points above the relegation zone after winning 3 of their final 4 games.

Waite himself was axed after only four games into the 2008–09 season, losing all games and managing to score only one goal. He was replaced by Fabian Davis,[3] who left his post at the end of 2009.[4] As of January 2010, Wayne Fairclough was the team's coach[1] but he decided to quit in October 2010.[5] Fairclough was succeeded by former national team striker Paul Davis.[6]

Davis took them to a creditable 5th place in the 2012–13 season, his third with the club, before he resigned in November 2012 citing a lack of commitment from the players and other issues within the club.[7] In October 2013, his successor Calvin Lewis resigned[8] and his place was taken by former coach Jerome Waite.

Alex Thomas took over the reins for the 2019–20 season. On October 22, 2021, he had resigned from his position as head coach.[9]

On October 26, 2021, Paul Davis was announced as the newly appointed head coach.[10]

Xavier Gilbert was appointed as the new head coach on August 21, 2023.[11]

Players

Current squad

As of 21 March 2024 [12]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No.Pos. NationPlayer
22MF  JAMRushane Thompson
23DF  JAMDeandre Cunningham
25MF  JAMChavany Willis
26DF  JAMShane Watson
28MF  JAMAmarlie King
30MF  JAMMalike Stephens
31DF  JAMKeneldo Brown
40GK  JAMRichardo White
45GK  JAMCroccifixio Thompson
55GK  JAMEric Edwards
DF  JAMNickache Murray
DF  LCAShanoi Evans
DF  JAMOsani Ricketts
MF  JAMJahiem Harris
FW  JAMKimani Arbourine
FW  JAMKaheim Dixon
 JAMShadeko Wizzard

Other players under contract

Achievements

Domestic

International

References