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San Juan North Secondary will compete in the 2026 Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Premier Division competition, after the Disciplinary Committee found substance in the Bourg Mulatresse-based school’s protest against Scarborough Secondary last month.
Scarborough Secondary edged San Juan North 1-0 at Shaw Park on 15 December, with Jaheim Toney scoring a second half winner that should have ensured that the “Blue Marlins” stayed up—and, simultaneously, relegated their guests.
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However, San Juan North protested, on the following day, that Scarborough breached Article 16.4(a) of the SSFL Constitution by fielding midfielder Johan Elliot.
The Constitution states: “a player shall not play in another Trinidad and Tobago Football Association affiliated league after one’s first game in the Secondary Schools Football League. Failure to abide by the rule will result in the loss of points for each game the player takes the field.”
And, on Sunday 7 December, Elliot represented Eagles FC in a Tobago Football Association (TFA) Premier Division contest.
Photo: Nicholas Bhajan/ Wired868.
After meeting all parties on Monday 19 January, the SSFL Disciplinary Committee finally relayed its decision to the respective schools today.
“The Disciplinary Committee met both schools and we concluded that […] San Juan North Secondary be awarded with the win,” stated SSFL assistant secretary – administration Laurence Seepersad. “Therefore three points and three goals be given to San Juan North Secondary and the table will reflect this.”
The bottom three of the Premier Division’s 16 participants are relegated at the end of each season. San Juan North were 15th after their loss at Shaw Park, with Scarborough climbing to 10th.
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However, their use of an invalid player now sees the two schools switch places—with San Juan guaranteed survival while Scarborough are due for relegation, alongside bottom placed Carapichaima East Secondary.
The identity of the third relegated school remains up in the air, with 14th place St Augustine Secondary due to travel to Signal Hill Secondary.
Should St Augustine win or get a point in Tobago, they will secure their top flight berth for the 2026 season and Malick Secondary will be demoted instead. Conversely, a Signal Hill triumph will send the “Green Machine” down with Carapichaima East and Scarborough.
Photo: Nicholas Bhajan/ Wired868.
Scarborough have 72 hours to decide whether to appeal today’s decision.
Today, the SSFL Disciplinary Committee expressed sympathy for the Tobago team in its judgment.
“The Disciplinary Committee also agree (sic) that there must be some amendment to Article 16,” stated Seepersad. “Even [though] we agree that this player broke the rule, we also agree that the league has gone pass (sic) the period where all games should have been played.
“Therefore, an amendment to this rule will certainly protect all players if the league reaches a similar situation, where games aren’t completed in the period set by the league.”
Photo: Nicholas Bhajan/ Wired868.
Incidentally, Seepersad’s stated dissatisfaction with Article 16 of the SSFL Constitution did not appear to consider Article 10.
The SSFL Constitution, in Article 10, describes its “playing season” as “September to December”. Therefore, although Scarborough’s contest with San Juan North was postponed and played during the school vacation, the Constitution allows wiggle room by not confining its season to the school term.
In short, the clash between the two schools on 15 December was not outside of the prescribed playing period according to the Constitution.
Photo: Nicholas Bhajan/ Wired868.
Still, the result marks an unfortunate end to Scarborough’s maiden Premier Division campaign—and it denies Tobago the chance to have an unprecedented three schools in the top flight, with Signal Hill and newly promoted Speyside Secondary already confirmed for the 2026 season.
2025 Premier Division
| Pos | Club | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Naparima | 15 | 12 | 1 | 2 | 42 | 8 | 34 | 37 |
| 2 |  St Benedict's | 15 | 12 | 0 | 3 | 45 | 13 | 32 | 36 |
| 3 |  Presentation | 15 | 11 | 1 | 3 | 40 | 11 | 29 | 34 |
| 4 |  Fatima | 15 | 10 | 2 | 3 | 48 | 24 | 24 | 32 |
| 5 |  Signal Hill | 14 | 10 | 1 | 3 | 45 | 17 | 28 | 31 |
| 6 |  St Anthony's | 15 | 8 | 1 | 6 | 30 | 25 | 5 | 25 |
| 7 |  Trinity Moka | 15 | 7 | 2 | 6 | 31 | 35 | -4 | 23 |
| 8 |  Arima North | 15 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 34 | 27 | 7 | 22 |
| 9 |  QRC | 15 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 23 | 25 | -2 | 19 |
| 10 |  St Mary's | 15 | 5 | 3 | 7 | 31 | 23 | 8 | 18 |
| 11 |  San Juan | 15 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 25 | 26 | -1 | 14 |
| 12 |  Trinity East | 15 | 4 | 1 | 10 | 21 | 55 | -34 | 13 |
| 13 |  Malick | 15 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 30 | 43 | -13 | 12 |
| 14 |  St Augustine | 14 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 16 | 43 | -27 | 12 |
| 15 |  Scarborough Sec | 15 | 2 | 5 | 8 | 18 | 39 | -21 | 11 |
| 16 |  Carapichaima | 15 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 7 | 72 | -65 | 0 |
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Lasana Liburd is the managing director and chief editor at Wired868.com and a journalist with over 20 years experience at several Trinidad and Tobago and international publications including Play the Game, World Soccer, UK Guardian and the Trinidad Express.
