Wolues are the 2023 President's Cup Winners! They defeated VG United 1-0 in the final in East End on May 21, 2023. Photo: BVIFA

National League Champions for 2023, One Love. Photo: BVIFA

Premier and Minister Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) was on hand to give brief remarks and assist with the presentation of prizes. Photo: BVIFA

League MVP Collin Lavia of One Love. Photo: BVIFA

Derol Redhead of Sugar Boys scored 22 goals to end as the joint Golden Boot Winner. Photo: BVIFA

The goal in just the 11^th minute of a game, that later saw Wolues reduced to 10 men, and then developed into a tactical dual between two well-organised sides, was played in front of a large crowd at the future National Stadium venue and was as worthy a game to celebrate the Presidents Cup as there has ever been.

“We got off to a good start and put some pressure on them early,” commented Phil Nelson of the Wolues.

“The game was pretty even when Marcus (Robinson) was slid through, and he went on to finish perfectly and then found ourselves hanging on a little bit. We were really up against it when one of our players got sent off, but we changed the formation a little at halftime to try block the middle and give up the space on the sides. We rode our luck a little but overall didn’t give up much, it was a real determined performance,” Nelson added.

Nelson went on to congratulate VG United on a good season and a good game, noting that, “they have built their team from the youths and play very well together. They are ones to watch for next year.”

‘It just wasn’t meant to be’- VG United coach

Meanwhile, Manager of the VG team, Jermain Abrams thought that his team didn’t start too well.

“We were a bit shaky to begin with but settled down after they had scored. Our confidence grew when they were reduced to ten men, but it seemed like it wasn’t to be our day as we missed many opportunities to score. We tried, we hit the woodwork, and it just wasn’t meant to be, but it was a good game, and the fans definitely got their money’s worth.”

Awards

At the conclusion of the game, the BVI Football Association (BVIFA) President, Mr Andrew D. Bickerton, Premier Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) and members of the FA Executive celebrated the season with awards not only going to the Wolues FC as Cup Winners, but also One Love as National League Champions, the Golden Boot Winners, Johari Lacey of Rebels FC and Derol Redhead of Sugar Boys FC, who both scored 22 goals, the Golden Boy award for League newcomer, which went to Devon Letteen of One Love FC, who was also the Golden Glove winner and League MVP who was named as Collin Lavia of One Love FC.

The Fairplay award went to Positive FC, the Manager of the Year was named as Nick Messum of Wolues and the Referee of the Year award went to James Ramprasad.