One season after lifting the Super League title, Anse La Raye is wasting little time setting its sights on a bigger target. With several key reinforcements joining an already talented squad, the west coast club is positioning itself as one of the teams capable of shaking up the Premier League title race in Season 3.
Fresh off its promotion to the big yard, the west coast outfit has quietly assembled what could be one of its strongest squads yet as it prepares to test itself against the league’s elite.
The first major boost comes in the form of Dahmanii Berthier, whose absence last season due to an international transfer eligibility issue was widely viewed as a significant setback for the club. With those issues now behind him, Berthier’s availability effectively gives Anse La Raye what many would consider a major new addition without entering the transfer market.
The club has also strengthened its attacking options with the return of Anthony Cadette from injury, adding further depth to an already dangerous frontline that includes leading scorer Nangee Philip and Ray J. Joseph. The Cadette family’s influence remains a major feature of the squad, with Samuel Cadette between the posts and Christian Cadette continuing to provide attacking threat.
Head Coach Sommers Augustin, a former national player and coach, has built his team around discipline, intensity and relentless attacking football. That formula delivered promotion and now forms the foundation of the club’s Premier League ambitions.
However, Anse La Raye’s push to become more than just a promoted side has not stopped with returning players.
The club has moved to reinforce its midfield with the additions of Marcallan John from Central Castries, Vershawn Jerome from Marchand and former Roseau captain Edd Fred. The trio is expected to provide greater experience, depth and control in one of the most important areas of the pitch.
Meanwhile, young left-back Jaydin Ezekiel appears ready to make a breakthrough after impressive performances in the SLFA Western Zone Under-20 Championship and the Blackheart/SLFA Under-20 Knockout Competition. His emergence could provide yet another boost for a squad already built around youthful energy and hunger.
The core that earned promotion remains intact. Erick Gabriel continues to marshal the defence alongside Tarick Phillip and Alfred Hippolyte, while Sagat Ferdinand and Adriano Auguste remain central figures in midfield.
For Anse La Raye, Season 3 is about proving that promotion was not the finish line. It was the beginning of a bigger statement.
Their first major test arrives on June 27, when they face Premier League champions La Clery in the Community Shield at the Phillip Marcellin Ground, officially opening Season 3 of the Saint Lucia Semi Professional Football League.
With both champions strengthening already formidable squads, the opener is shaping up as more than a ceremonial curtain-raiser. It is an early statement match, a clash of ambition, firepower and momentum, and fans could be in for the ultimate showdown.
