Ceres Negros FC player Iain Ramsay will forever cherish the club’s first ever Philippines Football League title. The midfielder netted a hat-trick in the PFL Final last Saturday, 16 December 2017, to win 4-1 over rivals Global Cebu FC at the Pana-ad Park and Football Stadium in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental.
Speaking after the match, Ramsay, who was named man of the match, admitted that it has been a long, tough season for the club and to claim the PFL itle was the icing on the cake on what has been a memorable season for the Negros side.
“It means a lot for us to win here in Pana-ad. It was something special,” said Ramsay. “It’s a lot of hard work to reach this stage. The club already had experienced success with the AFC Cup Zonal Championship and this (PFL title) just caps it off.”
It proved to be a fitting farewell for the winger who also announced that the PFL Final was his last game for the club. Ramsay scored in the 20th, 27th, and 61st minutes in front of an ever supporting crowd in Pana-ad.
“Winning (the title) means a lot not only to myself, but to my family, the people of Negros, my boss, my teammates, the fans. It was a special occasion and something that I will always remember,” continued Ramsay. “Coming to the Philippines and playing for Ceres has been really special. We’ve been fortunate to have a great season, especially playing in Pana-ad. You can’t explain the feeling playing here because it gives us confidence. It’s really a special feeling and I’ll always remember that.”
The midfielder also heaped praise on the Philippines Football League and the promise it can bring in the coming seasons.
“It has been a successful PFL season and for me I want the League to grow more and more in the future,” said Ramsay. “With the right people behind the sport, we can push football to the Philippines.”
Ramsay also reminded everyone that there is still a bigger task at hand for Philippine football and that is for the Philippine Men’s National Team to qualify for the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019. The Philippines will face Tajikistan in the final match of the Asian Cup Qualifiers on 27 March.
“I really hope by March we qualify for the Asian Cup,” added Ramsay. “Obviously we should have done that already, but we’re still at the top of our group and with one more game to go and it’s another historic moment for Philippine football to reach the Asian Cup.”