Harbour View Football Club will pay homage to two of its most loyal servants by naming Stands in their honour, the southern V.I.P. Area where President, Sydney Masters was always seated and the western Stands near the main entrance, after militant supporter Jean “Skatalite” Wallace, where she always sat.
The simple ceremony will take place on Monday, February 27th before the start of the Red Stripe Premier League game between Harbour View FC and Champions Tivoli Gardens FC.
At the same time, the HVFC will look to upgrade the signage of the Linval McKenzie V.I.P. Gate and the northern Roxy Williams Stand, two other stalwarts who were previously honoured in 1995 and 2009 respectively.
HVFC will celebrate its 38th Anniversary, on Sunday March 4, 2012.
PRESIDENT, SYDNEY MASTERS THE SOFT-SPOKEN PIONEER
Modest in his demeanour, resolute in his convictions, the quite giant was always present to lend his invaluable advice to any and all situations relevant to the sport of football and life in general, always emphasizing a disciplined approach.
A man who stood for no-nonsense was strident in his commitment to lead a fledgling Club to the realms of professionalism by dint of ones personal resolve to pull yourselves up by your own bootstraps.
Bold in his vision from the late sixties as we entered the early 1970’s when the newly developed community of Harbour View was just experiencing its first decade of existence. Already the community youngsters had organized themselves somewhat and showed the positive signs that these talented players could achieve by themselves entering and reaching the 1969 Summer finals of the then Desnoes and Geddes (D&G) Minor League Under 16 competition against Pembroke Hall.
He jumped in head-first to assist, guide and help to form an official group to become a formal administration as Treasurer along with Carvel Stewart, adding to Terrence Slater, Ronald “Piggy” Chung as Manager, Vin Blaine as President, Derrick Golding as Coach and Ewan “Shanny” Hayles elder brother of “DV” and a few other football loving individuals in the community like Patrick Brissett, Vincent Besley, Micheal Pennycooke, Michael Jureidini, Roxy Williams, Glen Morrison, “RamJam”, “Blackie”, Norwyn Gayle, Scarry, Buxton, and Neville Jolly, the females led by Jean “Skatalite”, “Lovey”, “Little”, Sandria Thompson plus many others.
On March 4th, 1974 the official Annual General Meeting voted in the new body as the name was changed formally to the Harbour View Football Club, when Vin Blaine migrated sometime soon after President Masters was installed.
His single-minded commitment to the only football Club he was active within, KSAFA Committees and INSPORTS where he served voluntarily, as well as his community all are testament to the cause he believed in.
His many decades with Grace Kennedy Company Limited was his real devotion to the company he revered as the epitomy of the corporate giant of Jamaican institutions in how they lead the sector, developed an international brand and exported professionally to show the world the true magnitude of how rich the Jamaican culture, tradition through proper organization can conquer new frontiers whenever given the opportunity to excel.
JEAN “SKATALLITE” WALLACE
Our long serving, greatest and loudest fan, friend and co-worker, Jean “Skatalite” Wallace was ever-present at any and all HVFC games and events, never shy to voice her full commitment to the cause while demanding excellence from players, coaches, supporters and management.
She required of HVFC players, coaches and managers, to have total focus when representing her beloved club, while boasting about the club performances and reminding all who have ears to hear, that she knows what and who is best to play at all times, no questions asked.
First to take a picture with all trophies won, first to tell the world how great we are, but last to give up or give in to any opposing team, referee or supporter her unrelenting spirit of competitiveness will always be the rallying call the team marches into battle with in their heart.
ROXY WILLIAMS
The bubbling personality will always greet you with a broad smile, something about Brian Lara being the greatest batsman in the world, quickly followed by a story probably about the latest soca-party or politics or he is the best Domino player.
Sooner or later it would end up at football, where sometimes he tells you how he agrees or moreso disagrees with the coach, manager or the players decision and why, how and when he would have done it, better of-course and ready to argue the point to the bitter end.
A die-hard supporter, vociferous fan and hard-working manager the fun-loving Harbour View man loved to beat and teach, record and remind by beating his chest while staking his claim, as “the greatest” like Mohammed Ali.
LINVAL MCKENZIE
He grew up not more than 200 metres from the stadium at 37 Nautilus Drive, in the mid 1970’s. When the HVFC opened up the youth development Mini League program he joined Arantes Football Club, at age 8 years old with his heart set on playing football while later studying to becoming a professional auto-mechanic.
He went from strength to strength as he graduated through the many levels to captain the winning HVFC 1984-85 Major League Team over Carl Brown’s all conquering Boys’Town FC “Red Brigade” at the National stadium in one of many epic encounters between both clubs. It never went un-noticed as Jamaica’s Coach Carl Brown immediately installed him as captain at the senior National Team, which he led with distinction.
He became ill and died very young in 1994, at age 28 years old but not before leaving a lasting impression on the football landscape as an outstanding leader, midfielder and wing-back.
The Harbour View Football Club, Staff and Community expresses our sincerest thanks to their families, friends as the entire football fraternity is much richer for the timeless contribution these four persons have made.
” One Love, Come-on-the-View!”