‘Keeping their legacy alive’

AT THE 39th staging of the Bell-Ziadie Memorial Football Festival yesterday at Winchester Park (St George’s College), several iconic names in Jamaica’s football community, including veterans of the 1998 Reggae Boyz squad, were honoured for their years of service in the sport.

The annual memorial is held in honour of Winthrope ‘Jackie’ Bell and Dennis Ziadie, former national coaches and football administrators who died in a bus accident in Mexico during the 1986 FIFA World Cup.

At this year’s staging: Linval ‘Rudy’ Dixon, Walter Boyd, Ian ‘Pepe’ Goodison, and Theodore ‘Tappa’ Whitmore.

Speaking at the event, Lorna Bell, widow of the late Jackie Bell, said the tradition of honouring selected individuals at the memorial was the perfect way to keep her husband’s legacy alive.

She also thanked Clive ‘Busy’ Campbell, the organiser of the Bell-Ziadie Memorial, for his dedication in keeping the spirit of Jackie Bell and Dennis Ziadie alive.

“I honestly believe it is important to honour persons who have served and who have given of themselves, especially to a sport like football, which is loved by all,” she said.

“I just want to congratulate Clive Campbell for really keeping their legacy alive ,because these two gentlemen, Dennis and Jackie, they not only played football, they not only were coaches, they not only were administrators, but, to me, what was important is that they changed lives.”

She said the memorial was kept on National Heroes’ Day to keep in line with the practice of honouring and highlighting those who are deserving of national recognition.

She hopes the Bell-Ziadie Memorial can continue as a shining example of what the love for family, football and a nation can achieve for years to come.

“It is something I talk about all the time. I think we need to have a better understanding of what used to happen before, so we can have something to work with going forward and something to compare,” she explained.

“This is why I really love National Heroes’ Day when we can honour all these persons. I look at this event as a day of fun and fellowship. As you can see, we all know each other and we’re all coming for very far. I don’t mind keeping it in the fun and fellowship where we can come and enjoy an evening of football for the family. That is what is really important to me.”

The other honourees at the event included former St George’s College player Kesang Chin, former FIFA referee Ricardo Morgan, Manley Burrowes, the 1998 Reggae Boyz bus driver, and Chris James, president of Barbican FC.

Also in attendance was Nicholas Ziadie, the son of Dennis Ziadie, who participated in the exhibition match as a member of the St George’s College Old Boys Invitational team.

“It is something that I’m very thankful for, to see the name of my father and Jackie Bell still going strong with much thanks to Clive ‘Busy’ Campbell, who was a good friend of both men and has seen to it that their names live on,” said Nicholas Ziadie.

In the first match of the event, the Referess defeated Christian Ambassadors 3-2 before the highlight game saw a combined Entertainers, Masters and Celebrities selection defeat the STGC Old Boys Invitational team on penalties, after an entertaining 3-3 draw.