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Warren Archibald was my favourite and most feared player. I only saw him once but I have never before or since heard anyone strike the ball like Archibald. He was like a maestro. Cummings was good but Archibald was brutal.

More to follow.

In reply to Headley

50 years ago puts us to 1966 and about the time when Skill Cole and Vere Tech dominated the sport. They had a Trini playing with them, I can't recall his name. I have no idea if that was the link, but I know that Vere Tech did tour T&T because of him.

--Æ.

In reply to JayMor

Name was Anthony "Trini" Douglas.

1967 was Skill's last year as a schoolboy don't remember if Douglas was with VT in 1967, but I know he was part of a very good 1968 team which included Kenneth "Bop" Campbell, Corcel Blair and Errol "Bunny Grant" Barrett.

KC dominated up to 1965. When they saw that a non-traditional football school like VT was challenging the status quo they suspended schoolboy football competition for the 1966 season. They used off the field violence as the excuse. However it did not stop VT. Couldn't stop the cane-cutter man dem pickney.

Mr. Headley since this is a cricket forum please tell the masses how umpire Steve Bucknor, as goal-keeper was the star of the JA Schoolboys vs the said Brazilian under 20 team that played KC, as I remember reading in the Gleaner back then.

In reply to Headley

Archibald was part of the legendary St. Benedict's team of the 60s....de Leon and Leroy spann....other great alumni.

In reply to JayMor

Douglas was the Trini. He was also known as 'Trini'. Very skillful with great dribbling skills.

In reply to CWWeekes

I was a first former in short pants. I did not see the match with the Brazilian under 20 team that played KC. I did not even know Steve Bucknor was the Ja under 20 goalkeeper.

The issue of suspending football and your suggestion that 40 responsible headmasters would have colluded to do so because they were protecting the 'status quo' is fascinating. Please, please, tell us more.

In reply to DAVE400

What became of Archibald?

In reply to Headley

Wat were de results of the matches?

In reply to Headley

1965-66 I was in short pants too, in 2nd or 3rd form. Did not see either Brazil or Trini game. I believe KC was beaten 3-0? by the Brazilians and drew with the Trinidadians, the All-schools drew with Brazilians. Under 19 vs Trinis was drawn too??. Its been a long time so I stand to be corrected on any of the foregoing.

Re: 1966 Suspension
Don't know the composition of whatever group made that decision back then, but from memory I do know that in some quarters it was felt that there was some bias at play. Don't remember any incidents of violence surrounding schoolboy football in 1965 season, not saying there was none, just don't remember. In the Jamaica of back then, maybe even today, if you did not attend certain high schools some would try to make you feel "less than"

In reply to CWWeekes

One of the challenges I found growing up in Ja was that we as a people were easily swayed by rumours. There was a shortage of independent people, especially in Kingston. In the country areas there were more farmers who could afford to be independent.

The shortage of independent people also meant there was a shortage of independent thinkers. For example, in 1969 thousands of people in Kingston reported knowing someone who saw a coffin on wheels, propelled by no obvious means, with a john crow (vulture) perched on top and a voice asking for Mr. Brown. Stories and songs were written about it.

I say all of that to make the point that any decision to suspend football would have been made by the headmasters. Headmasters in those days, maybe even today, were few of the autonomous, influential people in the society. I find it hard to see Mr. Powell of Excelsior and Mr. Forrest of KC, two of the men who spent their whole lives dedicated to educating and uplifting poor boys and girls colluding with 30 plus other headmasters to maintain the status quo.

I will search for the scores and post them.

Results Here

In reply to Headley

Thanks. Nice bit of history there

In reply to Headley

twas 71 !

In reply to Headley

Don't know what happened after their school years. I attended St. Benedict's College and I have an appreciation for the rich history of the school....all learned anecdotally from principals, teachers, past students and people generally in academia...

It never ceases to fascinate me. I do apologize for any historical inaccuracies...as I said this is anecdotal.

St. Benedict's College was founded by a black Roman Catholic monk named Dom Basil Matthews ( a permanent hero of mine) in a little village South of San Fernando known as La Romaine (my hometown in 1956). La Romaine had basically no industry or educational facilities. Income was earned from agriculture and fishing or commute to San Fernando for civil service and administrative jobs.

San Fernando hosted the prestigious Presentation College, a Roman Catholic institution. This was the shcool for the rich kids of "high" colour...


err...let me stop here...wikipedia does a much better job with this narrative...really worth a read.

Another article about Dom Basil's legacy.

I get goose pimples reading about this man and what he did for poor people in La Romaine...I shudder to consider what my life would have been like were it not for him....

In reply to camos

Wailers song Mr. Brown was written in 1970.

My friend who I remember was walking with me when we heard the rumour left school in 1970, so I suspect it was before 1970.

In reply to DAVE400

Great man I met him, under interesting circumstances, in Trinidad in 1977.

In reply to CWWeekes You sure about the cane cutter man pickney? Was it Tomkinson that started the arms race ?
For example, Vere's first captain was it not Fullwood who played the previous year at Titchfield ? And Cole was previously at St Georges.
Noteworthy enough is the fact that these two(2) schools were traditional grammar schools, whilst Vere was a Technical school.And the methods of admission were different. Common entrance/private admission for grammar schools,while the what was called Over Age exam was used for Technical schools. Transfer between the two types of schools was in my mind- non existent.

In reply to alfa1975

Skill Cole 'left' KC after 1964 and played for Vere in 1965.

What became of Archibald? In reply to Headley

Archibald was a southern football hero, coming from Point Fortin, the deep south, oil and pitch country.
He went on to the then fledgling NASL to ply his trade in the late 60's (Wikipedia is decent enough).
He was part of the wave of players from all over the world that helped kick start
American soccer....he also had a stint in Mexico.

Archibald was an enigma...I remember a game in Skinner Park, South Trinidad,
sometime in the early70's or late 60,s when Hull City or some other played the National team.

Archibald dribbled up the wing and left a guy in his dust....the guy shouted out
loudly...flukeeeee......Archibald had not gotten far, he then purposely stopped, half turned,
gave the guy a chance to recover, and proceeded to leave him again on the sidelines.

I cannot describe, but the stands at Skinner park were in an uproar that night.....I was probably about 9 or
10 years old at the time - a soccer mad little kid watching his heroes....a night I never forgot to this day.

In reply to DAVE400

I share your sentiments about our alma mater,its history and impact on the local and national psyche at the time. Here we had this priest, local priest who by all colonial standards had nothing else to prove except learn to play harp and wait for his ticket to the big yard. Yet this man had a vision and aggressively pursued it by daring to create a pillar of education in what was then a backwater piece of real estate, surrounded by er....heathen of all descriptions and shapes.

His ideas on education were revolutionary at the time and he wanted to wed academic, comprehensive and extra curricular activities into a holistic pursuit of a well rounded student. Academically the school did not do as well as he would have liked, although there were many shining lights that came out of the period. His greatest contribution was in the area of sport, especially football. The Dom used football as a motivator, a tool, a source of pride, focus and success to be the driving force for all other endeavors. He found young players ( a few overage as later discovered, including Archibald) from the rural communities, mainly Point Fortin, and in essence provided football scholarships. Amerigo Brunner the Brazilian based coach was hired, and the rest was history, Brazil and TT became one at St Benedict's and it manifested on the football field.

In the 60's, St Benedict dominated school football like nothing before....and I dare say, since. The team's success became the community success and a tremendous source of pride..the Dom became one of the most revered figures in TT because he dared to dream,and made it come true. During my time at Benedict's in the horrible 70's, Benedict's had lost its way post Dom's retirement. Everything was in a mess and it seemed as if all that the Dom created was being systematically dismantled. Personally I was in awe of St Benedict's since I could spell football, I had a big brother and two cousins who were in Benedicts,and easily influenced me. I never craved to go to Pres or Naps, the so called place to be. When i got to Benedicts, my dream school, I found teachers who always reminded us of Benedict's history, and the pride that went with it. Teachers like the late Boscoe, Sam, Barker(cafe) and Ali...Regis- Mr smooth. Some great teachers who kept the legacy alive for us. There is a lot of history that can be written about St Benedicts and its impact on the southern and national community. Hopefully it will be written by someone with a broad understanding and not a politically correct, revisionist abridged version.

In reply to johndom90
So you must know Coconut Drive,that is where I lived.I had lots of friends in Park Street just next to Skinner Park.If ever someone was looking for me ,my mother would send them to Skinner Park.

In reply to alfa1975

Kinda like how this thread is turning out. Nice learning some stuff from our Trini Brethren.

Yes Mr. Alfalfa I used the term cane-cutter pickney only because VT is located in the Vere sugar belt, did not literally mean that the football team members were all children of cane-cutters. Yes that 1965 team put together by Englishman Derryck Thompkinson was not drawn from the general school body, indeed most of the players on that team did not come from the area. Thompkinson came to VT in 1964 after coaching JC to 3 consecutive Manning titles (61-63). In fact in 1964 he was coach of both VT and JC. The 1965 season was when VT went into "wholesale buying" of players. Players like Skill who it was said was expelled from KC, Les Brown and Winston Earle were from "town". I know one other player Lincoln "Shell" Robinson was out of primary school and was playing for Monymusk sugar estate when he was drafted by Thompkinson.

You know many of us frowned on this practice of "buying", but in hindsight I applaud Thompkinson and principal Ben "Franco" Francis for giving these young men a second chance. In 1969 I was taking evening classes in maths at VT in preparation for 'O' levels (did not attend VT but due to connections was able to get in ),and one of the students in that class was Ruddy Wright, a defender on VT's 1968 team. Now, here was a young man which if not for his football talent could have been on the outside doing whatever, but at that time seemed to be making use of the opportunity to be in school. It would be interesting to know how some of these "bought players" turned out.

In reply to CWWeekes


Very unfortunate that there was no KC / Vere in 1966. 1965 KC won 1-0, 2-0. 1967 Vere won 3-0, 1-1 (both without Skill Cole.



1960- Abandoned because of attack on referee
1966- No Competition (cooling off period after Skill Cole was attacked by Munro College supporters upset that Vere dethroned Munro.
1997- Abandoned (teachers' death threats) (Manning)
1972- Abandoned (shooting in MoBay) (daCosta)

In reply to Headley




The "Mr Brown" coffin thing was not 1969. Camos is correct.

In reply to johndom90

Thanks for the recollection. Could not think of a better way to start my Saturday.

There was just something about Archibald that I admired. I suspect it was his obvious mastery plus some attitude.

In reply to CWWeekes

Yes, it's good to hear the views and recollections from 'the other side'. During the 70-80's when I lived in Trinidad I was surprised to learn that the high esteem in which we as Jamaicans held the '65 era was equally matched if not exceeded by the fervency with which Trini football fans spoke of their '65 players.

In reply to DAVE400

Thanks for giving us your personal perspective. I had heard and read a little about St. Benedict's but the details you provided really paint a great picture.

In reply to Phillip-3

Thanks I must remember not to doubt Camus the historian.

In reply to CWWeekes

1967 was Skill's last year as a schoolboy don't remember if Douglas was with VT in 1967, but I know he was part of a very good 1968 team which included Kenneth "Bop" Campbell, Corcel Blair and Errol "Bunny Grant" Barrett.


Douglas was a member of that powerful 60's Benedict's team with Archibald etc. He found his way to Vere after Benedicts.

The rooster of that Benedict's team was a who's who of Trinidad football then. Headley mentioned Archibald...Douglas was another...

Apart from the common interest in WI Cricket, it's threads like this that attracted me to CC way back when....one was able to get an appreciation of life elsewhere in other islands, and compare experiences, similarities, differences, and an inside view as it was, of what is was like at the ground level from personal experiences related. Many on this board look for opportunities to denigrate and chest thump when comparing experiences, and that has always been the Caribbean's weakness- at all levels.

I am reading some good stuff here about Skill Cole, his early days etc. I was in my twenties at UWI St Aug, the lively 80's when I first heard the name Skill Cole. I gave the name immediate respect because of the man who lauded him. We were preparing for a soccer tournament- UWI- and Gally came to give us a few pointers/tips. At the time I think he had a relative on campus. Anyway, one day in training , a yardie named Bertille, being a yardie, and as yardies tend to do...tried an impossible maneuver on the field, .... 8. Gally pulled him up loud, and shout out that the only Jamaican he ever see do that was Skill Cole and you eh no Skill Cole. He then gave a short history of Skill and his experiences playing with and against him...with full respect. Before that I never knew the name Skill Cole, but because Gally endorse him....I put his name down in the list reserved for the best of the best....If Gally say so...is so, end of story.

Nevertheless Bertie and the other yardies on the team were proud as punch that Gally gave kudos to Skill. Bertie was bemused that Gally knew Skill Cole and his prowess....probably felt the earth under his feet when Gally brought him down....

In reply to granite

Logan carnival fete in Coconut drive was a must go back in the day. I knew a few people in coconut Drive. I think Mod Sec's lady principal in the 70's lived there. She had two sons that went to Pres...one of them was big on hockey.

Had a lot more friends in Green Acres though, right next door. Better friends, of the softer persuasion.

This was about the time they were now building Gulf City, and it was all mangrove and coconut trees.

In reply to johndom90

My friend, with reference to the destruction of the school in the 70s by principal Caines, I heard from multiple sources of fairly high degrees of credibility that Caines was sent by the Catholic board to destroy everything the Dom built. All out of envy.



Was a proper reason ever give for him pulling the plug on the sixth form?

In reply to johndom90
I had a nice lil gyul who went to Mod Sec,half Afro Chinese,lil boy/girl ting,I left before I wrote O levels.I've heard so much about Gulf City which would be about 2 or 3 miles from Coconut Drive,I haven't been to TT for about 30 years and have lost touch with all family,don't even know many of them or where they live.Nice to know someone from my area,I like that line,"better friends of a softer persuasion".

In reply to DAVE400

The worst sin that he did was to allow the wanton deterioration of the commons (name given to the school ground, with magnificent view of the setting sun over the Gulf). My earliest childhood memories were of going to the commons to see Benedict's play. The roads were tight with pilgrims heading to the commons to pay homage to Brunner's boys. Standing room only.They were dedicated like the English fans are to their teams.

When I got to Benedict's and went to the commons, for the first time, as a Benedict's boy, it was a depressing sight...huge pond in the centre circle, cattle grazing and waist high grass everywhere, on what was to me the football mecca as an impressionable child.

As to discontinuation of 6th form, when I was in form 1 there was a sixth form, small one at that. It was the last year of 6h form. I think that the results did not warrant the expense and effort of keeping a sixth form. The principal at the time (still do not like to call that man's name- though he had a fantastic daughter) made a song and dance about lack of effort and dedication by staff and students leading to its discontinuation. That stiffneck man was no leader of men, boys....or even dog. He was the antithesis of the Dom, rudderless and clueless. Benedicts' regressed to having a bad boy reputation in the 70's, fringe school with no substance except its proud football history which cannot be deleted.

In reply to johndom90
Yes sir we share a lot in common.

If you hear a Jamaican singing the praises of Allan "Skill" Cole, don't think he is blowing hot air, the man was that good.

Anthony "Trini" Douglas made a big impression during his Jamaican sojourn. He was highly regarded in that time. I was fortunate to see him play a few times. It was incredible how so many times he would elude his defender(s) get to the crossed ball, get on the ground and slide the ball into the net. That is what I remember most about his game. Whenever I see a player do that, "Trini" comes to mind.

Brazil Under 20 team

This Brazil Under 20 team visited Jamaica and I can't remember the results but I heard the following story. Can't say how true it is.

The Brazil coach was very impressed with the Jamaica under 20 team. (Both Jamaica Under 20 and St. Benedict happened to have Brazilian coaches at the time.) He was so impressed he arranged for a Brazilian club to offer Neville Oxford who was the KC outside right and I believe the Jamaica Under 20 outside right, a contract to play in Brazil.

It is reported that Oxford's mother was not impressed. Seems strange but Oxford was a bright youngster who taught first form maths the year after he left school and went on to become an engineer so his mom probably thought he had better options.

Who knows, if Oxford had gone, maybe Jamaica's football might have taken a different direction.