MAY PEN, Clarendon – As Clarendon mourns the passing of youth football stalwart John Green, Central Confed Chairman Michael Ricketts has confirmed that the Juici Patties/South Central Confederation Under-15 Competition will be renamed in his honour.

Green, an English-born, naturalised Jamaican, died last Tuesday morning at the May Pen Hospital at the age of 73. He was the technical director of youth football in Clarendon at the time of his passing – a position he held since the mid-1980s.

Ricketts, who is also the president of the Clarendon Football Association, told the Jamaica Observer Central that the decision to rename the competition was made two weeks ago – more than a week before Green’s death.

“John Green and Lloyd Plummer (also deceased) were the pioneers for youth football in Clarendon and just two weeks ago we had discussions with Juici Patties in an effort to rebrand and rename the Under-13 and Under-15 competitions after these two stalwarts. Juici Patties was very receptive to the idea but they wanted something special to officially announce the name change. Sadly, John passed before it could be done,” Ricketts said.

Green, who is survived by wife Alice and four children, made his final public appearance at the opening of the annual youth competition on Saturday, July 7 at St Elizabeth Technical High School in Santa Cruz.

“I have never seen John Green at a daCosta Cup game, a Premier League game or where the national team is playing, but anywhere you see an Under-13 or Under-15 game being played, rest assured John Green will be there. It just goes to show how much emphasis he placed on rebuilding and reshaping young minds,” Ricketts said.

“We understand the sadness that exists in the football fraternity because John has made a tremendous impact on not just Clarendon football, but also national football. I can’t recall seeing anybody with the same kind of passion for youth football that John had. He will be sadly missed; John Green will be irreplaceable,” the central confed chairman continued.

Ricketts, who first appointed Green director of football in the 1980s, said the Clarendon FA would be offering the bereaved family all the support they can give.

“We will make every effort to ensure that as best as possible, his wife and children cope,” he said.

Born in Sussex, England, Green immigrated to Jamaica in 1971 and instantly became involved in various sporting disciplines, including track and field and hockey. But youth football was his passion. He did coaching stints in Africa, served as president for both the Clarendon FA and the South Central Confed, and was also a member of the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) Technical Committee.

JFF president Captain Horace Burrell said Green’s “dedication to the development of young talent was unequalled and he will be sincerely missed”.

While being a father figure to many players, Green also had a hand in the development of many young coaches in the parish. Chief among them are Garfield Carney (Clarendon Under-13 coach) and Garfield Robinson (Clarendon Under-15 coach).

“I have to credit all of my success to him,” said Carney.

“I started working with him as a teenager in 1989 and he has carried me through the ins and outs of football. He encouraged me to further my education and was always passing on coaching material from overseas to me. I felt very comfortable working with him because he is not one to bash you or reprimand you in front of the kids. He gives you space to manage your training sessions; he doesn’t impose himself,” he added.

News of Green’s death also evoked positive responses from users of social networking site Facebook.

“You have moulded the life of many young men, including my son… Thanks a million and may your soul rest in peace,” one female user wrote.

Another user said: “Clarendon will be missing a football hero.”

Rudolph Austin of Norwegian premiership team SK Brann and JeVaughn Watson of MLS outfit Houston Dynamo are just two of the many national players who have passed through Green’s hands. They were also among the Facebook users paying respect to the late coach.

“The best thing ever happen to football in Jamaica is Mr Green,” Austin wrote, while Watson added: “Mi boss, John Green… would never reach here if it was not for you. RIP.”

The late technical director was conferred with the Order of Distinction by the Government of Jamaica in 2011. Outside of the sporting arena, he was a dedicated businessman operating two bookstores — Sports and Books — in May Pen and Chapelton, where he lived.