AS the Boys’ Town fraternity and the rest of Jamaica mourn the passing of former national football player Herbert ‘Dago’ Gordon, one of his contemporaries Ali McNab, has described him as “talent personified”.

Gordon, a former Trench Town High and Boys’ Town representative, died in Jamaica yesterday after being in a coma for several days.

McNab said Gordon was 60 or 61 years old and diabetic.

McNab, who was a striker for Boys’ Town FC and Jamaica, remembered Gordon as a remarkable attacking midfielder with the ability to make sublime final passes and the knack for inspiring his teammates.

” ‘Dago’ and I played many a game together. He was a free kick specialist and one of the most creative minds you’ll ever find. (He and another standout former player) Allan Cole, those two had the greatest defence splitting passes that you could ever think of,” McNab told the Jamaica Observer yesterday.

Gordon, who has lived in the United States, represented Jamaica in football at the senior level and played cricket as a schoolboy. He was a member of a dominant Boys’ Town FC team in the 1970s and 80s.

“He’s the type of guy I’d go to war with any time.

“There was a famous game of Harbour View versus Boys’ Town with nine minutes to go when people were leaving the (National) Stadium believing Harbour View would win 2-0. ‘Dago’ came over to me and said ‘McNab, yuh leave yuh grandfather’s funeral to come lose to dem bwoy yah? Well me nuh leave New York to come lose to dem bwoy yah!'”

“It might seem like a simple statement, but it was so inspiring that all my tiredness went. We pulled back to 2-2 and won the game in penalty shoot-out,” McNab related.

According to McNab, Gordon could have also been an outstanding wicketkeeper/batsman at the highest level or a top class basketball player.

“The great (West Indies cricket all-rounder) Sir Garfield Sobers saw ‘Dago’ Gordon playing cricket and told him to leave football alone. That is how talented he was. I like to think of him as talent personified,” he added.

President of the JFF Captain Horace Burrell said the news of Gordon’s passing came “as a shock to me”.

“I am currently overseas when I got the sad news of ‘Dago’s’ passing. Up to his illness, which ultimately ended in his death, he was very active with Boys’ Town Football Club where he dedicated his life as an outstanding footballer and cricketer, and then coach. I have had the privilege of watching him perform across both sports, and he was indeed a gifted individual, a very skilful footballer in particular for his club and country.

“Jamaica will certainly be poorer for this loss, and on behalf of the JFF, I would like to send condolences to his family and friends, whom we would like to reassure that the JFF stands ready to assist in any way possible,” Burrell told the Jamaica Observer yesterday.

Others to have played at Boys’ Town alongside Gordon include former Reggae Boyz coach Carl Brown, Derrick ‘Shastri’ Denniser, Lloyd ‘Respic’ Morgan, and Milverton Brooks.

Meanwhile, the Harbour View Football Club, through it’s General Manager Clyde Jureidini, expressed condolences to the Boys’ Town family and the personal family and friends of Gordon.

“Our sincere condolences to Boy’s Town FC, his wife Ruperta and family… he will be surely missed as one who always contributed on and off the field of play for his entire life,” Jureidini said.