SPORTS personalities who represent Jamaica should get a national identification card which allows them to watch any event, in any sport, at any venue across Jamaica, a former national footballer has said.

Thomas McLean, the former Camperdown High School and Boys’ Town footballer, who went on to represent Jamaica, before emigrating to the United States, cited the need for such a card, as he believes that national representatives are not being treated well, particularly when they turn up at the National Stadium for events held there.

“I have seen a lot of people who represent Jamaica could not get a pass to enter the National Stadium,” McLean told a packed Bethel Baptist Church in Half-Way-Tree on Friday, during the service of thanksgiving for the life of former Trench Town Comprehensive, Vere Technical, Boys’ Town, and Jamaica footballer, Herbert ‘Dago’ Gordon.

Gordon, 61, died on November 17, due to complications associated with diabetes.

McLean, a member of the Camperdown team which won the Manning Cup in 1982, said that sports personalities who represent Jamaica were reeling from the effects of harsh economic times.

“We should have a national pass for every individual to enter any event, whether it is at the National Stadium, or wherever. I have seen people who never represent Jamaica in hop scotch or dandy shandy, get in for free. Football started long before 1998 (the year Jamaica qualified for the World Cup Football Finals in France).

“A lot of players who represented Jamaica are sick, and have fallen by the wayside, and we stand aside and look … we shouldn’t allow that,” McLean said.

Citing the example of the Sunday Observer award-winning series of articles on the tough times faced by Jamaican Olympian Olivia McKoy, McLean said that people who wear the national colours should not have to undergo such hardships.

“This lady was on the streets selling bag juice and sleeping on the roadside … there is nothing wrong with selling bag juice, but sleeping on the streets is not right. Happily, she got some support when the newspaper carried the story.

“There are many out there who need our support. People like Peter ‘Dove’ Marston and Richard Austin have fallen by the wayside. Let us come together and help the ‘Dago’s, and the Austins … we can do it,” McLean said.

The man know for his zippy runs and long, agonising throws, from which he has scored goals and set up several others, described Gordon as an entertainer, who was his idol and hero.

“A simple pass to Dago was not so simple — he had to do something to it… a little finesse.

“The 1982-83 Major League final against Harbour View at the stadium was the greatest game that I have ever played in.

“We were down 0-2 with 10 minutes to go. Dago should have come off the field, but he signalled to the bench that he would not come off, when the referee had been approached to make a change. We got a throw, and Dago said to me, ‘Tom, just throw the ball to me’, pointing to his head. I threw the ball to him and he scored. By that time most of Boys’ Town’s supporters had left the stadium. We equalised, and the rest is history,” McLean said, describing the match that was decided by a penalty shootout, which Boys’ Town won.

“Dago played the game of his life — against diabetes. On November 17, we were not there for him. He was tired, gave up, and we weren’t there to support him. I blame myself. There are many more Dagos out there,” McLean said.

Gordon, who was also a competent cricketer (wicketkeeper/batsman), played the game for Vere Technical, Boys’ Town, and was once invited by Jamaica’s selectors to national trials.

One of his memorable matches as a schoolboy was the role that he played in Vere Technical winning the Spaulding Cup, symbol of overall schoolboy supremacy, over the Michael Holding-led Kingston College, in a 1973 encounter at Kensington Cricket Club, East Kingston.

Gordon and Peter Marston put on a century stand for the second wicket, both making hundreds, that enabled Vere to post 290, Holding finishing with one for 60. KC were bowled out for 230 late on the second day, despite a century by Everette Whittingham, who also represented Kensington, and Jamaica in limited-over cricket.

He was also a member of the victorious Trench Town Comprehensive High School team that won the Walker Cup knockout title in 1969.

At the time of his death, Gordon was assistant coach of Boys’ Town Football Club, the side that he had piloted to success in the Major League and National League.

He was buried at Dovecot Memorial Park, St Catherine.