Jamaican football great Allan ‘Skill’ Cole in need of blood donations
Jamaican football legend Allan “Skill” Cole is in desperate need of blood, according to the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) where Cole is hospitalised with an undisclosed medical issue.
Cole, 73, was admitted to the hospital on Saturday. Dr Carl Bruce, Medical Chief of Staff at the UHWI, told the Observer Online that football great is in stable condition.
“We just need to bring up his blood count,” Dr Bruce said.
“He is stable but needs some blood. We just need some young people to come donate some blood for him. Right now he is stable,” he reiterated.
The dreadlocked Cole is considered one of Jamaica’s greatest footballers. He is the youngest player ever to represent the national senior team, having made his debut as a 15-year-old.
Cole represented Kingston College at the Under-16 schoolboy football level before moving to Vere Technical High in 1965 where as a midfielder he led the daCosta Cup with 38 goals. He would however lose the Olivier Shield to his old KC teammates Neville Oxford, Lloyd McLean and Franklyn Morant 3-0 on aggregate.
In 1971, when Brazil were exporting footballers all over the world, Cole was signed by Brazilian club Nautica, but left when he was asked to cut his locks.
Outside of football, Cole had a passion for horse racing and music and was a very close friend of the legendary Bob Marley, who also loved football.
Howard Walker