TRIBUTES are pouring in for former Jamaica footballer Trevor “Jumpy” Harris, who passed away on Thursday morning, with Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) President Michael Ricketts and Harbour View FC General Manager Clyde Jureidini remembering him as a true icon of Jamaican football.

Ricketts expressed deep sadness at Harris’s passing and extended condolence to his immediate family and close friends.

“This is indeed very, very sad news. I understand that former national player Trevor “Jumpy” Harris passed away. I must express my sincere condolences to Jumpy Harris’s immediate family members and, of course, his close friends,” Ricketts told the Jamaica Observer.

He noted that Harris’s passing comes shortly after the loss of another former national player Keith Lattimore.

“We are deeply saddened, and recently we lost a former national player [Keith Lattimore]. Here again, we’re going through the same routine of mourning the passing of another truly great Jamaican past footballer,” Ricketts said.

Reflecting on Harris’s influence, Ricketts recalled knowing of the former national player from his own school days and the impact he had on young footballers of that era.

“I would have known of Jumpy Harris from when I was a youngster in high school, and he would have impacted the minds and well-being of probably every young boy in that era who played, or wanted to play, the sport,” he said.

“As I’ve said, we’re just deeply saddened, and of course, may the soul of an icon rest in peace.”

Harris played on the Kingston College (KC) all-conquering teams of 1964 and 1965 that swept everything in front of them, winning the Triple Crown of schoolboy football — Manning Cup, Walker Cup and Olivier Shield — twice, as they went unbeaten over those two season.

That team is considered by some as the greatest-ever Jamaican schoolboy team of all time. As many as of those 10 players were selected for the All-Manning team and eight went on to represent Jamaica’s senior side while still at KC.

Harris represented Harbour View FC as a player then player/coach. Jureidini, current general manager of the Harbour View who played as understudy to Harris as striker, highlighted his legacy.

For Jureidini, Harris’s passing marks the loss of a man who played a defining role in the early development and success of Harbour View.

Jureidini reflected on his own playing days alongside Harris, recalling how the veteran forward became both a mentor and teacher to him and other young players.

“Trevor Harris joined us in the 1975 season as a power forward. He led from the front, based on his personality, his talent and his maturity. I was privileged to be his understudy — not only to Trevor, but also to another great All-Manning player and striker Russell Bell. Both of them were strike partners, and I learned the trade under them,” Jureidini recalled.

Harris and Bell made an immediate impact in 1975, helping Harbour View to a remarkable 30-0 victory over Rockfort FC at Rennock Lodge.

“That remains the biggest victory we have had against any team. Jumpy scored six goals, Russell scored three, and I learned the craft under both of them,” Jureidini said.

He described Harris as an exceptional footballer and mentor. “He was an excellent coach, excellent person, excellent teacher and fierce competitor.”

“The following year, Trevor became the coach of the team. He took on that role in a strong and forceful manner, both physically and mentally,” Jureidini pointed out.

He recalled a particularly difficult period when the team faced serious challenges amid the intensity surrounding football at the time. “We went through many battles, including the incident involving one of our players being stabbed at what is now Dunoon High School, as well as gunshots being fired during a game against Port Royal.”

Despite those challenges, Harbour View chose to continue its campaign and ultimately made history.

“In the middle of the preliminary round, we had to decide whether we were going to continue in the competition. Football was very physical and intense at the time, and there was fierce physical and mental pressure from our neighbours. We decided to go ahead full force.”

That decision paid off as Harbour View captured the KSAFA Major League title in the 1976-77 season, its first major competition triumph, under Harris’s leadership as player-coach.

The achievements did not end there. Harbour View also won the Eastern Kingston Wilson Isaac Tournament and the Under-19 competition organised by the Social Development Commission, which was staged that year only.

“So we won three competitions, and that set the bar for reaching the highest level of Jamaican football,” Jureidini said.

For Jureidini, those accomplishments capture the essence of Harris’s contribution to the club and Jamaican football.

“That is the legacy. That is the man. That is the leadership. And that is the icon that we knew — and still know today — as Trevor “Jumpy” Harris,” he said.