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France ‘98 Reggae Boyz headline 2024 Bell-Ziadie honourees
October 07, 2024
Four icons from the 1998 World Cup qualifying campaign will be among the list of honourees at this year's annual Masters and Celebrities Bell-Ziadie Football Festival, to be held on Heroes' Day, October 21, at Winchester Park, St George's College.
The former players, who contributed immensely to Jamaica qualifying for its first World Cup in '98' include the enigmatic Walter Boyd, former stalwart defenders Ian 'Pepe' Goodison and Linval 'Rudie' Dixon and former midfield maestro and national coach, Theodore 'Tappa' Whitmore.
The other honourees are former St George's Old Boy player KeeSang Chin, former FIFA referee Ricardo Morgan, Manley Burrowes, the 1998 Reggae Boyz bus driver and Chris James, president of Barbican FC.
Lorna Bell, the widow of Jackie Bell, in whose memory the event is being staged along with the late Dennis Ziadie, who both lost their lives in a bus accident while on their way to a game during the 1986 World Cup Finals in Mexico, was pleased to see Boyd, a mercurial player in his days with the national team, among the honourees.
She is also delighted to see that the event will be held at the school of two former football stalwarts Bell and Ziadie, St George's College, and announced that her family has made a contribution toward the staging of the event this year.
"I want to congratulate the awardees. I don't want to single out anybody but I am so happy to see my son, Walter Boyd, being honoured this year. I am happy to see the matches being played at Winchester Park, and so the (Bell) family has decided to make a donation to assist with the preparation," she commented at the launch, which took place at Football Factory on Thursday.
She also expressed gratitude on behalf of the Bell and Ziadie families, to Masters and Celebrities founder Clive 'Busy' Campbell, for keeping alive the memories of the two, who are considered legends as players, coaches and administrators.
"I want to express gratitude on behalf of my daughters, Jackie's children and myself. For 39 years, despite all the challenges, your (Campbell) dedication in remembering and honouring these two great footballers and administrators has definitely not gone unnoticed by myself, Jackie's children and Dennis Ziadie's family.
"Dennis and Jackie dedicated their lives to developing football in Jamaica and it is important that events like these are kept in the spirit of fun and fellowship. I look forward to this event," she said.
Professional Jamaica Football Limited (PFJL) CEO, Owen Hill, said he fully endorses events like this that remember those who made indelible contributions in the past.
"The expression of my own understanding of what this celebration is, it pretty much states that these stalwarts in the football industry would have contributed significantly in their own capacity, and here it is that we are celebrating them years later."
The event kicks off with the first game at 2 p.m., with Referees against Christian Ambassadors, while in the feature match, a combined Entertainers, Masters and Celebrities team will take on a St George's Old Boys' Invitational.
