B’dos F/ball official Sherlock Yarde dead at 55

Described as a true friend of Guyana’s Football

By Sean Devers
They say is it not how long you live but how you live that is important to the people you live with and the tributes following the passing yesterday morning of Vice-President of the Barbados Football Association (BFA) Sherlock Yade at age 55, emphasizes that saying.
No one can totally prepare for death but when it comes at the height of a successful career in

Sherlock Yarde

and outside the sporting arena and without obvious signs of illness to even some of his friends, like was the case with Yarde, it is even more heart breaking.
News reaching Kaieteur Sport indicate that the Barbadian Football personality, whose father is Guyanese and who has a Guyanese-born daughter, died of an undisclosed illness in a Barbados Hospital yesterday morning throwing not only the Barbados Football Association but those in Guyana and the wider Caribbean into morning.
Yarde, who played an integral role in the Notre Dame Football Club in Barbados which accommodated several Guyanese Footballers due to Yarde’s influence, was also the Chairman of the BFA selectors and the Manager of the Barbados senior Football team.
Outside of Football, Yarde, who attended school with former Barbados Prime Minister Owen Arthur, was the proprietor of Stores in Barbados, a senior Customs Officer and was even into politics.
Gregory ‘Jackie Chan’ Richardson, the late Shawn ‘Fatso’ Bishop and Nigel ‘Powers’ Codrington were among the Guyanese who played domestic Football with Yarde’s club in Barbados, while Yarde, who played a key role in the Masters Football competitions between Guyana and Barbados, was also instrumental in reviving the Veterans Football competition between the Notre Dame club and Guyanese clubs, which was an annual affair in the 1980s.
Acting President of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Frankie Wilson said the passing of Yarde came as a shocker to the GFF and the football fraternity not only in Barbados but in Guyana and indeed the Caribbean as a whole.
“The last time I saw Mr. Yarde was at the return game in round two of the FIFA World Cup Qualifying competition in Barbados. His passing no doubt leaves a void in the Administration of football in Barbados and by extension, the Caribbean.
Apart from his position on the BFA as a Vice President, Mr. Yarde played a major role in Masters Football not only in Barbados but also in Guyana and was the main player behind the annual Masters tournament that features teams from both countries here,” Wilson said.
“Mr. Yarde also played a role in inviting some of our footballers to play in Barbados some years ago which underpinned the level of his involvement in the sport.
To relatives, friends and the football fraternity of Barbados, the Guyana Football Federation on behalf of the fraternity here would like to extend sincere condolences on the passing of a true labourer of the sport. May his soul rest in peace,” Wilson added.
Former National Footballer and later National Coach Lennox Arthur described Yarde as a personal friend and a true friend of Guyana’s Football who went out of his way to make life comfortable for the players and officials whenever Guyana Football teams were in Barbados.
“I last saw him in Barbados during the Veterans Tournament last month and he did not look sick. I was organising to get a Guyana All-Stars team to go to Barbados and I cannot express how I felt when I got the news from ‘English’ (Frank Parris) that he had passed away,” Arthur disclosed.
“I will surely miss him. Whenever I am in Barbados he is there for me as a friend. He respected me as a Football Coach after seeing me work with Pele and whenever he lands in Guyana he would make sure he calls me. He was a good man and will be missed,” an emotional Arthur revealed.
And former National Footballer and Coach Gordon Braithwaite also described Yarde as a true friend of Guyana’s Football and someone who was always ‘straight up’ and spoke his mind.
“A real good man is gone! I was recovering from an injury and missed the last Veterans tournament and did not get to see him in Barbados. I was shocked when I got the news this morning (yesterday) and it was only the night before that I even knew he was ill. I still can’t believe it…he was like a brother to me,” Braithwaite informed.
“I remember when I coached Beacons at the Parade ground and he brought his team here and I organized matches for them. I played a few games as guest player for his side and his death is a massive blow to Guyana’s Football. Sir Nap…that was his call name…was a genuine person and had a lot of influence. He would tell me that he would call up Bennie Man and get him to go to Barbados to perform. He turned 55 on January 16 and he has gone far too soon. He lived a full life and few who knew him would talk bad about him. I am not sure when is the funeral, but I am hoping to get to go,” Braithwaite said.