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Football has lost a stalwart - Constant Spring FC founder ‘Danny’ Lyn passes away

Published:Thursday | January 21, 2021 | 12:19 AMLivingston Scott/Gleaner Writer
Lyn
Lyn

President of the Kingston and St Andrew Football Association (KSAFA), Wayne Shaw, said the football fraternity has lost a mentor and father figure with the passing of Constant Spring Football Club founder Maurice ‘Danny’ Lyn, who passed away yesterday morning in Canada.

Lyn, who was battling cancer for some time, was residing with family overseas at the time of his passing, and Shaw said the former coach and administrator will be missed.

“Danny Lyn was a stalwart in KSAFA. Once you hear the name Constant Spring, you immediately think of Danny Lyn. He is a founder, coach, mentor and father to many of us. He is someone you can always go to for assistance, and he has done so much to help a lot of young men and women,” Shaw said.

“When we (KSAFA) use his football complex, we couldn’t pay the standard amount, but Danny is a lover of football and KSAFA, so he had no issue [in] letting us use it. His contribution was invaluable and he will truly be missed,” Shaw added. “It is a great loss to football in Jamaica and I just want to say to his family and friends, condolences.

According to Neville Lyn, Danny’s brother and former Constant Spring team manager, Danny spent the last four months in Canada getting treatment, but he added that based on the signs, the family was expecting his passing.

“He has been ailing seriously for about four months. He went to Canada to try and see what they could have done there, but there was only so much that they could do. It happened early, about 5 a.m. (yesterday). We were expecting it, as he was deteriorating as the days go by,” he revealed.

Neville recalled how his bother built the club, formerly Golden Aces, from the ground up with mainly community players from in and around the area and stamped it with his own personal style of play.

PATTERN OF FOOTBALL

“He started the club with just players from the Cassava Piece area and developed a pattern of football for himself. He started from Syd Bartlett (league), and took it straight to the Premier League, and he won many titles,” he added. “It (club) was more about family and helping youths in the area. It wasn’t just about football for him, he wanted to build better characters and better people.”

“The complex is also his legacy and I will try my best to see what I can do to maintain that complex. He built a legacy with the football team and whoever is there to take care of it, I will always be there to assist Constant Spring football. I will not allow it to die; we have to keep his legacy alive,” he added.

Lyn was 73 years old. He is survived by his wife and seven children (four boys and three girls).

Meanwhile, the Jamaica Football Federation, through a release, hailed Lyn as a stalwart of Jamaican football.

“The Jamaica Football Federation mourns today as football has lost a stalwart, the late Maurice ‘Danny’ Lyn. Danny Lyn, as he was widely known, gave his heart and his life to the sport he loved. He was active in every area of the sport, although coaching and mentoring were his passion. Danny contributed to the success and livelihood of countless youngsters over many years. The Constant Spring Football Club and the Constant Spring football field stand as monuments to his support of the beautiful game,” read the release.

livingston.scott@gleanerjm.com