Western Bureau:

Former footballer and outstanding coach, Anthony ‘Follies’ Williams, of Hopewell, in Hanover, who passed away after a brief period of illness on Wednesday February 2, 2022, was laid to rest in the Hopewell cemetery yesterday.

Williams died leaving a host of family, friends and members of the football fraternity, not only in western Jamaica but also nationally, to mourn his passing.

A memorial service was held for Williams on the playing field at the Orchard Sports Complex, in Hopewell, Hanover, with Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of National Security and Member of Parliament for North West St James, Dr Horace Chang, accompanied by Minister of State in the Office of the Prime Minister, and Member of Parliament for Southern St James, Homer Davis; also Member of Parliament for Hanover Eastern, Dave Brown, heading the list of mourners.

Follies, who died at age 59 years, attended the Bethel Primary School, in Hopewell, then on to Rusea’s High School in Lucea, where he became a household name in the footballing fraternity, then on to club football in St James, where he represented clubs like Hornetts and Wadadah.

He won the daCosta Cup and Olivier Shield, the top local schoolboy football trophy, both as a player and as a coach, at his alma mater, Rusea’s High School. Williams also won the National Premier League, both as a player and later as a coach, with Wadadah Football Club in St James.

In his tribute, Dr Chang described Follies as a successful, outstanding footballer, and businessman, a good father and community leader, who has helped to make Rusea’s one of the dominant schoolboy football teams in western Jamaica.

“I am confident that if he had not had that unfortunate incident in which he was severely injured, Follies would have played for Jamaica. He was a footballer of the best quality, not only had he the talent, but he also had the discipline and the persona to get to the highest level in football,” he stated.

He pointed out that even after the major injury which ended Follies’ playing career, he continued his contribution to the game by venturing into coaching, at which he was very successful.

“He was a man of character, a good friend, always there willing to reach out and to work in his community,” Chang noted.

Dave Brown, who said that he had been a friend of Williams ‘from youth’, described him as a dedicated person to anything he attempted to do.

“Follies knew that people respected his mastery of the game of football, and he never failed to share his knowledge with others, especially youths,” he stated.

Brown noted that many young promising players from across the parishes of Hanover and St James benefited from the skill and knowledge of Williams.

Meanwhile, successful schoolboy football coach, Emerson ‘Diggy’ Henry, who shared a partnership with Follies as coach for the Rusea’s High School football programme for approximately 23 years, described him, in an interview with The Gleaner, as one of the most reliable persons he has known.

“He was really committed to the game and programme, whether it was Rusea’s or Wadadah, he was always there and on time,” Henry stated.

“In 2002 when I was shot, he was the one who took the Rusea’s team all the way, then I would only pass through periodically. He won the daCosta Cup and Olivier Shield that year,” he stated.

He expressed the view that the passing of Follies will leave a void in the sport in western Jamaica.

Popular football coach and former international umpire, Steve Bucknor, who was one of Williams’ first coaches, described him as very good at following instructions from an early age.

“I thought that he would have gone on to play for Jamaica, barring an accident in which he was involved, but he was one of the best dribblers that I have seen over the years, and a very exceptional player on the field,” Bucknor said.

Bucknor had high praise for Follies in the area of coaching, adding that his knowledge of the game and his eagerness to pass on that knowledge to the youngsters spoke well for him.