'Wesso' hailed as a father figure

Paul Clarke, Gleaner Writer

Western Bureau:

Renowned football coach Clinton Weston King, who coached Seba United FC as they won the National Premier League (NPL) football title in 1986-87, the first such victory by a rural team, has passed on.

King, popularly known as 'Wesso' in local and regional football circles, died last Thursday after prolonged illness, which had left him confined to bed for over a year.

King, a founding member of Seba United, also had a hand in the last NPL title Seba United won in the 1996-97 season.

While King's beloved Seba United was rebranded and renamed Montego Bay United Football Club (MBUFC) in 2011, the veteran coach is still considered an important cornerstone in the legacy of the new club, a factor highlighted by MBUFC's boss, Orville Powell.

"He was a very loyal and dedicated person," said Powell. "I happen to learn a lot from him, albeit I only got to know him in the latter stages of his association with Seba United.

"Wesso did everything for his players … . He loved them as much as he loved football," continued Powell. "He brought discipline to the forefront for Seba and when we moved to change the name of the club, I knew he was not supportive of that, but the love he held in his heart for football and Seba United will live on and his name will remain synonymous with this club."

King's relentless drive to perfect the art of football at Seba United meant he was directly involved in the lives of many aspiring footballers in Montego Bay communities. One such player is Franklyn 'Bobby' Allen, whom he conditioned into a no-nonsense defender.

"I grew up under Wesso … . He inspired us to great things," said Allen. "We have lost an icon, but his legacy will be here with us forever."

RESPECT WAS KEY

According to Allen, King instituted a system by which respect for all was the main thing and he lived by that standard, hence the high esteem in which he was held at the team's North Gully base and across Montego Bay, Jamaica and the Caribbean.

Like Allen, former Seba United midfielder Gregory Williams, who also benefitted from the expert coaching of King, believes he was a great man and a father figure to the many youngsters, who benefitted from his vast football knowledge.

"Wesso was like a father to me," said Williams. "He was a great coach who loved his football. His passing has left a void, but his contribution will not be forgotten."

King, who was a former top-flight goalkeeper in St James, had a big hand in shaping the careers of several national players to include Alton Sterling, Allan Latty, Hector Wright, Paul 'Tegat' Davis, Theodore 'Tappa' Whitmore and Devon Dunkley.

In September 2010, King was presented with the Jamaica Football Federation President's Award for his outstanding service to football during a visit to the island by FIFA President Sepp Blatter.