The day was bright and sunny, conditions well suited for any football match but the mood was of a very sombre nature at Guyana 's premier football venue, GFC yesterday.
Family, relatives, friends near and far and football administrators and player's young and old all gathered to bid farewell to one of Guyana 's outstanding footballers, Leslie ‘Fatman' Holligan.
The service, which was chaired by General Secretary of the Guyana Football Federation George Rutherford, went quite smooth and was made up of a number of tributes and songs before the sermon which was delivered by Pastor Jackman of the First Assembly of God Church, Durban Street .
The Eulogy was done by Holligan's first coach and current coach of Beacon Football Club, Gordon Brathwaite.
Jackman's message was focused on Psalm 139. He reminded the very large gathering, which included Presidential Advisor on Empowerment Odinga Lumumba, executive members of the GFF, Georgetown, West Demerara, East Demerara, Guyana Football Referees Council, directors of the Kashif and Shanghai organisation and players from Alpha, Beacon and Camptown among others, that Holligan had an appointment to keep.
Jackman also shared his experience of praying with Holligan in the final days of his journey on earth while in hospital.
There were glowing tributes by various organisations and individuals and what was evident in all was the fact that ‘Fatman' was a disciplined, dedicated and committed player and ambassador for his country, on and off the field.
His coach when he played at Camptown F.C Desmond Alfred remembered him as a key and dependable player who brought joy to the club. “I will always remember him as scoring one of he best goals I have ever seen when he played with the Under-23 team.”
Lumumba, who is also president of the Alpha United F.C where Holligan played his last club ball in Guyana , said that he was a leader on and off the field, pointing out that his death must be seen as a learning experience for us all.
Technical Director Jamal Shabazz in his tribute noted that we prepare for all kinds of other events in life including weddings and parties but the one inevitable thing which is death, we never prepare for it.
“Holligan lived a full life, he lived the life of a soldier a true representative of Guyana on and off of the field and he is what we call a Jaguar, a Golden Jaguar for our people.”
Shabazz who was responsible for taking ‘Fatman' to Trinidad said his life was indeed an example for us all and for him in the few short years he knew him.
“This young man came to Trinidad and played for very little money in his first season but he would always ensure that some money is sent home to his family…”This is a young man who was also always thinking about the unity of Guyana 's football.”
Shabazz who was very stirring in his presentation mentioned that when one looks at the circumstances surrounding the demise of such a brilliant player and the fact that he was ailing for some time based on professional advice, it is an indictment on all that he could not find someone he could have shared with what he was going through.
“Because he probably didn't see in all of us including myself that someone who he could have shared his pain with because of course we still live treacherous with each other, may be he feared that if he shared with one of us we would have scandalised his name.”
The man who has been credited with making a positive impact on the rise of Guyana 's football called on all the warring factions in Guyana 's football, sports and politics to use Holligan's passing as a symbol of unity for our future.
All the players who played with Holligan in Trinidad expressed their shock at his passing. Shabazz disclosed, “And because we knew this man cared about his family, for the rest of the life of his daughter, our team would take responsibility for her education, all the players would contribute for years to come and we pray that Almighty God would take her right up to university level.”
First Vice President of the GFF Winston Callender, President of the Georgetown Football Association Troy Mendonca and Secretary of the Camptown F.C Lester Sealy also made their contributions.
In his presentation of the Eulogy, Gordon ‘Coachman' Brathwaite, Holligan's first coach, described him as a national football Beacon.
“With his abundant determination and grit he always played like a stallion establishing himself at every level of the game as a hardworking and true champion.”
The late Golden Jaguar was outstanding as a youth with his first club, YSM Beacon and continued to do so when he joined Camptown and Alpha.
“As a player he was one of the most versatile of his generation; really and truly complete very tactically and technically, strong, comfortable on the ball with both of his feet.”
“Leslie Holligan was the epitome of the complete player fulfilling any coach's dream, a player any other player would desire to have at all times on his team, I surely cannot remember him ever giving up or failing and that is truly for real.”
“He left a good name for himself after playing for Notre Dame in “Bim” while in Trinidad and Tobago with Caledonia the same will always be said of him.”
Holligan, who was born on August 3, 1978 and died on September 15, 2007 at the age of 29, leaves to mourn his daughter, mother, sisters and brother among other relatives and friends. His remains were interred at the Le Repentair Cemetery yesterday.
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