VFFOTT mourns the passing of a longstanding significant contributor to the standard of Trinidad and Tobago Football - Robbie Greenidge who passed away yesterday afternoon at the Port of Spain Hospital - September 7th 2012.
The Veteran Footballers Foundation of Trinidad and Tobago, mourns the passing of longstanding significant contributor to the standard of Trinidad and Tobago Football – Mr. Robbie Greenidge.
On behalf of the President and members of VFFOTT, Mr. Selby Browne Vice President, expressed condolences to his wife Mrs. Mildred Greenidge, daughter Michelle, the entire family and those who provided care and comfort to our long standing coach, father, friend and brother Robbie.
Mr. Browne said, having had the honour to represent Malvern in 1970, with Robbie Greenidge as coach and as player/manager in 1977 when Malvern won the FA Cup and Team of the Year, Robbie was a knowledgeable coach, excellent strategist and had a keen sense of player’s capabilities and weaknesses. He was man of integrity, moral fabric and a gentleman. Robert Greenidge was as an exemplar, his God was his guide.
A past footballer of the Military Services of Trinidad First Battalion in 1943, he went on to make a significant contribution as coach of the Malvern Sports Club from the 1940’s for more than half a century. Malvern enjoyed fourteen victorious seasons during the period 1946 to 1977, as winners of the FA Cup defeating Caroni 2 -1.
During that period, Malvern won the prestigious trophies several times, to include; the FA, BDV and Port of Spain League Cup and gave to Trinidad and Tobago some of the finest footballers who on more than one occasion, the entire Malvern forward line represented either, the Port of Spain League, North Team or the Trinidad and Tobago Team. On the first occasion in the forties, the entire Malvern forward line was; Carlton ‘Putty’ Lewis, Carlton “Squeakie” Hinds, Fedo Blake, Phil Douglin and Lio Lynch, later in the sixties, the Malvern forward line was, Arthur “Jap” Browne, Kelvin Berrassa, Carlton “The General” Franco, Ken Hodge and Eddie Hart.
Robbie guided several other outstanding Malvern and Trinidad and Tobago footballers; Ken Henry, Kelvin Barclay, Noel Gonzales, Tim Lamkin, Ben Sombrano, Lenard Lewis, Michael Saldenha, Ulric "Buggie' Haynes, Ulric Boxhill, Steve Yearwood, Desmond Headley, Rolf Clarke, Keith Aqui and Earle Carter to name a few.
Robbie also pioneered women’s football in Trinidad and Tobago being the first and only coach to take a T&T Women’s team to a second round in CONCACAF level tournament back in 1991 in Haiti when T&T finished third behind USA and Canada.
Mr. Browne said, not only VFFOTT members but all knowledgeable footballers and sport fans in Trinidad and Tobago would be saddened by Robbie’s loss.
Indeed as Malvern celebrates its 70th Anniversary later this month, several Malvern past footballers, cricketers, hockey players, administrators and members would mourn his passing, but we would all join to celebrate the gift of his life and tremendous contribution to football, sport in general in Trinidad and Tobago.
Mr. Selby Browne
Vice President
VFFOTT