Barrington Gaynor ...file

BRONX, New York (CMC):

New York City will this Friday stage a football benefit match in honour of the former Jamaica defender Barrington 'Cobra' Gaynor, that will feature 1995 FIFA World Player of the Year George Weah.

The Jamaica Information Service (JIS) said last Friday that the match will be played at the Evander Childs High School field in the Bronx.

Billed as a Friendship Shield Classic, the match will feature top National Premier League team Harbour View FC of Kingston tackling an All-Star team comprising former Jamaica players and players from other teams Gaynor represented - Camperdown High (school) and Bull Bay (club).

Sick for some time

Gaynor has been sick for some time and has travelled on a number of occasions from Jamaica for a series of medical tests in the United States.

Richard 'Pro Duck' Green, one of the executive producers of the match, said he anticipates the support of the wider community for this special event, "honouring someone of the calibre of 'Cobra', who gave a lot to the sport at the colts, juvenile, club and national levels for Jamaica".

"Barrington was part of that winning tradition at Camperdown and played well for Jamaica," Green said.

Weah, the Liberian International and former FIFA World, European and African Footballer of the Year, will lead the All-Star cast that includes for Jamaica national standouts Anthony 'Baddaz' Corbett and Walter 'Blacka' Boyd.

"So far, we are pleased with the support from the community and especially from players who played with and against Gaynor," Green said.

"Having players of the calibre of Weah and Corbett commit to this effort is a blessing," Green added.