THE FUNERAL service for former Jamaica footballer Corcel Blair takes place this afternoon at the King's Chapel (formerly King's theatre), Windward Road, starting at 2:30 p.m. Interment follows at Dovecot Memorial Park.

Blair hails from a well-known football family. His brothers Patrick (now deceased), Miguel and Maurice also donned the national colours.

He died on August 21 after a long illness, at age 58.

Football heyday

During his heyday in the late '60s and '70s, Blair, who was popularly called 'Django' owing to his ability to shoot hard, was a lethal striker for Vere in the daCosta Cup, as well as Santos Football Club, which won four consecutive Premier League titles in the mid-'70s under coach Winston Chung-Fah and, of course, Jamaica.

He was a member of the all-conquering Vere team which won the daCosta Cup in 1967, his teammates including the legendary Allan 'Skill' Cole and former Jamaica outside left, Kenneth 'Bob' Campbell.

That team went on to win the Olivier Shield for the first time in 1967, beating Manning Cup cham-pions Kingston College 3-0 in the first leg at the National Stadium in a classic display of football in the second half.

Blair also played pro football in Toronto, Canada, but like his younger brother Miguel, who also played for Santos and went to the Olympics with the Jamaica team as well, fell on hard times in later years and lived in a dilapidated house at Water Street, Brown's Town, in central Kingston.

In a recent press release, the Jamaica Football Federation noted Blair's contribution to the sport and extended condolences to his family.

- Orville Clarke