Caple 'Corntail' Donaldson (front) survives a strong tackle from Arnett Gardens' Robert Small in the 1991 Craven 'A' National Premier League final at the National Stadium. Reno won 1-0.

I really wanted to attend last Sunday's funeral service for former Rusea's, Reno and Jamaica player, Caple 'Corntail' Donaldson, because, in addition to being a truly gifted footballer, he was one of those players who was respectful to the media and was easy to get along with.

However, after back-to-back nights covering the Air Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival in Montego Bay on Thursday and Friday, and then driving over to Negril for 'Hott Sat' on Saturday night, I was so physically drained that I reluctantly chose sleep over driving back to Savanna-la-mar for the funeral.

illustrious career

While I am sure his eulogy detailed his illustrious career at Rusea's High School, where he was a member of several daCosta Cup winning teams, and his time at Reno FC where he played on all the club's Premier League championship winning teams; I do hope mention was made of the fact that, despite his success as a player, he never lost his humility and common decency.

During his time at Rusea's in the 1980s, whenever I had reasons to speak to Donaldson in my capacity as a young sports reporter, he was always most respectful and accommodating. Later in life as a grown man representing Reno and Jamaica, he was just as tactful, which made him one of those players with great public appeal.

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Despite the fact that football is sometimes quite bruising, which sometimes cause players to lose their temper, I can never ever remember the 'Gunner', as Donaldson was often called because of his goal-scoring prowess, ever losing his cool on the football field. Regardless of how harsh the tackle against him was, he would just keep on playing as if nothing had happened.

Even after his playing days, when he became ill and was basically living as a street person, whenever I saw 'Corntail', he would always greet me with his customary broad smile, and if I were not too busy, I would allow him to engage me in a conversation about football, which was always his passion.

In looking back at the life of this gifted footballer, one can't help but bemoan the fact that, despite shameless incidents like the '1999 Montego Bay Street People Scandal', we continue to treat our mentally ill like garbage, which probably contributed to Donaldson being left to rot on the street before he was killed by a policeman, with whom he reportedly had a dispute.

Back in the 1970s, a Cuban friend told me that there were no mentally ill persons on the streets of Cuba. When I asked him why, he told me that the government had a programme in place which provided the mentally challenged with medication. He went on to tell me that after they were stabilised, they would be integrated in projects such as the making of straw mats and baskets.

assistance programme

I heard that at the funeral, Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) boss Captain Horace Burrell spoke about the need to establish a programme to assist former national players who have fallen on hard times. If that is indeed true, I would wholeheartedly support such a gesture because I believe our sporting heroes deserve special respect.

I strongly believe the Reno Football Club, which stood in the forefront of the preparation for Donaldson's funeral, should be commended for standing up for a man who brought so much glory to the club. Commendation is also in order for his former teammates at Rusea's, Reno and Jamaica, who turned out for last Thursday's fund-raising/memorial game in his honour

As one who watched Donaldson's career unfolding from his schoolboy days through to the senior level, I am sure his name will continue to come up in just about every discussion in which the glory days of Rusea's and Reno is mentioned because of the many brilliant goals he contributed to those success stories.

Walk good 'Corntail'. Your memory will live on for a long time among your many fans.

NB. Please feel free to send your feedback to adrianfrater@hotmail.com