Former Malvern midfielder Saldenha dies

MICHAEL SALDENHA, also known as "Sally", died on Thursday morning at his home at Morvant, apparently from hypertension.

The 75-year-old Saldenha was the brother of Noel, a former Guardian newspaper photographer who died about three years ago.

Saldenha played as a midfielder for Paragon Sports Club, Malvern Sports Club and the Glory Guys football club.

According to legendary TT midfielder and Strike Squad coach Everard "Gally" Cummings, who grew up with Saldenha on Dundonald Street, Port of Spain, "(On Tuesday) I received a call from another Glory Guys football maestro Norris Baptiste in New York telling that Sally was in hospital.

"I called Sally at home on Tuesday and he told me that he was alright. He went to the hospital and they checked him out and there was no cause for concern, onlly to recieve a call (on Thursday) morning telling that he had passed.

"It was such a shock that I started reminiscing on the times we spent playing football for Paragon Sports Club and Malvern. This is someone who attended the same primary school as I did, was from the same area, hanged out with the same crowd. In 1975 while I was home on vacation from my team in Vera Cruz in the Mexican football (league) and took on my first coaching assignment as coach of Glory Guys. With Sally as team captain we went on to win the Port of Spain football league."