Jamaica’s greatest footballer and Bob Marley’s best friend and road manager, Allan “Skill” Cole, died yesterday in Jamaica.
Cole, who died aged 74, was once compared to the greatest footballer of all time, Pelé. He was not only a football legend but also a sports and cultural icon in Jamaica.
Known for his elegance and brilliance on the pitch, he made his mark with clubs in the USA, Brazil’s Náutico-PE, and in Jamaican football, where his name became synonymous with flair and excellence.
Beyond football, Cole left an indelible imprint on music and culture. He is credited as co-writer of Bob Marley’s powerful track War, based on Haile Selassie I’s historic speech at the United Nations.
Through this, his legacy transcended sport, becoming part of reggae’s global message of resistance and justice. He lived the talk of African unity as he spent three years coaching the Ethiopian national team in the 1970s. Ethiopia is the spiritual home of Rastafarianism.
His passing marks the end of an era, as Cole symbolised the bridge between Jamaica’s sporting triumphs and its cultural revolution, carried to the world through Marley’s music.
He had three children with famous Jamaican singer Judy Mowatt, who was part of the female group called the I Threes that backed Bob Marley and the Wailers.
Rest in peace Legend!
