Corcel Blair
{{short description|Jamaican footballer (1950–2008)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2019}}
{{Use Jamaican English|date=February 2019}}
{{Infobox football biography
|name = Corcel Blair
|image =
|image_size =
|caption =
|fullname =
|birth_date = {{birth date|1950|9|26|df=y}}
|birth_place = Jamaica
|death_date = {{death date and age|2008|8|21|1950|9|26|df=y}}
|death_place = Jamaica
|height =
| position = Forward
| youthyears1 = 1966–1970
| youthclubs1 = Vere Technical
| years1 = 1971
| clubs1 = Sudbury City
| caps1 =
| goals1 =
| years2 = 1972–1974
| clubs2 = Toronto Croatia
| caps2 =
| goals2 =
| years3 = 1975
| clubs3 = Toronto Metros-Croatia
| caps3 = 8
| goals3 = 0
| years4 = 1975–1977
| clubs4 = Santos F.C.
| caps4 =
| goals4 =
| years5 = 1977
| clubs5 = Sudbury Cyclones
| caps5 =
| goals5 =
|nationalyears1 = 1969–1974
|nationalteam1 = Jamaica
|nationalcaps1 = 6
|nationalgoals1 = 2
|manageryears1 =
|managerclubs1 =
}}
Corcel Blair (26 September 1950 – 21 August 2008) was a Jamaican footballer who played in the National Soccer League, North American Soccer League, and National Premier League.
Career
Blair began his career in 1966 at the youth level with Vere Technical, where he won the daCosta Cup four times. In 1971, he went abroad to play in the National Soccer League with Sudbury City.{{Cite news|last=|first=|date=July 26, 1971|title=Croatia nips Hellas on a flying finish|page=11|work=Toronto Daily Star|url=|access-date=}} The following season he played with Toronto Croatia, where he assisted in securing the regular season title.{{Cite web|url=http://naslsoccer.blogspot.ca/2010/09/corcel-blair.html?q=jerko|title=Corcel Blair|website=naslsoccer.blogspot.ca|access-date=2017-10-21}}{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=July 16, 1973|title=Thumped|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/463037303/?terms=Corcel%20Blair&match=1|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-12-21|website=Newspapers.com|publisher=Ottawa Citizen|page=17|language=en}} Throughout this tenure with Croatia he won the NSL Championship in 1974, and another regular season title in 1973.
In 1975, he was recruited to play in the North American Soccer League, where he appeared in eight matches for the Toronto Metros-Croatia.{{Cite web|url=http://www.nasljerseys.com/Players/B/Blair.Corcel.htm|title=NASL-|website=www.nasljerseys.com|access-date=2017-10-21}} He returned to Jamaica in 1975 to play with Santos F.C. in the National Premier League, where he won four consecutive Premier League titles.{{Cite web|last=Henderson|first=Jim|date=March 4, 1976|title=Smethurst Leads Indoor Rowdies|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/334937191/?terms=Corcel%20Blair&match=1|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-12-21|website=Newspapers.com|publisher=Tampa Tribune|page=25|language=en}} In 1977, he played in the Second Division of the National Soccer League with Sudbury Cyclones.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=July 16, 1973|title=Tigers still unbeaten|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/463037303/?terms=Corcel%20Blair&match=1|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-12-21|website=Newspapers.com|publisher=Ottawa Journal|page=23|language=en}} Sudbury released Blair from his contract in July, 1977 due to financial reasons.{{Cite news|date=July 15, 1977|title=Dagostino signed up by Cyclones|page=13|work=Sudbury Star}}
He made the transition to managing in 1980 with the Magic Athletic Club in the Toronto & District League.{{Cite news|last=McGill|first=Aldwyn|date=|title=Aldwynable: Vintage Midget|page=46|work=Stars Soccer Review|url=|access-date=}}
International career
Blair made his debut for the Jamaica national football team on 2 June 1969 against Haiti.{{Cite web|url=http://www.soccer-db.info/index.php?option=com_joomsport&task=player&id=50852|title=Corcel Blair|website=www.soccer-db.info|language=en-gb|access-date=2017-10-21}} In total he appeared in 6 matches and recorded 2 goals. He featured in the 1969 CONCACAF Championship qualification matches.
Personal life
His son Corcel Blair, Jr. was the technical director for the Caribbean Selects in the Canadian Soccer League.{{Cite news|last=Fanfair|first=Ron|date=March 16, 2006|title=Caribbean team will join CPSL's international league|work=Sharenews|url=|access-date=}} He died on August 21, 2008.{{Cite web|last=Clarke|first=Orville|date=31 August 2008|title=Funeral for Blair today|url=http://old.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20080831/sports/sports5.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171021195015/http://old.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20080831/sports/sports5.html |archive-date=21 October 2017 |access-date=4 February 2019|newspaper=Jamaica Gleaner}}
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Blair, Corcel}}
Category:Jamaican men's footballers
Category:Jamaican expatriate men's footballers
Category:Jamaica men's international footballers
Category:Toronto Croatia players
Category:Toronto Blizzard (1971–1984) players
Category:Canadian National Soccer League players
Category:North American Soccer League (1968–1984) players
Category:National Premier League players
Category:Santos F.C. (Jamaica) players
Category:Expatriate men's soccer players in Canada
Category:Jamaican expatriate sportspeople in Canada