Adrian ‘Sugar Foot’ Forde – From Cougars to Los Angeles

Aug 19, 2012 Sports

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– former Guyana Int. 1983 – 1991

Statistician Charwayne Walker continues his series of features on Guyana’s World Cup Football players. Today we are pleased to feature Adrian ‘Sugar Foot’ Forde.
Only a few former National Players could be compared to Adrian ‘Sugar Foot’ Forde when it comes to skill and flamboyance; players the likes of Roger Alphonso, Julian Moe, Clyde ‘Oiler’ Watson, Compton Julian and to a lesser extent Gregory ‘Jackie Chan’ Richardson, Anthony Stanton and Collie ‘Hitman’ Hercules.
Forde after some outstanding performances for Berbice Club Cougars, made his International debut at the Under-19 level for Guyana against Trinidad &Tobago in 1979 at the Caribbean Football Union Under-19 championship.
His second tour was to Suriname in 1980 to play in the Caribbean Football Union competition again, while his next tour of duty was in 1982 to the United States with the Upper Demerara Under-19 team.
The following year, 1983, Forde made his senior International debut for Guyana against the Land of the Flying Fish, Barbados in their capital, Bridgetown. He also featured in the return fixture in Georgetown.
Antigua & Barbuda was Mr. Forde’s next International opponent here at home and in St. John’s, Antigua. The St. John’s encounter which the host nation won 4-0 was Forde’s first loss as a senior National player.
His 1983 International campaign concluded with two friendly matches against Trinidad & Tobago in Port of Spain. Injury caused him to miss Guyana’s matches against India and T&T, along with two World Cup Qualifiers against Suriname in mid 1984.
He returned to the National fray and helped Guyana draw two matches against Suriname 1-1 in November 1984 at GCC Ground, Bourda. In 1985 Adrian played an integral role when Guyana defeated Cuba for the first time in an international series.
In the series finale, Forde’s goal which was his first Senior International strike and a Cuban own goal silenced Castro’s men at the GCC, Ground Bourda. His next International game was a 1-0 win for Guyana over host nation French Guiana in the CFU Championship.
His 1985 International Programme continued with a 1-0 Guyana loss to Suriname at Camp Ayanganna Ground, a result that eliminated the Guyanese from the 1985 CFU Championship.
The next time he featured in an International was at the Army Headquarters in November 1985 against French Guiana. In the opening match goals by Forde and 16 year-old Deon Barnwell propelled Guyana to a 2-0 victory.
In the final match of the series, Forde set up Barnwell’s goal again as Guyana came from one down to earn a 1-1. Forde’s third senior International goal inspired Guyana to a 2-0 win over Barbados in July 1986 at the GCC Ground, Bourda. The Bajans had earlier defeated Guyana 2-0 in the opening match.
In his next international series November 1986, Forde scored a hat-trick against a Venezuela selection at Camp Ayanganna and Guyana won that encounter, 7-0. He also scored in the first match the National team won 6-0.
The following year he played internationals against the Bahamas in Nassau, an Olympic Qualifier; St. Lucia, Castries, a friendly International which was the return Olympic Qualifier against the Bahamas at Bourda.
In that game, Forde scored his last senior goal for Guyana. His next International was a 2-2 draw against Barbados in Bridgetown, a game Forde will never forget because the team bus was escorted to the hotel when Julian Moe was arrested for a banned substance.
After the Barbados debacle Adrian then featured in two Olympic Qualifiers against the Dominican Republic at Bourda and in Santo Domingo, Guyana won both matches.
Mr. Skill, as he was familiarly referred to, next International opponent was Grenada.
Guyana won that series 1-0 after drawing the first match 1-1 at GCC. A 1-0 loss to Trinidad and Tobago at Camp Ayanganna was Forde’s last International home match in 1987. His next engagement was against Guatemala in two Olympic Qualifying matches which Guyana lost 3-0 and 6-0 respectively.
His final game in 1987 was an Olympic qualifier against Mexico at the Municipal Stadium in California. The National team playing with only 11 members lost that game 9-0. Forde found the back of the mighty Mexicans nets but the goal was disallowed since it was ruled an offside.
After the Mexico loss Forde disappeared with several other players from the Guyana camp. He returned a few days later claiming that he was kidnapped at gun point.
The Guyana Football Association (GFA) at the time did not accept the story and Forde was banned. He was however pardoned and returned to International football in 1990.
His first match back was inglorious because Guyana suffered a 5-0 thrashing at the hands of Suriname in Paramaribo. He was the star player in this nation’s next two Shell Cup draws against the Netherland Antilles and Grenada both matches were contested at GCC Ground, Bourda. His final outing in Senior National colours was 1991 but injuries prevented him from participating in the Shell Cup Finals in Jamaica.
International Tours
1979     CFU U19 series
1980    Suriname CFU U19 Series
1982    USA with Upper Demerara U19 team
1983    Barbados – CFU Senior Championship
1983    Antigua – CFU Championship
1983    Trinidad & Tobago Good Will International Tour
1985    French Guiana – CFU Championship
1987    Bahamas – Olympia Qualifier
1987    St. Lucia – International Friendly
1987    Barbados – International Friendly
1987    Dominican Republic – Olympic Qualifier
1987    Guatemala – Olympic Qualifiers
1987    Los Angeles – Olympic Qualifier
1990    Suriname – Shell Cup

Pic – Adrian Forde

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