Former British Guiana footballer Alvin Geronimo Braithwaite dead at 82

Jan 07, 2025 Sports

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Kaieteur Sports- Former British Guiana and Guyana footballer Alvin “Geronimo” Braithwaite has died. He passed away on Tuesday December 31, 2024 at the age of 82 overseas.

Back in 2012, Statistician Charwayne Walker had done a series on several Guyanese standout footballers and Braithwaite was one of them.  In his writings Walker had traced the national footballer’s journey in the sport.

Walker wrote, “After some outstanding performances for Sandbach Parker in the Hood League in 1963, Alvin Geronimo Braithwaite was selected for his first International series the next year, playing under the leadership of his unrelated namesake, Hubert ‘Senior’ Braithwaite.

He {Geronimo} found the going tough in his debut series against Trinidad and Tobago which was led by Sedley Joseph; the Trinidadians won the 5-match series 4-0. Braithwaite failed to gain the selectors nod when British Guiana led by Monty Hope engaged the touring Barbados National team in four matches, February 1965.”
“He was recalled to the National line up when British Guiana, led again by Monty Hope toured the Twin Island Republic and contested several matches. His next international assignment in 1965 was against the touring Lancashire Fusiliers team.
In the first match the tourists drew 3-3 with British Guiana. The visitors won the series finale 3-1, both matches were contested at the Mecca of football in Guyana, Georgetown Football Club, Ground.”
“After the series against the tourists from Lancashire, Braithwaite was selected in an 18-man Under-23 squad for Special Training but according to Braithwaite, his biggest satisfaction in 1965 was assisting his Club Sandbach Parker to win the Hood League Championship trophy.

In 1966, the star defender toured Barbados with the Monty Hope led British Guiana side for an international triangular series with the host and Trinidad and Tobago. British Guiana drew the first match 1-1 against Barbados; Frankie Forde was the goal scorer for British Guiana which lost the second match to T&T 2-0.

After the Barbados tour, he played for British Guiana against the Dutch Army at BGCC Ground where the visitors won 1-0. Braithwaite then stood firm in defence when British Guyana drew 2-2 with the British Army at GFC.

He also played an integral role when the British Guiana Under-23s defeated the British Army 3-0 also at GFC, Patrick Britton firing in all three goals. All of the above matches were contested before Independence. In 1967, Geronimo Braithwaite represented Guyana against Suriname in a Goodwill series played in Georgetown.”

“In 1970, Braithwaite was appointed National Captain and led Guyana to two honourable draws against a powerful Trinidad and Tobago side both matches were contested at the GSC Ground.
In 1971, Braithwaite lost the National Captaincy to Ken Gibbs when Guyana contested its first CONCACAF series against Suriname, home and away.
His only international tour of duty in 1972 was to French Guiana for several matches. In 1973, his international campaign started against Haiti at GSC Ground, the National Team losing both encounters. He then featured in a hard-fought draw and loss to Trinidad and Tobago at GSC, the following pair of internationals were contested in 1973 against the touring French Guiana Team.
The tourist’s shocked the guest’s by winning the opener at Malteenoes Ground but outstanding defence work from Braithwaite, Earl O’Neal and the late Clive ‘Breezer’ Nedd shutdown the Frenchmen and Guyana leveled the series 1-1. English division-two side Hull City then cooled off Braithwaite and company with a 5-0 whipping at GCC in May 1973. Next, he donned colours for the Caribbean X1 that drew 1-1 with Hull City at GCC.”
He also toured Brazil with the Maurice Enmore led World Cup Squad in 1976. After the Brazilian tour, Geronimo featured in four (4) internationals against Cuba, games being played in Linden, Berbice and Georgetown.”
“This was followed by a series against Sir Alec Ferguson’s touring Scottish Division-One Team, St. Mirren. It is no secret that Ferguson and St. Mirren arrived in Guyana a confident
unit after recording victories over T&T, Barbados and Suriname.
However, airtight marking by Braithwaite, O’Neal and Nedd kept out Ferguson’s strikers and Guyana jolted their unbeaten run with a 2-0 triumph. So, it was no surprise when Guyana won its inaugural World Cup match by a similar margin at GCC Bourda on July 4, 1976.
Braithwaite’s last overseas international is the dreaded knock them three loss to Suriname in the World Cup Qualifier return fixture. He played is final series against Curacao at the GCC Ground, Bourda in October, 1976.”
Kaieteur Sports extend condolences to the family of this Guyanese standout Alvin Geronimo Braithwaite.

(Former British Guiana footballer Alvin Geronimo Braithwaite dead at 82)

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• Alvin Geronimo Braithwaite, British Guiana, footballer, Sedley Joseph, Special Training

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