Marvin Chin, the legendary goalkeeper who anchored St Andrew Technical High School’s (STATHS) only Manning Cup championship team in 1987, passed away on May 19 at the age of 57. His daughter Marvilesa confirmed the news of his passing in an exclusive conversation with Observer Online, shedding light on the circumstances of his death.
Marvilesa shared that her father suffered fatal asthma complications while en route to the University Hospital of the West Indies in St Andrew, where medical professionals officially pronounced him dead. A native of Elletson Flats, Chin built a decades-long football career that included a stint with National Premier League side Constant Spring, but his most enduring legacy remains tied to that history-making 1987 high school championship run.
That 1987 season remains a landmark moment for STATHS football: under head coach Lebert Halliman, the underdog squad pulled off a stunning 6-1 upset over heavily favored Excelsior High School in the Manning Cup final, held at Kingston’s National Stadium. Striker Morris Cyrus delivered a standout performance, notching a hat-trick in the title game before scoring the only goal in a 1-0 second-leg victory over Ruseas High School to secure the Olivier Shield for the program. Chin’s steady work between the posts was the quiet foundation that allowed his teammates’ offensive firepower to shine through.
Carl Sewell, a starting defender on that 1987 STATHS team and one of Chin’s closest lifelong friends, who shared the pitch with him at both Constant Spring’s National Premier League and Masters League squads, reflected on Chin’s personality off the field. “At school, Marvin was extremely quiet; he wasn’t a vocal goalkeeper. But at Constant Spring, that was where his true character came out,” Sewell shared, highlighting the more outgoing side of the goalkeeper that emerged in his club career.
Beyond football, Chin built a full professional life outside the sport. He trained as an electrical technician, a trade he worked in for years, while also holding a position as a sales representative for Kingston’s Coffee Express Company. He also held a leadership role in Jamaica’s sound system culture, serving as chief selector for the Marvin Chin Movement sound system.
Chin is survived by his wife Denise, his two daughters Marvilesa and Shamar, two brothers, and two sisters. The Jamaican football community is now mourning the loss of a player who helped deliver one of the most iconic underdog victories in the island’s high school football history.