Jermaine Wright

Jermaine Wright

London FA is devastated to hear of the passing of Jermaine Wright.

It is with great sadness and a heavy heart that we confirm the passing of Jermaine Wright on Monday 27th April 2020.

Roles

Jermaine Wright was a hugely valuable and active London FA Council Member, Secretary of the London FA North East Division, Fixtures & Referee Secretary of the Hackney & Leyton Sunday Football League and a Level 7 Referee. He was a driving force for football in North East London and an inspiration to all those who came into contact with him.

Work for Hackney & Leyton Sunday Football League

Jermaine Wright had been on the Committee of the Hackney & Leyton League for many years and had made a significant impact, particularly in the recruitment of more teams to the league and the sourcing of additional referees to cover matches in a growing league.  

Engagement with Clubs & Referees

Jermaine was a huge advocate and supporter of the work of the London FA. He supported teams to join London FA Cup Competitions and also to complete their Charter Standard applications. Jermaine also recruited footballers to take the London FA referee training, helped mentor and retain referees throughout their careers and was instrumental in ensuring several Hackney & Leyton Sunday Football League referees earnt promotion to Non-League Football. 

Jermaine was always thinking innovatively and progressively. For example he created a new scorecard system for referees to complete their post-match administration more easily. 

Bringing People Together

Jermaine was a people person, two of his passions were football and food and he loved how they could bring people together. Jermaine would put on a hot food buffet every Sunday afternoon for his teams after their Sunday morning matches. The Hackney Marshes Centre was buzzing every Sunday afternoon with the fantastic atmosphere of food, televised football and the Hackney Marshes’ finest grassroots footballers, coaches and referees all together enjoying a football-focused Sunday afternoon. 

Building this level of camaraderie was key to the success of the league, and Jermaine was instrumental in ensuring teams, coaches and referees all bonded together as one after a morning of football. 

Exciting Projects

Jermaine was ambitious and very forward-thinking. He had grand plans for further team recruitment and expansion of his league, to include referee recruitment and encouraging even further the vibrant social atmosphere that he knew was so important. The Hackney Marshes community loved him, from facility staff, League Committee Members, officials and players and everyone in between. 

His plans did not stop there. He wanted to support the Hackney Marshes Youth League on Saturdays in the running of their league and aid their referee development. He had started to work with Hackney Council on that project. Jermaine was also working closely with The Plough Pub and Mundial Magazine, who both have teams in the Hackney & Leyton League, regarding possible sponsorship. 

Bigger & Better

Jermaine then secured a sponsorship deal for the league with Nurishment, the multi-vitamin beverage, which is owned by Grace Foods UK, one of Europe’s largest suppliers of World Foods. He had also secured Brisbane Road, home of East London’s own Leyton Orient Football Club, to host some of their League Cup Finals.

Legacy

Jermaine Wright epitomised what a grassroots football leader and London FA Council Member should be. An experienced football man, he was selfless, loved both the game and people as passionate about the game as he was. He was always willing to give up his own time to make a difference in grassroots football. London FA’s core values are Collaboration, Leadership, Integrity, Professionalism and Performance, all of which Jermaine personified for his league, clubs, teams, players, referees, volunteers, spectators and everyone else he came in contact with. 

The London FA family will miss enormously his powerful presence, kind and hardworking nature and friendly persona. From all of us at London FA, Jermaine we miss you, will never forget you and our thoughts are with you, your family and friends at this very difficult time.