John J. John, a star of Kerala's maiden Santosh Trophy triumph in 1973, passed away at Chilavannur in Kochi on Wednesday. He was 63.
A former Kerala junior captain, John, who hails from Thiruvalla, was a defender in the State team which won football's senior National in Kochi in 1973.
A former Sports Officer with FACT here, John leaves behind his wife Roselina and sons Jiju John, a former State senior basketball star who is now in Canada, and Jikku John, a journalist in Bahrain.
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John came from a family of sportspersons and started his football career at Thiruvalla's MGM School before moving to Marthoma College.
He represented Kerala University thrice and the State senior team at the Nationals a few times.
John kept in touch with the game long after he retired. He was a State senior and junior selector and was nominated to the Kerala Football Association's general body from the Ernakulam DFA recently.
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John was to attend a reunion of former sports stars at Thiruvalla's Marthoma College on Wednesday and he had planned to travel with a few of his friends from Kochi. After a long wait, they called up his home and heard the shocking news.
In the end, the ‘reunion' meeting, organised by the Marthoma College's physical education department, turned out to be condolence meeting for John.