OMAR'S BEATING THE BLUES WITH SHREWS

OMAR Beckles has sung Bob Marley’s Three Little Birds twice. Once was for his initiation as a Shrewsbury Town player, the other when he joined up for the fi rst time with Grenada’s national team.

- John Wragg

On each occasion he has had a picture of his dad Linton in his head. Each time, personal to him, it has been a tribute to his father.

“Don’t worry about a thing ‘Cause every little thing gonna be alright Singin’ don’t worry about a thing ‘Cause every little thing gonna be alright”

Now it is coming alright for Beckles.

Today, he plays against the best club side in the world: Liverpool.

They are European champions, Premier League winners-elect but Beckles, 28, is ready to take them on in the FA Cup.

He has taken on more in his life. And he’s winning.

His dad died when he was only 59 of pneumonia and Omar took over the role of providing and protecting his mother, brother, and sister five years ago.

It took a severe toll.

Omar has played for enough Non-League clubs to almost form his own division – Boreham Wood, Kettering Town, Billericay Town, Histon, Hornchuch and St Albans City among them – as he tried to make a football career.

He was at Aldershot when his dad, a singer with jazz-funk band Central Line, died.

Beckles got his move into the Football League with Accrington Stanley the following year but, even with things going well, he’d get to his room and break down in tears.

It was through the pressure Beckles was putting on himself, to do what his dad would have done. Did he ever give up on his football dream?

“One hundred per cent. It’s not easy. You’re playing part-time, you’re chasing your dream,” he said.

“I remember going to Kettering and was sold the dream of full-time football and thinking ‘Nice’.

“Then they couldn’t pay our wages. First month it was late. Second month they couldn’t pay it at all. I ended up going to Boreham Wood.