A former football and cricket star was a “true friend for all seasons” the head of the North Village Community Club said yesterday.

Shervin Dill, the club president and a close friend of the late sports legend, said he called Richard “Shack” Todd “Sir Richard” as a mark of respect.

Mr Dill highlighted the former Bermuda Football Association treasurer’s wealth of knowledge of “life and especially all sport”.

He said that Mr Todd also served also on the executive of the former Bermuda Football Union as a way of “giving back to the game”.

Mr Dill added: “He was a man of principle and integrity, although he could be stubborn as a mule at times.”

A private graveside service was held last Thursday for Mr Todd, who died on April 28, aged 69.

Mr Dill said the friendship between the two started at the former Bermuda Technical Institute, which they attended in the 1960s.

Mr Dill added: “I always admired his ability as a sportsman in football and cricket, where he excelled as an outstanding player. “In later years after Tech, we remained friends and got even closer, as he was also a good friend of my oldest brother, Cal Dill.”

Fellow sportsman Quinton Sherlock grew up in the same Southampton neighbourhood as Mr Todd and both went to Heron Bay Primary School.

The two also played cricket and football together.

Mr Sherlock said: “He was a perfectionist. If he thought something wasn’t right, he wouldn’t accept it.

“He was a nice person, very helping in any way he could. He coached a little bit, helping with younger talent.”

Mr Dill said Mr Todd, known to family and friends as “Shack”, was “a true blue Southampton Rangers former player, and a strong supporter of any team that wore blue”.

Mr Todd represented North Village in golf in his later years, at which he excelled.

His victories included the NVCC Father’s Day Tournament in 1999, the NVCC Championship in 2004, and the Memorial Tournament in 2007.

Mr Todd’s Cup Match allegiance lay with St George’s, although Southampton Rangers was his cricket team.

Mr Dill said he enjoyed a rivalry with “Sir Richard” over their Cup Match teams and in the English Premier League, where Mr Todd supported both Manchester City and Chelsea.

He added the two had a standing bet whenever his favoured Manchester United clashed with Mr Todd’s sides.

Mr Dill said Mr Todd was his mentor on the football pitch, and always let him know “in no uncertain terms his opinions on the ‘beautiful game’ today”.

He added: “I am so thankful to Sir Richard “Shack” Todd for sharing his life and his family with me as his friend.

“I will for ever cherish the memories.

“To Angela, his wife; his surviving siblings, Thelma and Pinky; his sons, Calvin, Richard Jr and Roger and their families, please know that you will be in our thoughts and prayers, during this very difficult time of bereavement.”

Richard Llewellyn “Shack” Todd Sr, footballer, administrator, was born on July 3, 1950. He died after a short illness on April 28, 2020