Ernest Heys (Bucky Marshall) Johnston died doing what he loved to do best ? play football.

The 43-year-old former Devonshire Cougars and PHC Zebras defender collapsed during a friendly game on Thursday morning at Westgate prison.

Efforts to revive Johnston ? father of Cougars? young striker Heys Wolfe ? were unsuccessful and he was later pronounced dead at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital.

Johnston is the brother of former Zebras? midfielder Kallan Johnston and was a member of the 1978-79 Cougars team which finished runners-up to Somerset Trojans in the FA Cup, a year following promotion from the former Bermuda Football Association Second Division.

Johnston played alongside the likes of Danny Rogers, Cyril (Dago) Steede, former Bermuda ?keeper Arnold West, Donnie Hill, Allan Maynard and prolific goalscorer Andre Amory.

Cougars were defeated 4-0 by Randy Horton?s Trojans on the carpet despite being beaten 3-2 by Zebras in the semi-final. PHC paid a heavy price for fielding an ineligible player and were forced to forfeit their place in the final.

?The club is somewhat surprised by the sudden death of Heys (Johnston) and we convey our sincerest condolences to his family,? said Devonshire Recreation Club secretary Ellsworth Christopher, who also taught Johnston at Purvis Primary School.

?He did represent our club for a number of years between 1978 to around 1983 and of course we have his offspring (Wolfe) who is doing wonderful things for the club at present. So we have been the benefactors of his presence, though in recent times Heys has not had the best of circumstances. But we still appreciate his contributions and grieve his passing.?

Johnston, a right-footed defender, was a member of Devonshire Lions? Commercial Division team this season.