Shahdon Winchester

Shahdon Shane Andre Winchester (8 January 1992 – 19 December 2019) was a Trinidadian professional footballer who played as a winger for the Trinidad and Tobago national team.

Winchester was born on 8 January 1992 in Princes Town, Trinidad and Tobago, to parents Derek and Svetlana.

Shahdon attributed his early interest in football to his father as the two attended numerous local matches, which nurtured his love for the sport.

At the age of 8, his father enrolled Winchester in local TT Pro League club W Connection's youth program.

Two years later, Winchester lost his father in a vehicle accident.

However, Shahdon later explained that the event helped him develop a deeper motivation to pursue a professional football career.

After her husband's death, Svetlana made it her responsibility to ensure that Shahdon was not denied the opportunity to pursue his football dreams.

In fact, she decided to take driving classes and apply for a permit to be able to drive Shahdon to youth practice in Couva.

At the age of 12, Winchester made his debut for Naparima College in San Fernando, Trinidad.

In his five years with Naps, Shahdon led the team to the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) South Zone title on four occasions, including the national Intercol Big Five crown in 2007.

He was named among the top five best league players in each of his final two years at Naps, which included a league-leading 16 goals in 2008.

Winchester subsequently received the individual award for Best Forward of the Year.

Winchester began his professional football career in 2009, at the age of 17, with W Connection in his native Trinidad and Tobago.

After spending several seasons in the club's youth program, Winchester made his professional football debut in 2009, at the age of 17, for W Connection of the TT Pro League.

Shahdon went on to score four goals in seven league appearances for the Savonetta Boys.

However, the highlight of his first professional season occurred when he appeared for W Connection during the group stage of the 2009–10 CONCACAF Champions League against Real España.

The following season, his goal-scoring form continued with a further five goals in ten appearances, prompting his debut for the Soca Warriors and trials from several clubs abroad.

He had further trials at Braga and FC Sevastopol in 2009 and 2010, respectively, followed by trials at FC Dallas and Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer in 2011.

He was a Trinidad and Tobago international having made his debut in June 2010.

In particular, during a trial in Scotland with Celtic, 18-year-old Winchester scored two goals in a developmental match against a Motherwell XI on 14 September 2010.

However, terms ultimately could not be agreed upon.

During his time with the Savonetta Boys, Winchester won the TT Pro League title in 2011–12.

Winchester participated in one minor tournament after representing the Soca Warriors in the 2011 Pan American Games.

Afterwards, Shahdon returned to Trinidad and Tobago to lead W Connection to the club's fourth Pro League championship finishing the 2011–12 season with three goals.

In the middle of his third season with W Connection, in 2012, he was loaned to Vietnamese club Sông Lam Nghệ An, however never made an appearance for the club due to late arrival of his international clearance.

In January 2012, Winchester went on a two-month loan to Sông Lam Nghệ An of V.League 1.

However, his international clearance arrived after the transfer window had closed and was unable to make an appearance for the Vietnamese club.

In March 2012, he provided two goals for W Connection en route to finishing runners-up in the 2012 CFU Club Championship and secure qualification for the Savonetta Boys in the 2012–13 CONCACAF Champions League.

Following the season, Winchester had an unsuccessful one-week trial in Norway with FK Haugesund of the Tippeligaen.

Shahdon opened the 2012–13 season as a starter for W Connection and made three consecutive appearances during the club's Champions League campaign.

He later moved to FF Jaro on loan for the 2013 and 2014 Veikkausliiga seasons.

He later scored seven goals in as many matches in the Pro League, including his first career hat-trick as a professional on 5 January 2013 against Central FC.

A week later, Shahdon flew to Jakobstad for a trial with Finnish club FF Jaro of the Veikkausliiga after agreeing to personal terms.

On 25 January 2013, Winchester agreed to join FF Jaro of the Veikkausliiga on a one-year loan following a successful two-week trial.

One week later, he scored a seventh-minute goal in his debut for Jaro during a league cup match against VPS.

On 20 February, he provided his second goal in three league cup matches with a penalty kick in a win over RoPS.

However, after making seven consecutive appearances in the league cup, Winchester underwent surgery on 13 March for an injury to his Achilles tendon.

After returning to Trinidad and Tobago, Winchester signed a year later with Mexican club Murciélagos in 2016.

He scored his first international goal on 19 March 2016 in a friendly win over Grenada.

Winchester recorded a hat-trick in the fifth place play-off against Haiti a year later during qualification for the 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup.