Whitney old boy Shaun Goater yesterday lamented the demise of his former school — and called for its trustees and the Ministry of Education to give it a stay of execution.

Mr. Goater says his time at Whitney Institute — where he met his wife Anita during the 1980s — helped shape his character and inspire him to a successful career as a professional footballer in England.

He fears yesterday's permanent shutdown will have a serious impact on the students, who will be placed in other schools across the Island over the summer. And he suggested the school remain open at least on a temporary basis so that parents and pupils can have the chance to prepare properly ahead of the closure.

"I'm not happy. That's the place where I spent a lot of my teens," Mr. Goater told The Royal Gazette.

"Whitney always had a great name. When I was choosing where to go to school, Whitney was my first, second, third, fourth and fifth choice. My mom said I couldn't do that, but I really wanted to go to Whitney.

"The effect the closure will have on 300 kids — what if they live in Harrington Sound, where are they going to go to school? St. David's? Somerset?

"My kids (who attend Bermuda High School for Girls) know what teachers they are going to be with next year. They know where they are going to school and how they are going to travel there.

"These Whitney kids don't know that. They don't know what's happening with their future.

"This is bigger than just the school closing down. I hope something can be resolved, even if it's keeping it open for an extended period — giving them a year or two to adjust to what will be coming."

Mr. Goater was at Whitney at the same time as World Cup cricketers Clay Smith and Dean Minors, while his school counsellor was Kim Wilson, now the Attorney General, who helped set him on the road to legend status at Premiership club Manchester City. "I wasn't the best student, but she was a good counsellor," he said. "I took a lot of her advice. She said: 'Shaun, you have got to settle down. Life isn't all fun and games.'

"I saw her for the first time since leaving school at the football game the other day. I told her I took her advice."