Jamaica's defender Damion Stewart (right) heads the ball in front of Mexico's midfielder Luis Ernesto Perez during second-half action in the qualifying round of the CONCACAF Gold Cup match in Houston, Texas, on July 13, 2005. - File

Demar Stewart once took extraordinary steps to distance himself from Damion 'Stew Peas' Stewart.

With more than four years separating the brothers, the younger sibling always moved with his own crowd.

"I never really walked after him," Demar said. "I used to hang with my cousins in my age group."

So, it was not surprising that when the lure of top local club football took Damion to Harbour View in the east, Demar eventually moved west to Portmore United. Now the 23-year-old plays in China while his 28-year-old sibling has become a fixture in England - more than 5,000 miles away.

Yet, despite the distance between them, the brothers are locked on a common path - establishing themselves as senior Reggae Boyz. And, because they play the same position, it's looking more likely they will be linked by international football.

With lingering uncertainty over the futures of ageing stalwarts Tyrone Marshall and Ian Goodison, following Jamaica's elimination from World Cup 2010, the Stewarts could end up side by side in the heart of the Boyz's defence in years to come.

It has happened before. In 2006, Demar replaced injured Claude Davis in the first half of a match against the United States. The brothers locked down America's attack to secure a 1-1 draw. At the time, the substitution hardly seemed unusual, but later its significance kicked in.

"The feeling of playing with my brother came after, after I went back to the hotel," admitted Demar. "Our family talked about it. Our friends. He (Damion) talked about it."

COMPARISONS

Demar's past attempts at separation had nothing to do with angry sibling rivalry. Sure, they had 'disagreements' growing up, Demar said, but the brothers' love for each other has never been in question. It's just that Demar refuses to be trapped in the shadow cast by the man he sometimes calls 'Beans'.

Damion, he explained, wasn't even the original 'Stew Peas' in the family. That honour belongs to an aunt. Nor was he the household's first footballer. Their dad Barrington claims that title. Demar, too, needs his own billing.

"I want to go out there on my own and make a name for myself," he explained. "I don't want to be known as just Stew Peas' little brother."

The comparisons, though, are hard to shake. The brothers are huge and powerful. They often play as 'stoppers' - tough, no-holds-barred defenders often charged with shutting down the opponent's best forwards. Yet, Demar believes that's where much of the similarity with Damion ends.

"My personality is more quiet," he said, "he's more outspoken."

Yet, Demar knows his brother's dedication to the game has served him well. He "gravitated" towards the game "because everyone", not just big brother, was playing. Damion attended Ardenne, Demar went to Jamaica College. But growing up, big brother encouraged him to take football, a game he considered "fun", seriously.

Demar stewart

Demar didn't refuse Damion's hand-me-down gear either, while Beans kept him out of trouble.

"Because he was older, he tried to keep me on the right path," he said.

Even today, big brother is always watching. When apart, they talk on the phone. And when Demar and a fellow national player scuffled during team practice days prior to the Mexico game, Damion was among the first to intervene.

The matter made headlines and fuelled rumours of disunity in the camp. Those involved were forced to publicly explain the incident. But Demar insists the players are friends and Stew Peas only tried to calm the situation, not take his side. Not this time anyway.

"Because of the whole brother thing, people may think he came to help me in the fight," he explained. "It wasn't like that ... (but) without a doubt he will always have my back."

BRAGGING RIGHTS

The 'brotherhood', however, goes on pause during on-the-field clashes. Bragging rights in the Stewart household was always a big deal. To Demar, Beans becomes "just another opponent" when they meet.

It first happened a few years ago in a local knockout match, with Demar at Real Mona and Damion playing for Harbour View. Big brother earned the lion's share of boasting.

"He beat me 3-0," Demar recalled. "He teased me. He said 'all when you big I will beat you'."

Little brother moved to much stronger Portmore. But the next time they met he lost again. So nothing was sweeter than when Portmore beat Harbour View for a Red Stripe KO title.

"That was the last time," Demar recalled with a big smile. "He couldn't recover from that. The last laugh is mine."

Maybe. Work permit difficulties has forced Demar to wait before getting his shot at the English leagues. His club is a subsidiary of England-based Sheffield United, which signed him. Demar said he is patient. He has embraced China's culture and started to learn the language. Cheng Du's fans, he claims, adore him.

But Damion has been a regular starter at English Championship club Queens Park Rangers. Big brother is also ahead on Jamaica's selection chart. The competition for places is getting harder to ignore. But the brothers are realistic.

"It doesn't bother me," Demar said. "The thing is bigger than us competing for a spot. So, we put the country first before our personal competition.

"... If it's me or him, whosoever plays it's a privilege and honour. It's not something owed to me."

During the recent World Cup qualifiers against Mexico and Honduras, both brothers were called up. Damion played significant minutes in both games. Demar did not make the final 18-man squad. Against Canada, Damion was in the final squad. Demar was not involved.

Still Damion's unavailability for the Digicel Caribbean Champion-ships might have opened the door for his sibling. Demar has been invited by new coach John Barnes.

In 2009, he and Damion could again become brothers in arms during Jamaica's football battles if the Boyz qualify for the CONCACAF Gold Cup and club commitments or poor form do not interfere. There's room for both.

"It's two centre halves, so we can always play," Demar reasoned. "So maybe Jamaica will see two Stewarts."

Two peas in a pod. Each with equal billing.

Gordon Williams is a Jamaican journalist based in the United States.