Football clubs need to be ‘shining a light’ on their black pioneering players, with more research done to ensure players’ stories aren’t lost forever.
To coincide with Black History Month, teams across the country have taken efforts to delve into their history.
The likes of Arthur Wharton, the first black professional footballer, and Luther Blissett, the first black player to score a hat-trick for England, have been widely celebrated in recent weeks.
Clubs have also forged new ways of highlighting the cultural contributions made by their sporting icons.
On October 7, Plymouth Argyle erected a statue of pioneering black footballer Jack Leslie.
The inside left was the only black professional player in the country during his time with the club – but had been denied an England appearance because of the colour of his skin.
Elsewhere, clubs such as Arsenal have used October as a chance to further mark historic relationships with Black Britain.
‘Black Arsenal: Race, Cultural Memory and Black British Identity’ has been launched to delve into the true history of both fans and players.
Meanwhile the legendary Hope Powell – a name synonymous with women’s football – has spoken out during Black History Month to call for more opportunities for black coaches in the game.
The former player, and current coach for Brighton and Hove Albion, said there had been ‘no progress’ on diversity in leadership positions.
Her comments came as England’s Lionesses vowed to boost visibility in the national squad.
There were only three mixed-heritage players- Jess Carter, Nikita Parris and Demi Stokes – in the Euro 22 team.
As fresh efforts are made nationally to boost diversity within the sport, clubs now need to ensure they don’t ‘wipe’ trailblazers from history, academics have warned.
There are several key players whose stories have not been widely celebrated – with researchers determined to change this.
Andy Mitchell, a leading writer and researcher on football history, faced ‘little source material’ when he began to research black footballers north of the border.
The Edinburgh-born historian told Metro.co.uk: ‘It was as if the memory bank had been wiped, and the few black footballers in Scotland had been largely forgotten about.
‘Even Andrew Watson, who was good enough to captain Scotland against England in 1881, was only rediscovered in the last 25 years.
‘Others have come to light since then, some of them purely because they stand out in team photos.
‘There is often very little original source material, in fact the players of the 1870s were never referred to by their colour at the time. So finding out their stories has involved a lot of research.
‘I am sure that more players are still to be discovered and that the story will continue to grow.’
Press clippings give a brief glimpse into how BAME players may have been treated.
In one article, Watson is described as being subjected ‘to vulgar insults by splenetic, ill-tempered players’ on ‘more than one occasion.
While awareness of players previously ‘lost’ is improving, more needs to be done to ensure others are not forgotten.
Mr Mitchell said: ‘It is getting better, and Andrew Watson is now perhaps the best-known of any Scottish footballer of the Victorian era – there have been two documentaries, a biography, two murals in Glasgow and now calls for a statue outside Hampden.
‘But most of this has been fan-led, such as the crowd funder to restore his grave. It would be nice to see the Scottish FA making a meaningful contribution.’
Meanwhile, fellow historian Steve Bolton highlighted the story of Walter Tull, whose achievements have become more widely known in recent years.
The English professional footballer, and British Army officer of Afro-Caribbean descent, played as an inside forward and half back for Clapton, Tottenham Hotspur and Northampton Town.
Tull was the third person of mixed heritage to play in the top division of the Football League after Arthur Wharton and Willie Clarke.
He was also the first player of African descent to be signed for Rangers in 1917 while stationed in Scotland.
While there are have been major efforts to highlight previously forgotten male pioneer players, he added that the same needs to be done for female trailblazers.
Steve told Metro.co.uk: ‘It is fantastic to see BAME footballers finally starting to be highlighted and given the recognition they deserve.
‘The same thing is beginning to happen with women footballers, Kerry Davis and Hope Powell being two of the prominent names which spring to mind. However, the problem comes when we try to appreciate BAME women footballers from earlier times.’
The ‘big’ female teams of old – the likes of Dick Kerr Ladies, St Helens, Stoke, Hey’s Brewery – have been researched and no such players found.
But a lack of material, an issue previously highlighted by Andy Mitchell, to work with forms a large part of the problem.
Steve added: ‘If we ask the question: “where is the female Walter Tull” then there are a few practical answers as to why one has not been found, and why indeed, one may never be found.
‘The vast majority of historical football was played by men. The vast majority of the reporting and photographing of football was about men.
‘Researching women’s football can be really challenging.’
While historians are making growing efforts to piece together the trailblazers throughout football’s history, family members of pioneering players are also making great strides to preserve their legacy.
David Regis, brother of Cyrille Regis, recently told Metro.co.uk about his ‘legend’ of a sibling.
He said: ‘Cyrille’s career went from strength to strength, and he first played for his country, England, in 1978 as part of the under 21s team.
‘Unfortunately, another thing we had in common as brothers – as well as being Spurs fans – was the level of racism we both experienced as football players. At one point, Cyrille even received a bullet in the post.
‘Black players like Cyrille, and his West Brom teammates Laurie Cunningham and Brendon Batson didn’t have a voice, and you just had to shrug it off.’
The likes of Cyrille Regis and Kerry Davis, as well as older players such as Andrew Watson and Emma Clarke, continue to make huge impacts in football today.
David added: ‘Cyrille was a Black pioneer, proving that you can’t let the bigots win – fighting hatred with love for his community and being at the top of his game.
‘And it’s a message that rings true even today.’
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
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Black History Month
October marks Black History Month, which reflects on the achievements, cultures and contributions of Black people in the UK and across the globe, as well as educating others about the diverse history of those from African and Caribbean descent.
For more information about the events and celebrations that are taking place this year, visit the official Black History Month website.
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