Professional Documents
Culture Documents
George Churchill
Marc Lawton
Racism in Football:
present
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George Churchill Historical Enquiry in Sport
Contents Page
6. Conclusion 12
7. Appendices 13-16
8. Bibliography 18-18
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George Churchill Historical Enquiry in Sport
Introduction
British society that oppose any foreigner to create rules over the game the
around the 1970’s and 80’s. Big names like Viv Anderson, John Barnes
and Paul Ince are the most notable, with all three following into
British football can be traced back to the late 19th century Arthur Wharton
was the first black professional around 1865 and Andrew Watson who
played for Queens Park in Scotland and was capped three times for the
Overt Racism
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caused controversy as he was the clubs first major black signing and
Liverpool were one of the most high profile clubs in the world. Kenny
Daglish, the man who signed Barnes tried to cool the hysteria around the
transfer: “He’s not a black player, he’s a player”. It prompted chants from
away fans such as ‘Niggerpool’ and signs of overt fan racism was very
‘We could see quite clearly, as the teams warmed up before the kick
off that banana after banana was being hurled from the away
This sign of overt racism was a strategy used by racist football fans
to barrack and hound out blacks, where peanuts were also thrown to
barrack black players in the 1980s and early 1990s for both the opposition
and players representing their own club. The racist treatment received by
black players at this time from both spectators and by players had
Stereotyping (stacking)
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John Barnes is one of the most talented and successful back players
of post war football. But the different opportunities given to John Barnes
retired playing:
‘I’ve applied for numerous jobs and sometimes I haven’t even had
talented black player from the 1980s. Blissett has played at the highest
level of football and represented England, he has been applying for jobs
for 15 years and got nowhere, whereas Gareth Southgate got offered the
job of a top Premier League club without even having the qualifications.
‘ethnicity’ rather than use physiological features such as skin colour and
hair type (Polley, 1998). Racial stereotyping can be associated with the
abilities of a footballer from different races (asian, religion and blacks) and
certain positions in team sports’ (p.257). This has meant black players
are less likely to be found in thinking positions on the pitch such as the
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target man to hold the ball or in a defensive position. It can be said in the
past and still in the present black players have been described more
Division season, of the 57 back players 27 were forwards and only seven
in midfield (Polley, 1998). The lack of trust put in blacks and Asians in
(2006) and this has paved the way for boardroom influence against racism
of recent times. Rabbatts has already helped one black manager gain his
UEFA coach badge, as she has done with Richard Shaw at Millwall.
supporting them through their licences, they will not make it. We
have white managers who don't have licences and we find a way
even in the era of foreign imports, blacks do not make suitable managers
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Football has become more popular amongst Asians since the FIFA World
Cup 2002 hosted by South Korea and Japan. In 2006 South Korean Park Ji-
Sung signed for Manchester Utd from PSV Eindhoven, although his talent
for anti-racism and its new directions for the future. Asian spectators are
many grounds are located amid large Asian communities. It is proven that
clubs with a tradition of signing black players have less reports of racism
having the lowest case of racist reports (FA Premier League National Fan
Survey, 2001), this study can show that with further increase of asian
potentially promising basis for the future of black and Asian involvement
in the British game. The black’s breakthrough during the 1970s and 80s
has still not been matched by the asians, as we still await their numbers
football such as ‘they are not interested in football’ or ‘their builds are too
slight to take the physical abuse’ are the excuses offered in the 1990s.
Some of this myth was expelled in the 2006 World Cup when South Korea
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made the semi finals. Ethnic population in 2001 was 4.6 million or 7.9%
Pakistanis, mixed race then blacks (ethnic group, 2001). The potential to
In 2004 a junior football team was kicked out of a cup, docked nine
points and fined £75 for failing to play during the Muslim festival of
afternoons because half the team were fasting during daylight hours
making it incapable for them to have a drink after the game. In 2008
at the right times it means his energy levels are not what they should be
and he is not at 100 per cent’. This suggestion can come across as very
rarely leads to them being dropped from playing but in most instances
the 1990s Tony Adams even admitted to playing whilst drunk for Arsenal,
a statement he is not proud of nonetheless but also a player that was not
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Twice as Hard
‘It’s the same as the rest of society. If there are two people of equal
ability, the white man will usually be given the opportunity. If you’re
the 1970s perceptions and the feeling of social exclusions were the
the hostility from home and away supporters. Wolves player George Berry
would blow kisses at the fans who abused him, playing up to the crowd.
1982). This type of racism comes from those the footballer works
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the 1970s on into the 80s, Carlos Francis recalls his time at Birmingham
arriving from the British colonies, most of who had been persuaded to
leave their country of origin in order to meet the growing labour shortage
that time) upon professional football in this country. In the two decades
after the war, Britain’s settlers from the New Commonwealth countries
increased from 0.2 million to 1.2 million. This migration is often labelled
recruited to serve in the armed forces and provide labour work for a war
ravaged Britain. This started taking effect on football from the children of
the first wave of immigrants in the 1950s and 1960s (Cashmore, 1982).
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The 1960s saw the next big name black player hit headlines, Albert
campaign using the slogan ‘If you want a nigger as a neighbour vote
labour’ and still win (Solomos, 2003). In 1965, Johanneson became the
first black player to play in an F.A. Cup Final, another inspiring moment for
was often subject to very abusive spectators who would throw bananas at
Johanneson was to fall into a decline of alcoholism and was found dead in
and 1980s, the number of young black males born and raised in Britain
blacks, Viv Anderson becoming the first black player to play for England in
the 1978-79 season. Preston North End also gave its debut to probably
the first ethnic Indian in the early 1970s, Ricky Heppolette. One player in
the 1970s who played regular first team football was Clyde Best, who
struggled to reach the same status as his team mates Bobby Moore and
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‘He is perhaps the best example of why it has taken so long for
Best would be brilliant one game, bad the next, and the question
progress players such as Cyrill Regis, Garth Crooks and Viv Anderson
the previous eras. Justin Fashanu, Michael Thomas, Paul Ince and John
Barnes all arrived on the scene increasing the ethnic numbers in football.
forum to discuss social issues of racism. The 1991 Football (Offences) Act
individual shouting racist abuse on his own can only be charged under the
1986 Public Order Act for using ‘obscene and foul language at football
grounds’. The launch of ‘Lets Kick Racism out of Football’ (see appendix
B) campaign came in 1993 with the Players Football Association (PFA) and
They were joined in 1994 by the post Heysel fans group Football
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became the first black England captain, but issues still remained
prominent. The fact that the Football League did not start these initiatives
but the Players Football Association, suggests that the players knew there
was a problem but the governing bodies either denied it or thought talking
At the end of the 1980s and early 1990s, Extreme Right Wing
Groups (ERWG) such as the National Front and BNP has been involved in
Football Against Racism in Europe (FARE) was set up. This was a network
publicity and show a togetherness between the players, with the target
became the first British team to field more black players then white
players, this has since been emulated by the likes of Chelsea and Arsenal.
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Conclusion
There is no hiding the fact that sport will always continue to produce
talent from all origins and ethnicity. These individuals will offer skill,
commitment and inspiration for the next crop of talent. Aside from the
plus points, there are inequalities that have in the past, and may still
continue to, hamper football. Stacking and interior racism do not just
them, who in turn may prevent their own children from becoming involved
in a sport they see unfit and unfair. For others it can be seen as a way
out, a journey of adventure that ends with acceptance. A feeling that the
such as lawyers, dentists, doctors and high profile sportsmen, the more
point in ageing chairman who just couldn’t put any trust in blacks or
asians coaching or managing, as they came from an era where they were
in 2007:
‘It might take a black owner with plenty of money or someone going
highest level’
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broken through into the professional ranks in Britain as of yet. The next
match days and improve the racist views that still exist amongst
Appendix A
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The 2001-02 season did not include any black British managers in the
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Appendix B
spelling out the action it will take against those engaged in racist
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• Make it a condition for season ticket holders that they do not take
• Take action to prevent the sale of racist literature inside and outside
the ground.
• Contact other clubs to make sure they understand the club's policy
on racism.
service provision.
• Work with all other groups and agencies, such as the Professional
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discrimination.
Appendix C
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• All London clubs and three-quarters (75%) of all Midlands clubs are
based, Football League clubs are sited in areas with significant local
surveys, the actual level of 'active' minority ethnic support for most
crowd. Most clubs which are sited in areas with substantial minority
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• At some North West and Midlands clubs, which are sited in 'high'
do more work specifically with black and Asian fans. Over half (52%)
of all clubs also felt they were already open to all fans. Clubs which
claimed to be already open to all fans were also among those which
racism if it occurred.
(41%) had taken any recent direct action against racist incidents at
home matches.
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• Only eight clubs (9%) have telephone hotlines for fans specifically to
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dealing with issues of racism at the local level. There has been real
limited.
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Appendix D
BBC Four: Where did your interest in this history and Arthur Wharton
come from?
Phil Vasili: I used to collect football albums and got a 1951 Boys Book of
Soccer from a jumble sale. In it was a Nigerian team in bare feet from the
1940s playing against top English amateur teams. You're led to believe
that black players only arrived after World War II and only took off in the
1970s so I thought I'd try to find out more. My personal motivation was
we have different fathers - and I could see the racism that he faced every
day. As an academic I thought why not look into football history and black
footballers? The more I looked, the more I found - and there was Arthur. I
guy called Ray Jenkins, a historian of West Africa, had actually written
about Arthur as part of the West African Diaspora. Tragically Ray died and
BBC Four: It's a big question, but who do you see as the key players in
PV: Andrew Watson was the very first black footballer and played for
the credit. In 1909 Walter Tull, who played for Spurs, was the first black
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outfielder in the old first division. He was awesome and ended up being
the first black combat officer in World War I. During the inter-wars years
Eddie Parris, who was the first black international for Wales, and Jack
Leslie who got picked for England but whose selection was rescinded once
they realised he was black. Henry Y "Frank" Soo was the first man of
colour to play for England - his father was Chinese. Then people like Albert
Johanneson, Clyde Best and Cyrile Regis. On the world stage people like
Pele and Eusebio who changed the image of black footballers throughout
the world. They all helped break down barriers and stereotypes about
black players.
BBC Four: Why has this very long and rich history been overlooked for so
long?
you find with the history of black football is symptomatic of what we find
society their story tends to get forgotten. Britain has been a multicultural
society for hundreds of years and football is a good platform to show the
PV: Youth culture is so informed by black street culture in Britain right now
that selling the idea of the history of black football is not too difficult - it
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race?
PV: I'm not sure about the country as a whole but certainly among
football fans and those interested in the game. But football doesn't lead
successful campaign against racism among grassroots fans but all it takes
BBC Four: Is it fair to say that a lot of black players today really
transcend race in that they are such celebrities that race doesn't even
PV: If we're talking about the Premiership then I totally agree with you but
you've got to remember that the majority of black players don't play in
the Premiership. Racism is no longer the problem it was in the 1970s and
80s so in that sense the experience of black players has changed. But the
elite that play in the Premiership are worlds away from the players in
BBC Four: Finally, who would you vote for in our list of the top 10
PV: You'd have to go for Ruud Gullit because he's the only one of them to
win World Player of the Year. If it was a personal thing for me I'd have to
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Routledge
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Sir Norman Chester Centre for Football Research (2002), Racism and
Football
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