ITS BLACK AND WHITE

I am not sure how well this would go down today but when Len Cantello of West Bromwich Albion, held his testimonial match at the Hawthorns on May 15th 1979. It was played between the All Blacks versus the the Cantello XI (which happened to be all white). Ron Atkinson oversaw the match and was happy to have such a controversial divide because this is how he often ran his practice matches at the Albion, giving them an edge on a drab Brummy morning.

It was a sort of gentle demonstration on behalf of an early "Kick It Out" organisation though this match was held well before the scheme had been dreamed up. This match came at a time when black players were being openly abused on any pitch and in many ways they were still a bit of a novelty. Here is Len making his entrance before his money making match. Which might have been won 3-2! by one team or the other. Len is now 65 and played for the Baggies 301 times, went to Bolton, Dallas, Hereford United, Bury and played briefly in Holland around 1986.

Of course it was Arthur Wharton who was the first black player to become a professional footballer. Born in Jamestown on the Gold Coast, West Africa, his father was half Grenadian and half Scottish, his mother "from an African royal family". See this previous blog:
http://baileyfootballblog.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/footballs-first-black-footballer.html

He arrived in England to join the "ministry" at 19 years old and soon excelled in sports, holding for a while a World sprint record. in 1885 he joined Darlington FC as a goalkeeper, then went to Preston NE in 1886, won a contract with Rotherham and later at Sheffield United, winding up with Stalybridge Rovers in 1902, Ashton North End, Stockport and sadly dying a pauper in 1930.

His grave eventually gained a headstone in 2003, in the same year as him being named in the English Football Hall of Fame.

Can you name many of these from the Black XI?





Get many?