JACK LESLIE

https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/jack-leslie-campaign 

I don't need to say much more than the above video and website does. Jack Leslie should have been the first of England's black footballers to play for the international team. It was not until 1978 that Viv Andreson was given that "honour". Marvellous.

Jack Leslie was born on 17th August, 1900, in Canning Town to a Jamaican dad and English mum, Jack was called up in 1927 to play against Ireland, but when the FA noticed that he was black he was "uninvited". England drew 0-0 at Windsor Park on 22nd October, they lost to Scotland and Wales too.

Jack played for Barking Town at first, then moved to Third Division Plymouth Argyle in 1921-2, where he appeared 401 times and scored 137 goals in 14 years. Between 1921-2 and 1926-7, Argyle came 2nd in Div 3 South six seasons' in a row but did not get promoted. 

As captain, his team won promotion in 1929-30, in a season, when he played in 41 games and scored 21 goals to help the Argyle into Division Two. He played his last game in December 1934, scoring in a 3-1 win over Fulham, soon an eye injury ended his career. Moving to London, he was given a job at local club West Ham by Ron Greenwood and this was to clean boots for the squad including the 1966 World Cup trio! 

He ended his career playing at Truro City, ran a pub in Truro; he died in 1988.