Comments on: The Occluded History of Black Footballers in Britain http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/05/30/the-occluded-history-of-black-footballers-in-britain/ Exploring football culture around the world. Fri, 09 Jan 2009 13:30:12 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: christian tetteh http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/05/30/the-occluded-history-of-black-footballers-in-britain/#comment-6250 christian tetteh Fri, 26 Dec 2008 10:25:29 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/05/30/the-occluded-history-of-black-footballers-in-britain/#comment-6250 nii amui jhs po box 804 ashaman ghan00233 wa thankz nii amui jhs
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]]> By: christian tetteh http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/05/30/the-occluded-history-of-black-footballers-in-britain/#comment-6249 christian tetteh Fri, 26 Dec 2008 10:22:22 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/05/30/the-occluded-history-of-black-footballers-in-britain/#comment-6249 nii amui jhs po box 804 ashiaman ghana 00233 wa thankz nii amui jhs
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]]> By: Womble http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/05/30/the-occluded-history-of-black-footballers-in-britain/#comment-5611 Womble Wed, 13 Aug 2008 20:59:42 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/05/30/the-occluded-history-of-black-footballers-in-britain/#comment-5611 Scotzine - I'm sure you don't mean to but you talk as if you actually paid to read that article. Lighten up - not everything in this world is a vast anti-Scottish conspiracy. Maybe you should do the research for him - I'm sure we'd all be interested to read about it. Scotzine - I’m sure you don’t mean to but you talk as if you actually paid to read that article. Lighten up - not everything in this world is a vast anti-Scottish conspiracy. Maybe you should do the research for him - I’m sure we’d all be interested to read about it.

]]> By: Scotzine http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/05/30/the-occluded-history-of-black-footballers-in-britain/#comment-5526 Scotzine Tue, 05 Aug 2008 14:01:11 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/05/30/the-occluded-history-of-black-footballers-in-britain/#comment-5526 typically one side English biase again- what about the first Black footballer ever - he played for Queen's Oark, Captained Scotland and played down in England also. I see that the person writing that article totally forgot about him. His name was Andrew Watson - think someone should do more research next time typically one side English biase again- what about the first Black footballer ever - he played for Queen’s Oark, Captained Scotland and played down in England also. I see that the person writing that article totally forgot about him.

His name was Andrew Watson - think someone should do more research next time

]]> By: glasgow rangers football club http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/05/30/the-occluded-history-of-black-footballers-in-britain/#comment-5001 glasgow rangers football club Tue, 10 Jun 2008 15:32:06 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/05/30/the-occluded-history-of-black-footballers-in-britain/#comment-5001 [...] and The First Black Footballer, shows us that the movement of footballers from Africa to Europehttp://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/05/30/the-occluded-history-of-black-footballers-in-britain/Third Lanark express SFL interest BBC NewsThird Lanark say they are exploring the possibility of [...] [...] and The First Black Footballer, shows us that the movement of footballers from Africa to Europehttp://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/05/30/the-occluded-history-of-black-footballers-in-britain/Third Lanark express SFL interest BBC NewsThird Lanark say they are exploring the possibility of [...]

]]> By: Duncan Condie http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/05/30/the-occluded-history-of-black-footballers-in-britain/#comment-4957 Duncan Condie Fri, 06 Jun 2008 10:06:04 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/05/30/the-occluded-history-of-black-footballers-in-britain/#comment-4957 A really good read although any look into black footballers in Britain should probably include Andrew Watson who started playing in Scotland in the 1870s before signing for Queens Park in 1880 and went on to be capped for Scotland. It isn't just his playing career that's worthy of note but also that he went on to be club secretary for Queens Park, surely the first black player to go on to a position of responsibility within a club. More information here http://www.black-history-month.co.uk/articles/andrew_watson.html A really good read although any look into black footballers in Britain should probably include Andrew Watson who started playing in Scotland in the 1870s before signing for Queens Park in 1880 and went on to be capped for Scotland. It isn’t just his playing career that’s worthy of note but also that he went on to be club secretary for Queens Park, surely the first black player to go on to a position of responsibility within a club.

More information here

http://www.black-history-month.co.uk/articles/andrew_watson.html

]]> By: A Flavorless Mush I Call “Root Marm” - The Run of Play http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/05/30/the-occluded-history-of-black-footballers-in-britain/#comment-4911 A Flavorless Mush I Call “Root Marm” - The Run of Play Mon, 02 Jun 2008 21:05:04 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/05/30/the-occluded-history-of-black-footballers-in-britain/#comment-4911 [...] at the moment, including free issues and a drawing for prizes. You might have seen their recent article on Pitch Invasion about the history of African players in England. In any case, the magazine is a good read and well [...] [...] at the moment, including free issues and a drawing for prizes. You might have seen their recent article on Pitch Invasion about the history of African players in England. In any case, the magazine is a good read and well [...]

]]> By: historyman http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/05/30/the-occluded-history-of-black-footballers-in-britain/#comment-4892 historyman Sun, 01 Jun 2008 06:32:43 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/05/30/the-occluded-history-of-black-footballers-in-britain/#comment-4892 John Barnes should definitely feature in any serious consideration of this subject, as Sam highlights. The difficulties that he encountered were compounded by the fact that his performances for England were often a shadow of the form that he showed for Liverpool. As a result he suffered from a somewhat schizophrenic relationship with fans and the media. The England national team attracted an unhealthy dose of right-wing nut jobs back in the '80s who needed little encouragement to vent their spleen on Barnes and other black players. John Barnes should definitely feature in any serious consideration of this subject, as Sam highlights. The difficulties that he encountered were compounded by the fact that his performances for England were often a shadow of the form that he showed for Liverpool.

As a result he suffered from a somewhat schizophrenic relationship with fans and the media. The England national team attracted an unhealthy dose of right-wing nut jobs back in the ’80s who needed little encouragement to vent their spleen on Barnes and other black players.

]]> By: Sam Kelly http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/05/30/the-occluded-history-of-black-footballers-in-britain/#comment-4886 Sam Kelly Sun, 01 Jun 2008 00:06:28 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/05/30/the-occluded-history-of-black-footballers-in-britain/#comment-4886 Jennifer, aside from a small semantic correction (the Premier League didn't come into existence until 45 years after the end of WW2, so black players in the PL taking a while to appear after that war is somewhat inevitable...), I'd also suggest looking at players like John Barnes. When he did something great, he was English and the members of his club's own fanbase who threw bananas at him were idiots. If he did something that cost his team (most of all England) anything, he became 'Jamaican-born John Barnes...' Jennifer, aside from a small semantic correction (the Premier League didn’t come into existence until 45 years after the end of WW2, so black players in the PL taking a while to appear after that war is somewhat inevitable…), I’d also suggest looking at players like John Barnes. When he did something great, he was English and the members of his club’s own fanbase who threw bananas at him were idiots. If he did something that cost his team (most of all England) anything, he became ‘Jamaican-born John Barnes…’

]]> By: Jennifer Doyle http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/05/30/the-occluded-history-of-black-footballers-in-britain/#comment-4883 Jennifer Doyle Sat, 31 May 2008 21:52:08 +0000 http://pitchinvasion.net/blog/2008/05/30/the-occluded-history-of-black-footballers-in-britain/#comment-4883 Thank you for this article - I can't wait to read more of your work. Am hopefully teaching a mini-seminar at UC Riverside on soccer history & politics - I am sure I will want to include some of this work on the syllabus! This article is a reminder of not only how hard things were, but also how wide-open and possible things were - when you learn about guys like Wharton at the turn of the century, and then learn about how long it took to get Black players on the roster in the Premier league post WW II - you have to ask: What happened? (I just finished reading Black and Blue - the Paul Canoville autobiography - what a story - it's just amazing what he endured. And so important hear from him how it affected him, how he eventually learned to deal with it as much as it was or is possible to deal with that kind of abuse from fans.) Again, thanks for the article, and I can't wait to read more of your work. Thank you for this article - I can’t wait to read more of your work. Am hopefully teaching a mini-seminar at UC Riverside on soccer history & politics - I am sure I will want to include some of this work on the syllabus! This article is a reminder of not only how hard things were, but also how wide-open and possible things were - when you learn about guys like Wharton at the turn of the century, and then learn about how long it took to get Black players on the roster in the Premier league post WW II - you have to ask: What happened? (I just finished reading Black and Blue - the Paul Canoville autobiography - what a story - it’s just amazing what he endured. And so important hear from him how it affected him, how he eventually learned to deal with it as much as it was or is possible to deal with that kind of abuse from fans.) Again, thanks for the article, and I can’t wait to read more of your work.

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