ARSENAL’S first Black player, Brendon Batson, has endorsed Show Racism the Red Card’s (SRtRC) First 11 Black Players project. The initiative is a specific heritage project focusing on the history of Black players in the sport, which has also expanded to include the women’s game.
The ‘First 11 Black Players Exhibition’ highlights the achievements of the first eleven Black footballers to represent their clubs at senior level. From the early trailblazers who broke barriers, to more recent stars who have inspired on and off the pitch, this exhibition provides a look at how football’s history is intertwined with the wider narrative of diversity and inclusion.
Calls for government inquiry into racism in football
The project is in place to show the importance of diversity; celebrating untold stories and showing the contributions of Black sports people (and others) to not just sport but our wider society.
Players of my era had to be very resilient
Show Racism the Red Card was established in January 1996, thanks in part to a donation by then Newcastle United goalkeeper Shaka Hislop.
KEY MAN: Shaka Hislop
In 1990s Newcastle, Shaka was at a petrol station near St James’ Park when he was confronted with a group of young people shouting racist abuse at him. After one of the group realised that they had been shouting at Shaka Hislop, the Newcastle United football player, they came over to ask for an autograph.
The initiative is for communities and people of BAME heritage to reclaim narratives and see themselves represented in an exhibition which brings people together and for young people to feel empowered to tell untold stories to celebrate their own heritage or to act as an active ally
From the pioneers who paved the way to the modern icons inspiring a generation, this powerful collection honours their legacy in football and within the black community.
For the women’s game, l landmark SRtRC exhibition features 11 stunning banners, each dedicated to a pioneering player. They showcase their pivotal moments in an England shirt, their contributions to the growth of the game, and pay deep respect to their cultural heritage and the barriers they broke.
From the first Black player to ever don the Lionesses crest to the superstars of today who stand on their shoulders, this exhibition provides a long-overdue look at the figures who have fundamentally enriched English football.
Voice Online spoke to Brendon Batson, the first Black player to represent Arsenal, about his career and the First 11 initiative.
RH: Looking back, how does it feel to be the first Black player to play for Arsenal?
BB: I always say, that was just an accident, and I was very fortunate. I didn’t know the significance of it until many, many years later. I was scouted from the time I was 13, so I was invited to train at Highbury two days a week, signed schoolboy forms, then got an apprenticeship, was pro at 17, and I just had almost like a steady progression until I made my debut.
I came on at half time for the legendary Charlie George, who was unwell and I didn’t know the significance of it. I was just trying to make my way.
I’d been playing football from the time I came to England. I was lucky that football found me because I’d never seen football until I came to England.
I must have had a little bit of talent because I just seemed to progress. But I think my performances weren’t convincing for Arsenal, and before I knew it, I realised I wasn’t going to make any more progress, so that’s when I decided to leave.
Who was the manager at that time?
Bertie Mee. He was a very interesting character who was a physio at the club and eventually became the manager, which is unheard of, really, in modern times. I think I was 18 or 19 when I made my debut. He was the one who gave me the chance.
I’ve got fond memories of my time at Arsenal. It was a great club to grow up in. I learned a lot of things from Arsenal which I virtually carry to this day, from learning.
How interesting and difficult was it to be in London?
There was almost this whispering campaign about Black players. Clubs weren’t signing Black players because they thought they were lazy, undisciplined, not brave enough, didn’t like the cold, all those things were born out of pure ignorance.
I played for a Sunday team in the Regents Park League, one of the biggest leagues in the country. We had another Black player playing and were a really good team; the opposition hated us for a couple of years, as we won everything.
I was an apprenticeship electrician too. Things were difficult in a way, because you just didn’t see anybody else who looked like you. And as you got older, you realised how hard it was for players to break through. However, I’ve always said, talent can’t be denied.
Eventually, clubs could see the talent. All we wanted was the opportunity and were playing for fun. Being a professional footballer is just extending your schoolboy days. These days you get paid well.
Back then, the wages were what they were. The big change in football was the onset of the Premier League in 1992
Now, the riches are fantastic, and quite rightly the players are rewarded for it because they’re the ones bringing in the crowds and TV rights, etc
Players of my era had to be very resilient. We had to turn a blind eye to a lot of stuff that current Black players don’t have to deal with. We got there on merit, like all professional footballers do. A manager will sign anyone if they think the player can help the club and, by extension, themselves.
All we wanted was a chance to prove we were good enough to play in the professional game, and that happened, many years ago.
There was a club, I won’t name them, but one of the last clubs to sign a Black player. In the end, they had to capitulate, because the club and supporters were thinking, ‘Why aren’t we signing these players? There’s some good players out there.’
I think a big change was the breakthrough of the African players. That was an untapped talent pool. Clubs suddenly realised there is talent out there, all we’ve got to do is harness it. Each generation of players are standing on the shoulders of those who went before.
When you look back at what they had to go through, it doesn’t compare to what I had to go through, or what my generation did.
The progress of Black players has been built up over many, many years, and it’s a credit to my generation that we kept pushing forward in ever increasing numbers.
I was delighted to see players like Paul Davis, Michael Thomas and Rocky Rocastle, playing in midfield, when in my time, they used to say, ‘Black players can’t tackle or they don’t like the cold.’ What nonsense!
It must have been joyful to play with the likes of Cyrille Regis and Laurie Cunningham at West Brom
Yes it was! I knew of Laurie. I hadn’t met him, because I was in Walthamstow and Laurie was in Leyton. I saw him play when he was about 15 and thought, ‘That lad’s got a chance!’
When I joined, I’d seen Cyrille on the telly playing in a cup game for West Brom. So, it felt like a natural bond, we’d all travelled a similar path.
They signed us because we were good players and I was fortunate. I joined a very good team; it was just starting to bubble to the surface with people like Bryan Robson, Derek Statham, the evergreen Tony Brown who is still Mr. Albion.
That whole group, John Wile and Ally Robertson, were a dynamic midfield partnership. My roommate was Ally Brown, who’ not very well now. We were a team on the cusp of something exciting. It just happened that Laurie, Cyrile, and I were part of that. I think we were fortunate to be in that sort of team.
Who are the modern day players you enjoy watching?
I love watching Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice. I’ve watched him progress from West Ham, and I think he’s a wonderful player. Martin Ødegaard is a tremendous, tremendous player, a terrific athlete, as they all are.
You’ve got the lad at Barcelona, Lamine Yamal, I’ve only seen him on television, but he’s very much in the Saka mould.
STUNNER: Lamine Yamal of Spain celebrates scoring Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images
Going back to your time when you were playing, who were among your most difficult opponents?
John Robertson at Forest. He never usually caused me problems, I liked playing against him, until we played him at Forest one year and he gave me the worst 45 minutes of my life. I still get shivers thinking about it.
I think we’ve got to see more diversity in the coaching structures
In the second half, I didn’t worry about covering or anything like that, I just man marked him, and he hardly had a kick. But that first 45, we lost the game, and that first 45 minutes was a nightmare for me.
Show Racism the Red Card are doing great work. What more needs to be done to alleviate some of these challenges?
I always think it’s unfair that burden is put on football. Show Racism the Red Card has done amazing work and there are lots of campaigns addressing the issue of racism, but it’s not football’s job to fix all of society’s ills, that’s for our leaders, they must set examples.
I’m not overly pessimistic, but I do worry about the language from global leaders now, very right wing, anti-immigrant rhetoric. It’s sad.
Football highlights the issue more than most, due to its global reach, but our leaders need to be more careful with the narrative that they’re spewing out.
Can you see the progress of players of diverse backgrounds continuing?
It’s a very diverse league, and I think it’ll become more diverse. Visibility matters. But off the pitch, I think we’ve got to see more diversity in the coaching structures, not only within clubs but in the governing bodies, look at boardrooms, are there opportunities.
In Germany, lots of ex-players are in executive roles. You don’t see that so much here, the last person I think we had was Les Ferdinand at QPR, in the boardroom.
I had a year at West Brom myself. So, there is not an issue in terms of the pitch but I think there are still issues away from that. Can we see more diversity as I say within coaching, sporting directors and things like that?
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