DIVERSITY & INCLUSION
The
power of diversity in football
“ Witnessing one of the boys of ‘ 66 and Justin Fashanu as equal teammates was an empowering image but , ultimately , it was a lost opportunity to promote diversity ”
a black player . One of the very few was Clyde Best , a combative centre-forward at West Ham United and , curiously , team-mate of Geoff Hurst ( more about that later ).
In the late seventies , the sight of black players became much more common with West Brom fielding Cyril Regis , Bendon Batson and the mesmeric Laurie Cunningham , who interestingly would later become a hero in the racially hostile surroundings of Madrid , after moving to Real . By 1978 , England had selected its first black player , Viv Anderson , who would go on to win the European Cup twice . The emergence of diversity as a strengthening agent was gaining momentum .
Often , despite the skill and prowess on display , black players were not judged on footballing criteria , and were even rejected by their own ‘ supporters ’. To place it in modern parlons , many ‘ fans ’ could not get past the idea that diversity could actually improve an organisation . This was football ’ s problem ; hosting the same deadly , easily spreadable prejudice that manifested itself in Britain ’ s cities and towns . And it has been the downfall of many talented footballers who , faced with an utterly impossible working environment , could never fulfill their potential .
Sliding doors moment Perhaps a single moment in time can change a life , a society , a world . If you ’ re going to change the universe , 1980 seemed like a good place to start . In that year , Justin
160 September 2021