DIVERSITY & INCLUSION and Bob Marley ’ s reggae infused messages about learning from history had laid out the blueprint for a neo-civilised world – long before the ‘ epiphany ’ of the 2020s . The truth is that British society was not ready to forgo the tier system that had ‘ served it so well ’.
The infinite paradox Although the FA failed to create the foundations for an equal football ecosystem , or set about eliminating racism , football was , at once , depressingly exclusive and pioneeringly inclusive . In spite of racial hostility , black footballers thrived throughout the 1980s . George Berry , Garth Crooks , Danny Wallace , Remi Moses , Paul McGrath , Mark Walters , Danny Thomas , Dave Bennett and John Fashanu to name a few , all won major trophies .
Many clubs had numerous black players on their books . Arsenal ( Paul Davis , David Rocastle , Michael Thomas ), Luton Town
( Ricky Hill , Mitchell Thomas and brothers Brian and Mark Stein ) and Watford ( Luther Blissett and John Barnes ) all began to accurately reflect their communities . Furthermore , as many as six black players were representing England at the same time by 1987 . England had more black players than any country in Europe – statistically it was the most multiculturally representative country in the world . By the end of the eighties Michael Thomas became part of football folklore as he hit the last minute goal which won Arsenal the league title . There was much to be proud of and it is always worth remembering that thousands of real fans loved black players as much as their white counterparts , and made no distinction between them .
Normal fans knew that black players improved their teams exponentially ! Football was a results business and there was no such thing as ‘ box ticking ’ or even
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