Academy workshop celebrates football’s Black pioneers

Club

30 Oct 2025

Black footballing pioneers – from Crystal Palace’s past and from across the wider game – were at the heart of a workshop undertaken by our Academy players as part of this year’s Black History Month.

Black History Month should serve as a catalyst to inspire us all to keep learning, stand in solidarity against racism, and play an active role in creating a game and environment that is inclusive to everyone. That commitment is no different for the staff and players at the Palace Academy.

Recently, our Under-15 and Under-16 squads took part in the More Than a Game: Black Legacy in Football – an engaging, interactive workshop exploring the trailblazing Black pioneers who have shaped the sport we love today.

Led by Head of Safeguarding, Laura Baptiste, the session began with an ice-breaking quiz titled Who Am I? Players were challenged to identify football legends through clues about their achievements: “I broke racial barriers in English football,” read one – Cyrille Regis. “I was the first Black woman to manage an England national football team,” said another – Hope Powell.

The quiz quickly sparked debate and competition – but most importantly, curiosity. From there, the discussion turned reflective, as Laura encouraged the group to think about how football mirrors wider society and how each player’s background connects to the game’s evolving story.

The players then welcomed David Gleave, lifelong Palace supporter and author of Football’s Black Pioneers. Gleave’s research celebrates the first Black player to represent every Football League club, and he wasted no time in capturing the room’s attention.

“Who was the first Black footballer?” he asked. Guesses ranged from the 1980s to the early 1900s. The answer – Arthur Wharton, a Ghanaian ‘keeper who played for Sheffield United in 1894 – was met with surprise and admiration. For many of the players, Wharton’s story of courage and excellence resonated deeply.

When David mentioned Wharton’s Ghanaian roots along Africa’s Gold Coast, several of the boys raised their hands, smiling as they recognised a shared heritage.

Gleave went on to highlight other remarkable figures such as Walter Tull, who not only played for Tottenham Hotspur and Northampton Town but also became the first Black officer to lead white British soldiers during World War I; and Viv Anderson, England’s first Black senior international, who endured relentless abuse in the 1970s yet continued to play with pride and professionalism.

“If you didn’t play, you were dropped,” Gleave explained. “They had no choice but to be resilient.”

Clips of Anderson reflecting on those times reminded everyone how far the game has come – and how far it still has to go. Gleave also touched on the Windrush generation, the Stein family, and Tony Collins, Palace’s first Black player, whose influence helped shape the club’s modern identity.

“The truth is, immigration and diversity form the backbone of English football,” Gleave told the group. “Take immigration out of the England team, and you’d be left with just a handful of players.”

He closed with a modern story – not about trophies or fame, but values. When Sadio Mané was once asked about his cracked phone, the Senegalese star replied:

“Why would I want ten Ferraris, twenty diamond watches, and two jets? I prefer to build schools and help people in need.”

Reflecting on the workshop, Gleave said: “I’m quite old, I’m white, and I have no Black heritage at all. But it’s really important that we all understand where we’ve come from in order to go in the right direction in the future. One of the reasons I wrote the book was to make sure that the days we describe in its pages don’t come back. Diversity makes us stronger, and that’s something you see every day here at Palace.”

He added: “I hope the players remember the resilience people like Viv Anderson had to show – but also that they think about how they can make things better today. It’s not just about knowing the past; it’s about shaping the future. You can be a positive agent for change, just like Mané was.”

For the young players, the lessons clearly landed. One said: “I feel like this workshop was really good. It helped our age group understand more about Black history.”

Another reflected: “I learned that the first Black footballer in England was Arthur Wharton. I’d never heard his name before today.”

When asked which Black footballer inspires him, one young player replied: “Ebere Eze, because he’s a great player. He helped Palace win their first ever cup and major trophy. He also follows Jesus Christ, and the way he carries himself is really good.”

Throughout the week, the Academy also hosted an exhibition celebrating Palace’s own Black pioneers – from John Salako and Richard Shaw to modern-day figures like Chris Richards and Allyson Swaby.

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