Black History Month 2024: The Conversations We Should Be Having In Football
When I first heard the term ‘Black History Month’, I was a child. The leaves on the trees had faded from bright green to a dull amber, signalling that the month of October had descended. The first lesson of the day, and there I was, seated at the back.
I cannot quite remember when my teacher uttered those three important words, but I remember how I felt once she had said them. Like clockwork, all eyes were on me. I understand now that my peers were an inquisitive bunch, but that was the first time I felt different to them.
It took a while for the feeling to subside – at times, I wonder if it ever did.
That was then. Since I have grown as a Black woman, my understanding of Black History Month has evolved. Now, I am fully aware of the opportunity the month brings to celebrate, appreciate and understand Black heritage and culture.
As a fan of football, I have spent many hours pouring over the content for Black History Month, and as a journalist eager to contribute, I have mulled over the conversation I wished to discuss on the Sports Gazette. After many days, I concluded that I did not want to write an article on a single conversation but rather conversations.
Thus, I present to you: What conversations should we have during Black History Month?
Black History Month: Current Conversations
In football, Black History Month is a time when we remember Black icons for their commitment to the sport. While focusing on those who acted as pioneers, more recently, multi-media outlets have focused on the experiences of Black players, with many recalling their lived experiences.
Viv Anderson recently wrote a piece for the England Football website on the privilege of being the first Black England International and its significance.
English forward Danny Welbeck, who currently plays for Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion, published an article for The Independent on Black History Month. He said the month is a time to focus on positive role models for future generations and celebrate Black culture.
These two contributions become Black History Month personified. Mr Anderson, the man who pioneered English football for the next generation of Black players and Mr Welbeck, his beneficiary.
What Conversations Should We Platform?
Interest in Black players in football is not only piqued during Black History Month, but also when these players find themselves at the forefront of debate, at times precipitated by racial adversity.
A friendly between England and Iceland in June initiated a wave of frustration after 65th minute substitute Bukayo Saka was the face of defeat across several multi-media platforms.
Former England striker Ian Wright took to X to express his opinion on the media coverage: “Those deciding who goes on the back pages know what they’re doing.”
Now more than ever let's get behind & support these young people. We can all see what's happening & who's being set up to be the face of defeat. We are going to be gas lit with explanations & justifications, but those deciding who goes on the back pages know what they’re doing.… https://t.co/zBZX4vPdIc
— Ian Wright (@IanWright0) June 8, 2024
In the blink of an eye, the lingering debate on the portrayal of Black and White players in the media made its volatile return.
In an article for The Mirror, Assistant Editor Darren Lewis observed that the reaction to the incident indicated that media outlets should think deeply about the context and how the public may receive words and images.
The response to this incident led me to question whether conversations on the representation of Black players in the media were to be had during Black History Month, and in true journalistic fashion, I sat down with Mr Lewis in search of the answer.
“I would say these conversations have to be had all year round, not just confined to a month. I think during Black History Month, lots of boxes get ticked by lots of organisations and lots of organisations and people who want to be seen to be doing the right thing,” he exclusively told the Sports Gazette.
“But I have always felt that once October finishes and when people feel they have done their bit, the issues that matter during that Month stop mattering afterwards.”
Future Conversations To Be Had
In my haste to figure out what conversations should continue to be had during Black History Month, Mr Lewis reminded me of an equal relevance: those that remain unsaid.
He added, “The issues that are to be discussed go beyond the treatment of individual players, on equal if not more importance, is the lack of people who are Black or Brown in leadership positions around journalism and around football, around sport.
“It is the lack of Black football managers, for example, even though 40 per cent of the playing contingent is Black or Brown. It is the lack of Black referees. There are 37 thousand referees in this country, around 10 per cent are Black or Brown. Only 243 of them are Black, or Brown, or female, and there is only one Black referee in the Premier League and only one Asian referee in the Premier League.
“So, when you look at the numbers, it shows you that there is a bigger picture to explore, and these are conversations that cannot possibly be confined to one month, and I think we would be doing something very wrong if we are using one term to have these conversations rather than having them every week, every day, every season.”
The mention of the referees floored me for a moment, and I even had to stop myself from apologising. As a Black female journalist and avid consumer of the Premier League, I could not fathom that I was unaware of the number of Black and Brown referees in the League.
It made me realise that in my search to enlist how Black History Month could embolden conversations around Black players, I had strayed from a significant objective, which is to platform conversations that receive little coverage.
Black History Month in football has value in its focus on the contributions of the past, but it has equal value in providing more meaningful exposure to underrepresented issues affecting Black individuals within the sport.
Thus, regarding what conversations should be had during Black History Month, I find my answer is in abundance. Whether on matters concerning racial adversity, the lack of Black or Brown Premier League referees or pioneers from our past, there’s a place for these discussions during the Month and, more importantly, beyond.
There are cultural, emotional and human stories here. Ones, without a doubt, are worth telling.
