BBC 4's Black Flash: celebrating Black British history

I'm sure there is no Black man or women alive that wasn't consumed with pride when the fast talking Muhammad Ali burst on the world stage to proclaim his brilliance, whilst refusing to cow-tow to white oppression. Or at watching Brazil, the world's greatest football team, and the greatest player, Pele, gracefully, and effortlessly beat the rest of the white world in the 1970 World cup finals.

Given the prominence of these world-beaters, imagine the joy, as child, being called Pele by your white schoolmates, not necessarily because you played like him, but rather because, like him, you were Black.

BBC 4's wonderful documentary Black Flash - a history of Black British footballers - illuminates an overlooked era in which Black footballers gave Black Britons a well needed fillet of self-worth. But even more than that how their participation at the highest level of the game, in many ways, also contributed to breaking down some of the worst aspects of racism.

Digging in the archives historian Phil Vasili uncovered the 'God father' of Black British football: Arthur Wharton. Wharton, one of the fastest men in the country was signed by Preston North End in 1889, not to play as an outfielder, but as goalkeeper. But Wharton played brilliantly in goal and went on to become a local hero. Other Black players such as Eddie Parris, Jack Leslie and Albert Johannson followed Wharton's success in top flight football.

But is was during the 1970s and the 80s that we witnessed the greatest transformation of English football, due to the involvement of Black players. Players such as West Ham United's centre forward Clyde Best, who courageously blazed the trail for others to follow. Best and others endured ferocious racism both on and off the pitch that would destroy many a player today. During that era, the BBC even allowed the fictional racist 'Alf Garnett' to abuse Best from the terraces if his beloved West Ham were not doing well: 'You bloody cooon. Get back on the banana boat', Garnett would scream.

The documentary Black Flash gave due attention to the West Bromwich Albion trio - Brendon Batson, Laurie Cunningham and Cyril Regis, affectionately known as the 3 Degrees. They triumphed over racism with their footballing brilliance. They won over the partisan crowd and challenged the hate-filled away-fans with their dazzling performances. Cunningham above all played the game like a Brazilian, mesmerising fans with his silky skills. Nevertheless, they all faced acute racism particularly at away matches, including being spat at, verbally abused and being pelted with bananas.

If there is a failure of the documentary, it is that it failed to adequately explore the impact that players had on the Black community. Due to the prominence of Black players in top-flight football many Black boys up and down the country found a new sense of self worth. Their own sporting prowess meant that in the hierachy of the playground they would command respect. And although in footballing terms that meant the usually fast Black child was deemed only capable of playing as an attacker, it didn't' matter, because for the first time in British society the Black boy had an arena where he could excel. The flip-side of course, was that a generation of youngsters were encouraged to pursue sporting activities to the detriment of academic studies. Not surprisingly many who excelled at sport often left school little or no qualifications

The documentary Black Flash excelled in chronicling an uncovered history that began with Arthur Wharton and brought us almost right-up to-date looking at the outstanding careers of players such as John Fashanu, John Barnes and the irrepressible Ian Wright. 'Wrighty' was afforded a special focus by the documentary makers principally because like Muhammad Ali before him he embodied brilliance, finesse, arrogance and a raw sense of Black pride. Wright's Black pride was never more evident than when he was racially abused during a game by the then feared Manchester United goalkeeper, Peter Schmeichel. Shortly after being insulted they both challenged for what was a 50/50 ball. The giant Schmeichel against the diminutive Wright appeared to all as a David versus Goliath clash. Wright threw himself, body and soul, towards the ball and the on coming Schmeichel. They both collapsed to the ground, but after a second 'Wrighty' jumped up and bore down at the crumpled Schmeichel with a look that said, 'Don't go there again, you're dealing with a proud warrior'. Wright's combination of skill, valiance and honesty would endear him to the British public long after his retirement.

Today Black footballers are common place throughout the Premiership. The country's three top teams: Arsenal, Man Utd and Chelsea often field more Black players than white. Multiracial, international football teams along with campaigns such as 'Lets kick racism out of Football' have ensured that racism on the terrace is, to a large extent, a thing of past. But there are still some serious challenges to face. Though Black players are now in abundance, they are nowhere to be seen either as managers or directors. There also remains a rigid mind-set that shackles British Asian talent from coming through, and despite the progress on the terraces there still prevails an undercurrent feeling of racism that puts Black people off going to football matches.

That said, the documentary rightly highlights a rich piece of British footballing history we can celebrate. We celebrate the triumph over extreme adversity, that saw our many unsung heroes pave the way for the Theiry Henrys of today.

One of those heroes - Cyril Regis - was at launch of Black Flash, and I, eager to meet a boyhood hero asked him if he realised the amount of pride he gave to Black people and if he was aware that he was making history during those glory days. He pondered the question as if a spiritual answer lay uncovered before replying with great humility: 'No man, we just loved football. We just did what we had to do'.