I'm a white Arsenal supporter who is immensely proud of our clubs Black heritage. I grew up in a very narrow middle England monoculture, but moving to Hackney when I was ten, in ´92, I was hit with colourful, vibrant waves of multiculturalism , at the same time I discovered North London, football, music and The Arsenal. it's one of the many reasons why I love my club so much.
Love this, man. Love open minded brits like us. When we unite, it’s a beautiful thing. It gets ugly when we drift into central london and drift out to Essex
As a little boy growing up in Jamaica in the 80s and early 90s seeing the likes of Ian Wright, Michael Thomas, Kevin Campbell (RIP), David Rocastle (RIP)and Paul Davies play for Arsenal it made me feel inspired that you could have players from Caribbean backgrounds playing football for an elite English football club. Arsenal, David Dein and George Graham were ahead of their time and they never pandered to slogans and tokenism. It was a case of if you are good enough you are playing for the Gunners. Arsenal won many fans all over the world during that era. Cole and Yorke won Man Utd a massive following in the late 90s.
I think Arsenal is the most supported club in Africa.. I am from Somalia for example, and everywhere you see it's more Arsenal than other premier League teams.
Ian Wright was unashamedly black. No timidness, no 'put your head down', he was brash, cocky and knew he was the best. If you insulted him he would take you head on. He's the reason so many black lads of an age support The Arsenal
@@HabitualLine-Stepperas for being unashamedly black..it means he didn't pander to those who thought black ppl should just be quiet and timid and never allow themselves to take the limelight in place of white ppl.
Thats partly the point the author was making. Ian Wright and others of his era made it ok to be Black and British or even black and English. In the decades before that, black Brits identified with our mostly Caribbean heritage. Ian Wright was a big deal as he represented a new concept which is now taken for granted
I became an Arsenal in 2002 because of 2 players. Nwankwo Kanu Thierry Henry Every Nigerian was 1st an Arsenal fan because of Kanu who is a legend in Africa.
Arsenal have had a long history with black players. Since the 80s, it's always felt like a club where black players can prosper... That being said, not an Arsenal fan, but definitely respect what they've done for the black community in that sense
Many of us nigerian fans between 2000 and 2003 became arsenal fans because of Kanu nwankwo and Henry. Infact on my street and neighboring streets we were mostly arsenal fans because of Kanu.
@@smaugballer7337I see you are very dull. I said between 2000 and 2003. Was Mikel Obi in the premiership then. Please learn to read. "He who talks before listening is worst than a fool" Proverbs 18:13
Im from Tottenham, but i support Arsenal because of the connection i had to their black players when i was a kid. Ian Wright is the main reason im a fan lol
I'm white and long retired now, but back in the day, a black guy at work volunteered at a mainly-black youth club as a football coach. He supported Spurs! One day at work he told me of his frustration that most of the kids he was coaching supported Arsenal. The reason? They'd seen Paul Davis, Michael Thomas and David Rocastle, and figured that Arsenal were the club that gave young black players a chance. I guess that it's grown from there.
I’ve been saying this for years. I’m from south London but Arsenal represents me and my culture. Big up Wrighty, Kevin Campbell, Sol, Henry, Kanu, Thomas and all the boys! COYG ❤
Am Nigerian and I support Arsenal because of Kanuuuu . It brings absolute tears of joy when I look back at how Arsenal made me feel with joy seeing black African players successfully at a club like Arsenal ❤❤🎉
I don't even lie about it, I became an Arsenal fan because of Ian Wright, it was like my Uncle was on the pitch and that drew me in and it's the best decision I have ever made. COYG
Paul Davis and Viv Anderson were foundations. Particularly Paul. Black men playing in those central midfield roles which were more technical. Holding and playmaking was not common. Clubs often wanted to play towards speed and power and tricks so Paul being in that role seemed to be uncommon. Icing on the cake was when he knocked a man out. Always so cool but that day he'd had enough. Inspired many of us to not take the rubbish anymore. Salute you Paul 👊🏾
I remember when he chinned that Southampton player.. Glenn Cockerel I believe 👊... what you said about black midfielders is bang on, before that they were chosen for their power and speed
Just like me mate , I always had my eye on Arsenal - initially thinking that their sponsors are so cool (JVC, Sega etc) - then when TH14 scored that volley against Man U I was like damn ! I’m sold 🔥
When i was a little kid I used to play a game called Sensible Soccer on my Amiga. I used to like to make myself as a player and put myself in Arsenal and England. I always used to make myself black despite being white. A lot of people today might say that's racist or cultural appropriation but I just wanted to be like Ian Wright who was my hero.
Am from Uganda 🇺🇬 and me and my family were introduced to Arsenal by our Dad because the club had lots of black players especially Theiry Henry, viera, Sol campbell, Ashley Cole, Toure, Lauren and many more
I'm from South London and started supporting Arsenal because of my older brother in the 2006/7 season, to only find out later on in life that my Aunties and Uncles grew up in the same estate and went to the same school as Ian Wright and David Rocastle.
I started supporting Arsenal in the mid 90s. Back then, it was unusual to see so many black players in one team. At the time racism was rampant in football. Watching Arsenal I finally felt like I belonged to something
Growing up in Africa, Arsenal was the first club team I supported with a passion around 1996 barely as a teen and it was because of Ian Wright. I always remember his goal celebration when he set the goal scoring record. Once Wenger took over the club and the numerous black players he signed plus the overall culture of the club, it was cemented,.Gunner 4 life.
bullshit. They are just sheep. Spurs had more Black support in the 1980s and had Black players. I remember when Arsenal were criticised for having muriel of fans, to cover the construction of the north bank, and didn’t have one Black face. So Arsenal never recognised they had a Black fan base.
@@f6876 West Brom was actually the first. They had 3 black players in the 1970s: Regis, Batson and Cunningham. Ironically, managed by big Ron Atkinson😬
@@pauladdae3130just goes to show..just because u give black ppl a chance doesn't mean you're not racist..for example a manager could have a track record of signing very few black players but would never refer to Desailly as the word Ron Atkinson called him.
I am a 70 year old lifelong arsenal fan .I am irish and saw my first game in 1963 we were known as the ethnics ,the irish, the carribeans, the Italians turks and Greeks followed the arsenal .And as the years went by Africans. Asians and others joined us.at one time 7 of the 1st 11 were irish
Personally I think the fact that our great club embraces other cultures unapologetically is one of the main reasons we are so disrespected by the media, pundits and referees alike much like AFTV for that matter. There is something deeper rooted than what's on the surface
Its one of three reasons: 1. Arsenal embrace of black britain 2. Taking on the Northern powerhouses in Liverpool and Manchester United 3. Arsene Wenger ending the careers of English managers at the top clubs and introducing elite foreign players
bro I dont even support Arsenal but have always said its one of the main reasons the media dont like you lot. Arsenal is one of the only clubs who's success in based on a white english player or manager.
One of the multiple reasons why I love Arsenal is not just the black culture we have as a black man. Buy we've always been known during those times as a multicultural family club, along winning multiple trophies adding to our rich history
Many teams in the Premier league club fanbases have murky pasts with their own Black players which today they are trying to gloss over or rebrand (cough cough Chelsea, Liverpool and Everton) but Arsenal are not one of those clubs. As the authour of this book said with Arsenal their multi-racial fanbase and teams have just happened organically. The likes of Rocastle, Wright, Campbell, Paul Davies et al won fans all over the world. Optics and visuals are important for young people watching sport growing up
Ian Wright kicked things off with that, _"Can I kick it (Nike) advert,"_ and his wild celebrations! He was the reason why Arsenal had the Nike deal back then.
Check out Peleja (Brazilian football documentary makers) and their short doc (in English) “how arsenal became a revolution for black people” -it’s really good 👍🏻
Those that followed Arsenal in the 90s will have remembered that Arsenal had the highest number of black fans out of all clubs in England at 3% which was a big deal.
Proud Toronto Gunner here! Love that Arsenal was a club who were BRAVE enough early on to open doors to black players. NUFF respect needs to go to Arsene Wenger for his historical willingness to give black players opportunities to succeed wherever he's been (Monaco, Grampus, etc.). Before he arrived at Arsenal, he INSISTED the club recruit a young Patrick Vieira. Wenger also had the cojones to field 10 black outfield players and keeper Lehmann. MI PROUD YUH SEE???!!! NUFF RESPECT there! 🔥🔥🔥
There were black players before him, but the person who galvanised black support for Arsenal was David Rocastle, who was the fans' favourite in the late 1980s. The sense that Arsenal fans of whatever race loved and cherished black players was consolidated by Ian Wright. You will also find that a lot of older black fans support Liverpool because of John Barnes, not just because of his great performances but for the dignity and superiority he showed when confronted by racist abuse and the bananas thrown at him by Everton fans. Kevin Campbell also deserves a mention. Only ten years after Everton fans were throwing bananas at Barnes, Campbell was Everton club captain, having shown even the most racist of Everton fans that black players deserve respect.
Shouts to all the 1980s trailblazers alongside Paul Davis and Michael Thomas: Viv Anderson, Raphael Meade ... even Chris Whyte and Gus Caesar. An inspiration to some of these would have been Clive Best, a 1960s trailblazer at West Ham.
To be honest in the early 2000’s that’s why I chose Arsenal as my team when they started carrying to premier league in my country… they had the most players that looked like me and the brand of footy was delicous 😎
IAN Wright for me. The first time i saw him play. My jaw dropped. My face lit up. I was like who is that dude? He was quick, fast and agile. From that moment i became Arsenal fan.
Plus nobody can win the EPL unbeaten except Arsenal. They will cry more because Arsenal is getting even better now with The Emirate Stadium and The Kronke Family ready to boost the club
Actually I started supporting Arsenal in the 80s because of Paul Davies, not necessarily solely because he is black, but mainly because I played in the same position as he did and seeing a black player in that position in a team with a contingent of black players, I kind of naturally drifted to supporting the team too.
I grew up in southwest London in the 80s and 90s. Lots of overt racism at grounds back then. Arsenal was the only London ground I could go to and feel accepted and safe. I love The Arsenal for that. Could never get my head around black fans who could stand next to a fellow supporter who was screaming racist comments at black players. A certain southwest London club was notorious for that.
Back in the 60s-70s Arsenal had a large Irish, Greek, Jewish support. The far right/NF/BNP never got a foothold on the terraces in the way that they did at other clubs. A hooligan leader, Dainton Connell was black. Our black players didn't get the abuse from their home crowd in the way that others did. This allowed those who came later to flourish.
Glad to see Saka becoming an icon like this. Only rose to prominence 3yrs ago but he's a superstar now, hopefully many more years of this like Wright and Henry.
Arsenal were one of the few London teams with substantial blacking playing staff, I started supporting arsenal as a kid from Ghana, just because of the black players I saw, Micheal Thomas Rocastle and later Ian Wright.
My dad's a Arsenal but I made the correct decision of supporting Chelsea, before the Abramovitch era. Desailly, Hasselbaink, Babyaro, Melchiot are the few black players I remember from my childhood. I just preferred the colour Blue. That was my reason as kid to support them.
There are so many iconic Arsenal players of African ethnic origin it's no surprise that so many in the African diaspora love the club. It's a visibility and an identity thing.
Support for Arsenal coincided with the birth of Multi choice in 1998 when Viera, Kanu, Anelka and co where fighting Man Utd dominance. Multi choice (dstv) brought live premier League to Africa when Arsenal was rising...
Arsenal have done an awful lot of good things over the years and done it with class. "Ian Wright Wright Wright!" (Always Palace to me ❤) but I respect what Arsenal have done and wish them well because of it. 🦅❤💙
I'm a indigenous black fella from Australia I'm a Gunner 4 Life. I think this club also needs to invest in Asian players from Korea or Japan as they have so much talent. We need like a Son who plays for Spurs to play for this great club. We need to expand not just in Africa
@ yeah because the Africans have no idea what Chelsea was like as a club before abramovic. Anti black club. They just liked the manufactured success with oil money. No idea that the Chelsea fans were openly white supremacist racist.
My parets supported Liverpool because of John Barnes, I alongside most black kids who grew up in London in the 90s support Arsenal because of Ian Wright and Kevin Campbell. Football heritage
Arsenal football club and its culture caters more to the Black community. Whether it be their former players or current players, their fanbase, all of it tilts far towards the Black community. Their biggest fan representation online is AFTV, run by a Black man and which has more black contributors than any other channel. The fans they do fancams with after the games also happen to be majorly Black. London itself as a city has probably the biggest portion of Black people compared to any other place in England.
I'm from Australia, didn't notice Black Arsenal when I started supporting Arsenal in the mid-90s. But the emergence of AFTV from 2013 made it bleeding obvious.
@yabiggalla Fact check: Arsenal moved to North London in 1913. Two World Wars between 1914 and 1945 see little football played. It wasn't until 1939, during World War 2, that people of Caribbean and African descent began arriving in significant numbers.
Ive never thought about it, I always just assumed human beings support Arsenal, but its very important we recognise theyre black to ensure theres still a dividing line between the races and ensure we always remember what skin colour a football fan is for each club. Cant just lump eveyone in together as human beings can we? Lets keep pointing out how different we are to ensure we never come together. Great work C4.
Its no wonder Arsenal get the most hate and scrutiny from the media and refs. I'm not even black but the discrimination and the way Arsenal are treated differently is clear as day. The hate is not for no reason. Dave's opening bars from Black. should make you understand why its always harder for Arsenal to get to the top than for anyone else. "Look, black is beautiful, black is excellent Black is pain, black is joy, black is evident It's workin' twice as hard as the people you know you're better than 'Cause you need to do double what they do so you can level them"
I'm a white Arsenal supporter who is immensely proud of our clubs Black heritage. I grew up in a very narrow middle England monoculture, but moving to Hackney when I was ten, in ´92, I was hit with colourful, vibrant waves of multiculturalism , at the same time I discovered North London, football, music and The Arsenal. it's one of the many reasons why I love my club so much.
People like you give me a very SLIGHT hope in society.
And this is why I'm so proud to be part of this wonderful fanbase... respect mate 👊🏾
You missed so much but I can't blame you for being too young. Enjoy London, Hackney so much fun.
Love this, man. Love open minded brits like us.
When we unite, it’s a beautiful thing.
It gets ugly when we drift into central london and drift out to Essex
As a little boy growing up in Jamaica in the 80s and early 90s seeing the likes of Ian Wright, Michael Thomas, Kevin Campbell (RIP), David Rocastle (RIP)and Paul Davies play for Arsenal it made me feel inspired that you could have players from Caribbean backgrounds playing football for an elite English football club. Arsenal, David Dein and George Graham were ahead of their time and they never pandered to slogans and tokenism. It was a case of if you are good enough you are playing for the Gunners. Arsenal won many fans all over the world during that era. Cole and Yorke won Man Utd a massive following in the late 90s.
I think Arsenal is the most supported club in Africa.. I am from Somalia for example, and everywhere you see it's more Arsenal than other premier League teams.
Word. Reason we support Arsenal is because they gave African players a chance to shine before others did.
Kenyan in Botswana
Sup my peoples I'm Zambian and we have a big and proud Arsenal fan base#Wearethearsenal
Been badanaa. United is the biggest in Somalia.
I'm Eritrean and I agree. Manchester United and Arsenal so popular here in Africa.
Nah it’s Chelsea, sorry.
I'm old, I'm white, I'm a Gooner, and I'm from Hackney. Multiculturalism defined me. I think that's a win for me and East London.
Well said.
Well said indeed, from one Gooner to another
United fan here, y’all are my favourite enemies 💯
Ian Wright was unashamedly black. No timidness, no 'put your head down', he was brash, cocky and knew he was the best. If you insulted him he would take you head on. He's the reason so many black lads of an age support The Arsenal
@rigsby1454 Ian Wright is more English than putting the kettle on.
What does "unashamedly black" even mean!?
@@HabitualLine-Stepperthe fact u said Ian wright is very English is not only tragic but factually incorrect
@HabitualLine-Stepper ask your Black friends, if you have any!
@@HabitualLine-Stepperas for being unashamedly black..it means he didn't pander to those who thought black ppl should just be quiet and timid and never allow themselves to take the limelight in place of white ppl.
Thats partly the point the author was making. Ian Wright and others of his era made it ok to be Black and British or even black and English. In the decades before that, black Brits identified with our mostly Caribbean heritage. Ian Wright was a big deal as he represented a new concept which is now taken for granted
I became an Arsenal in 2002 because of 2 players.
Nwankwo Kanu
Thierry Henry
Every Nigerian was 1st an Arsenal fan because of Kanu who is a legend in Africa.
Arsenal have had a long history with black players. Since the 80s, it's always felt like a club where black players can prosper... That being said, not an Arsenal fan, but definitely respect what they've done for the black community in that sense
Oh sht up. I've never been an Arsenal fan. Nigerian and always been a Liverpool fan
Many of us nigerian fans between 2000 and 2003 became arsenal fans because of Kanu nwankwo and Henry. Infact on my street and neighboring streets we were mostly arsenal fans because of Kanu.
@@gideonzong oga sharap there. Mikel won more Nigerian fans for Chelsea than Kanu ever did
@@smaugballer7337I see you are very dull. I said between 2000 and 2003. Was Mikel Obi in the premiership then. Please learn to read. "He who talks before listening is worst than a fool" Proverbs 18:13
Im from Tottenham, but i support Arsenal because of the connection i had to their black players when i was a kid. Ian Wright is the main reason im a fan lol
Same from Tottenham but I’m a Gooner because of the rich heritage of black players!✔️
No yid army in Tottenham
Tbf most people in Tottenham support Arsenal you have to go to Redbridge and Essex to find spurs fans 😂
David Rocastle Forever
Rip Rocky
I'm from Côte d'Ivoire🇨🇮 and my love for Arsenal is so deep❤
We had Kolo Toure too from your country,our club legend,an invincible
I'm white and long retired now, but back in the day, a black guy at work volunteered at a mainly-black youth club as a football coach. He supported Spurs! One day at work he told me of his frustration that most of the kids he was coaching supported Arsenal. The reason? They'd seen Paul Davis, Michael Thomas and David Rocastle, and figured that Arsenal were the club that gave young black players a chance. I guess that it's grown from there.
I’ve been saying this for years. I’m from south London but Arsenal represents me and my culture. Big up Wrighty, Kevin Campbell, Sol, Henry, Kanu, Thomas and all the boys! COYG ❤
You mean all the black boys 😂. Kinda sad to only highlight and identify your culture as people of the same race as you.
Well for those who don't know, Arsenal are from South London - Woolwich, so that would be expected.
Ethiopia is the massive Arsenal fan base in Africa.Our population is around 130million
Am Nigerian and I support Arsenal because of Kanuuuu . It brings absolute tears of joy when I look back at how Arsenal made me feel with joy seeing black African players successfully at a club like Arsenal ❤❤🎉
Kanu brought the whole of Africa with him when he signed for Arsenal. God bless Papilo
I'm white and English and it brings me so much joy to have Nigerians supporting Arsenal with the same passion that I have for the club.
Finally Channel 4 answers the questions we've all been asking
I don't even lie about it, I became an Arsenal fan because of Ian Wright, it was like my Uncle was on the pitch and that drew me in and it's the best decision I have ever made. COYG
Love this 🔥
Paul Davis and Viv Anderson were foundations. Particularly Paul.
Black men playing in those central midfield roles which were more technical. Holding and playmaking was not common. Clubs often wanted to play towards speed and power and tricks so Paul being in that role seemed to be uncommon.
Icing on the cake was when he knocked a man out. Always so cool but that day he'd had enough.
Inspired many of us to not take the rubbish anymore.
Salute you Paul 👊🏾
I remember when he chinned that Southampton player.. Glenn Cockerel I believe 👊... what you said about black midfielders is bang on, before that they were chosen for their power and speed
@@summittodo I remember the North Bank singing "Cockerel, Cockerel, how's your jaw', every time he returned to Highbury.
Just seeing Henry on TV growing up made me believe as a black person I could become anything in this world
Just like me mate , I always had my eye on Arsenal - initially thinking that their sponsors are so cool (JVC, Sega etc) - then when TH14 scored that volley against Man U I was like damn ! I’m sold 🔥
I started supporting Arsenal as a kid cos I saw Ian Wright. 😊
I'll forever remember Arsenal winning the First Division at Anfield in 1988/89. Alan Smith and Michael Thomas, what a night!
Big up Jordan for asking the right questions, and big up Clive Nwonka and everyone involved in publishing this book.
True!
Being Arsenal and Black is a beautiful love story.
So proud to be Arsenal. Love from Scotland 🏴 ❤
When i was a little kid I used to play a game called Sensible Soccer on my Amiga. I used to like to make myself as a player and put myself in Arsenal and England.
I always used to make myself black despite being white.
A lot of people today might say that's racist or cultural appropriation but I just wanted to be like Ian Wright who was my hero.
Heartfelt mate
Am from Uganda 🇺🇬 and me and my family were introduced to Arsenal by our Dad because the club had lots of black players especially Theiry Henry, viera, Sol campbell, Ashley Cole, Toure, Lauren and many more
That Arsenal shirt has gone platinum in Kenya.
Big up Jordan from forever arsenal podcast by AFTV on big channel 4
He was a sports journalist before AFTV. Stop trying to claim relationship
I'm from South London and started supporting Arsenal because of my older brother in the 2006/7 season, to only find out later on in life that my Aunties and Uncles grew up in the same estate and went to the same school as Ian Wright and David Rocastle.
@@GSE21 irony is Ian Wright played for Palace which has the most Black players on their books
All I ever got growing up in the 90s and 00s is “oh you’re black and from London I bet you support Arsenal” and you’re damn right I do.
I started supporting Arsenal in the mid 90s. Back then, it was unusual to see so many black players in one team. At the time racism was rampant in football. Watching Arsenal I finally felt like I belonged to something
Growing up in Africa, Arsenal was the first club team I supported with a passion around 1996 barely as a teen and it was because of Ian Wright. I always remember his goal celebration when he set the goal scoring record. Once Wenger took over the club and the numerous black players he signed plus the overall culture of the club, it was cemented,.Gunner 4 life.
Arsenal the club that gave black players a chance
bullshit. They are just sheep. Spurs had more Black support in the 1980s and had Black players. I remember when Arsenal were criticised for having muriel of fans, to cover the construction of the north bank, and didn’t have one Black face. So Arsenal never recognised they had a Black fan base.
Tottenham.
@@f6876 West Brom was actually the first. They had 3 black players in the 1970s: Regis, Batson and Cunningham. Ironically, managed by big Ron Atkinson😬
@@djpeekay25not from the 90’s onwards
@@pauladdae3130just goes to show..just because u give black ppl a chance doesn't mean you're not racist..for example a manager could have a track record of signing very few black players but would never refer to Desailly as the word Ron Atkinson called him.
I am a 70 year old lifelong arsenal fan .I am irish and saw my first game in 1963 we were known as the ethnics ,the irish, the carribeans, the Italians turks and Greeks followed the arsenal .And as the years went by Africans. Asians and others joined us.at one time 7 of the 1st 11 were irish
ian wright made me an arsenal fan .from africa namibia,,,,,lots of fans here
Personally I think the fact that our great club embraces other cultures unapologetically is one of the main reasons we are so disrespected by the media, pundits and referees alike much like AFTV for that matter.
There is something deeper rooted than what's on the surface
Its one of three reasons:
1. Arsenal embrace of black britain
2. Taking on the Northern powerhouses in Liverpool and Manchester United
3. Arsene Wenger ending the careers of English managers at the top clubs and introducing elite foreign players
bro I dont even support Arsenal but have always said its one of the main reasons the media dont like you lot. Arsenal is one of the only clubs who's success in based on a white english player or manager.
@@Aan_alleinbro chose to spit facts ONLY👏🏾
I'm a black Arsenal supporter since 1996 becoz of black connection
This is the real reason opposition fans, certain pundits, and the PGMOL dont like us. This is the way....
Arsenal will ALWAYS be the coolest club in the UK because of it's deep roots with black culture
Well theres other factors on why Arsenal is notorious, but yea being a multicultural club is a massive part
Im 51 and a proud arsenal fan . From Dominica in the Caribbean.
One of the multiple reasons why I love Arsenal is not just the black culture we have as a black man. Buy we've always been known during those times as a multicultural family club, along winning multiple trophies adding to our rich history
Many teams in the Premier league club fanbases have murky pasts with their own Black players which today they are trying to gloss over or rebrand (cough cough Chelsea, Liverpool and Everton) but Arsenal are not one of those clubs. As the authour of this book said with Arsenal their multi-racial fanbase and teams have just happened organically. The likes of Rocastle, Wright, Campbell, Paul Davies et al won fans all over the world. Optics and visuals are important for young people watching sport growing up
R.i.p rocky ... thats photo wid thoman, Campbell, davis....THE REASON Im A GOONER.....
Arsenal is our club 💯💯💯💯💯
I love my club
Jordan's an exponentially better journalist than a podcaster
I've supported since 1967. Viv Anderson, Brendon Batson, Davis Thomas Rocky, and so many more ,all the way the black link has always been strong.
You’re well aged man.
Pray to live longer.
@princedavido Thank you ,God bless.
Ian Wright kicked things off with that, _"Can I kick it (Nike) advert,"_ and his wild celebrations! He was the reason why Arsenal had the Nike deal back then.
excellent interview. Good History
Check out Peleja (Brazilian football documentary makers) and their short doc (in English) “how arsenal became a revolution for black people” -it’s really good 👍🏻
Those that followed Arsenal in the 90s will have remembered that Arsenal had the highest number of black fans out of all clubs in England at 3% which was a big deal.
I just wish this book was released sooner. I’ve first heard of it months ago.
Proud Toronto Gunner here! Love that Arsenal was a club who were BRAVE enough early on to open doors to black players. NUFF respect needs to go to Arsene Wenger for his historical willingness to give black players opportunities to succeed wherever he's been (Monaco, Grampus, etc.). Before he arrived at Arsenal, he INSISTED the club recruit a young Patrick Vieira. Wenger also had the cojones to field 10 black outfield players and keeper Lehmann. MI PROUD YUH SEE???!!! NUFF RESPECT there! 🔥🔥🔥
There were black players before him, but the person who galvanised black support for Arsenal was David Rocastle, who was the fans' favourite in the late 1980s. The sense that Arsenal fans of whatever race loved and cherished black players was consolidated by Ian Wright.
You will also find that a lot of older black fans support Liverpool because of John Barnes, not just because of his great performances but for the dignity and superiority he showed when confronted by racist abuse and the bananas thrown at him by Everton fans.
Kevin Campbell also deserves a mention. Only ten years after Everton fans were throwing bananas at Barnes, Campbell was Everton club captain, having shown even the most racist of Everton fans that black players deserve respect.
I loved Rocky. And I absolutely adore Wrighty.
Shouts to all the 1980s trailblazers alongside Paul Davis and Michael Thomas:
Viv Anderson, Raphael Meade ... even Chris Whyte and Gus Caesar.
An inspiration to some of these would have been Clive Best, a 1960s trailblazer at West Ham.
To be honest in the early 2000’s that’s why I chose Arsenal as my team when they started carrying to premier league in my country… they had the most players that looked like me and the brand of footy was delicous 😎
IAN Wright for me. The first time i saw him play. My jaw dropped. My face lit up. I was like who is that dude? He was quick, fast and agile. From that moment i became Arsenal fan.
Arsenal is number one loved and supported club in Africa.
This is why referees hate us
FACTS!
Plus nobody can win the EPL unbeaten except Arsenal.
They will cry more because Arsenal is getting even better now with The Emirate Stadium and The Kronke Family ready to boost the club
Victim mentality
😂
At last someone absolutely get’s it👏🏾
Great vid Jordan, u asked the right questions 👊🏾
Really good piece. I am proud of the club's black heritage, and long may that legacy continue....
The Arsenal (Uncle Wrighty & Co) was the embodiment of the whole cultural vibe of that era...if you know, you know❤❤❤
Maybe lose the “Uncle “ too close to being misrepresented as Uncle Tom.. but excellent comment
Big up Jordan representing the Arsenal massive!!!
Actually I started supporting Arsenal in the 80s because of Paul Davies, not necessarily solely because he is black, but mainly because I played in the same position as he did and seeing a black player in that position in a team with a contingent of black players, I kind of naturally drifted to supporting the team too.
Only Glenn Cockerill's jaw would disagree😂
Great stuff, Jordan. Big up.
I grew up in southwest London in the 80s and 90s. Lots of overt racism at grounds back then. Arsenal was the only London ground I could go to and feel accepted and safe. I love The Arsenal for that.
Could never get my head around black fans who could stand next to a fellow supporter who was screaming racist comments at black players. A certain southwest London club was notorious for that.
Millwall? Lots of black Millwall fans historically. Ian Wright for instance.
@zeezee3513 Millwall is not in southwest London.
@@zeezee3513 The club that was irrelevant before my comrade Abramovich 🇷🇺
@@NorthEagle95 My bad, apologies. Which club is it though?
@@zeezee3513The one with a girls name.
Back in the 60s-70s Arsenal had a large Irish, Greek, Jewish support.
The far right/NF/BNP never got a foothold on the terraces in the way that they did at other clubs.
A hooligan leader, Dainton Connell was black.
Our black players didn't get the abuse from their home crowd in the way that others did.
This allowed those who came later to flourish.
Well said.Big up the Bear.
Glad to see Saka becoming an icon like this. Only rose to prominence 3yrs ago but he's a superstar now, hopefully many more years of this like Wright and Henry.
Arsenal were one of the few London teams with substantial blacking playing staff, I started supporting arsenal as a kid from Ghana, just because of the black players I saw, Micheal Thomas Rocastle and later Ian Wright.
A brilliant book, a brilliant video and a brilliant club! My club!! Now just need to get the women’s team to catch up!
This is exactly why I support Arsenal, because I saw myself in some of these players.
My dad's a Arsenal but I made the correct decision of supporting Chelsea, before the Abramovitch era. Desailly, Hasselbaink, Babyaro, Melchiot are the few black players I remember from my childhood. I just preferred the colour Blue. That was my reason as kid to support them.
I'm from guinea conakry but I support Arsenal because Henry
I live bang in the middle of Arsenal and Tottenham. Ian wright made me choose Arsenal.
Excellent piece, Jordan.
As a Somali girl from Finsbury it was Kanu that won our family over!
Well done Jordan! Brilliant reporting!
There are so many iconic Arsenal players of African ethnic origin it's no surprise that so many in the African diaspora love the club. It's a visibility and an identity thing.
You could say the same thing for Crystal Palace.
Started supporting Arsenal in 1998. Black players have changed mindset in Africa we have on Europe football.
Thank you Jordan 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 much love from Arsenal. Adore Fourever Arsenal by the way.
Support for Arsenal coincided with the birth of Multi choice in 1998 when Viera, Kanu, Anelka and co where fighting Man Utd dominance.
Multi choice (dstv) brought live premier League to Africa when Arsenal was rising...
Genuinely proud to be an Arsenal fan. For footballing reasons and for many more non-footballing
Shout out Jordan forever Arsenal.👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
Arsenal have done an awful lot of good things over the years and done it with class. "Ian Wright Wright Wright!" (Always Palace to me ❤) but I respect what Arsenal have done and wish them well because of it. 🦅❤💙
I'm a indigenous black fella from Australia I'm a Gunner 4 Life. I think this club also needs to invest in Asian players from Korea or Japan as they have so much talent. We need like a Son who plays for Spurs to play for this great club. We need to expand not just in Africa
I started supporting Arsenal of black players since then l was akid l never looked back ❤❤
Excellent story.. Really enjoyed that 🔥🔥
My dad worked for Highbury Ford , his work place used to hire the 5 a side in door pitch at Highbury and I used to go with him.
The premises of the question funnily enough also speaks to the reason the media dislikes arsenal so much
Meanwhile Chelsea was a recruiting ground for the National front
Enzo… for real
And rent boys
Chelsea has a massive fanbase in Africa
@ yeah because the Africans have no idea what Chelsea was like as a club before abramovic. Anti black club. They just liked the manufactured success with oil money. No idea that the Chelsea fans were openly white supremacist racist.
@ no self respecting African should support Chelsea.
Do one on Brown and Yellow people
Brown and yellow people have been welcome at Arsenal for decades.
My parets supported Liverpool because of John Barnes, I alongside most black kids who grew up in London in the 90s support Arsenal because of Ian Wright and Kevin Campbell. Football heritage
I hope this book gets more attention. Any chance we can get it in South Africa?
GREAT VIDEO!
Love from GUINEA 🇬🇳 ❤COYG
Arsenal football club and its culture caters more to the Black community. Whether it be their former players or current players, their fanbase, all of it tilts far towards the Black community. Their biggest fan representation online is AFTV, run by a Black man and which has more black contributors than any other channel. The fans they do fancams with after the games also happen to be majorly Black. London itself as a city has probably the biggest portion of Black people compared to any other place in England.
I'm from Australia, didn't notice Black Arsenal when I started supporting Arsenal in the mid-90s. But the emergence of AFTV from 2013 made it bleeding obvious.
Big up, Jordan!!!
Kanu was a huge factor when it comes to the Nigerian fanbase
All Africa supports arsenal
I'd say most do, some of them some Chelsea as well
If I’m correct,think The Arsenal fielded a team with 10 black outfield players away to Leeds,and won the game 4 nil
Originally from South London, so unsurprisingly a lot of fans are drawn from South London communities
@yabiggalla Fact check: Arsenal moved to North London in 1913.
Two World Wars between 1914 and 1945 see little football played.
It wasn't until 1939, during World War 2, that people of Caribbean and African descent began arriving in significant numbers.
@@yabiggalla cos' Rocastle and Wrighty.
@@pauladdae3130 I'm not sure some of you got the joke, which makes it all the more delicious. F4kA5sna
@@pauladdae3130 Campbell also
@@yabiggalla Middlesex i caught it 👀
Big up JJB 👊🏾
Ive never thought about it, I always just assumed human beings support Arsenal, but its very important we recognise theyre black to ensure theres still a dividing line between the races and ensure we always remember what skin colour a football fan is for each club. Cant just lump eveyone in together as human beings can we? Lets keep pointing out how different we are to ensure we never come together. Great work C4.
Don't forget Viv Anderson, Paul Davis, Michael Thomas & Rocky Rocastle..
Its no wonder Arsenal get the most hate and scrutiny from the media and refs. I'm not even black but the discrimination and the way Arsenal are treated differently is clear as day. The hate is not for no reason. Dave's opening bars from Black. should make you understand why its always harder for Arsenal to get to the top than for anyone else.
"Look, black is beautiful, black is excellent
Black is pain, black is joy, black is evident
It's workin' twice as hard as the people you know you're better than
'Cause you need to do double what they do so you can level them"