Tribute to pioneer footballer Arthur

HE INSPIRING story of trail-blazing footballer Arthur Wharton (pictured) will be celebrated this weekend.

An event organised by Rotherham Unite Against Fascism will be held on Sunday — the 125th anniversary of Arthur becoming the first black professional when he first played for Rotherham Town in 1889.

It will be held at the Clifton Lane ground, where Rotherham Town then played but which is now the home of Rotherham Rugby Club.

Among those invited to the event is Arthur Wharton’s grand-daughter Sheila Leeson, Arthur Wharton Foundation founder Shaun Campbell, author Phil Vasili, who wrote his biography and representatives of the PFA and Football Unites, Racism Divides.

There will be readings, poetry, music, film and entertainment from noon onwards.

Poems in memory of multi-talented sportsman Arthur will be read by members of young writers’ groups in Rotherham, organised through tutor Vicky Morris.

Howard Holmes, from FURD, said: “Arthur Wharton’s story is so important because it shows there was a black presence at the dawn of the professional game.”

FURD has designed a range of resources including a comic and a 30-minute documentary film, which have been developed through a Heritage Project.

All materials are freely available, while donations to FURD’s educational work are discretionary.

The Arthur Wharton pack forms part of a larger project supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund and the PFA which has seen FURD work in schools to re-tell Arthur’s story through art, drama and poetry workshops as well as through film.

Arthur, who was born in Ghana in 1865, was the world’s first black professional footballer, and the first man to run 100 yards in “even time” (ten seconds flat).  

His footballing career included playing for Preston North End —  who won the inaugural Football League title in 1888/9 — Rotherham United, Darlington, Stockport County and Sheffield United.