Best Black England Football XI, Ever

The FA scored an embarrassing and costly own-goal in 2005 after they were forced to scrap thousands of copies of a DVD entitled The Pride of the Nation – a retrospective look at the finest players to represent England over 40 years, which failed to acknowledge any of the 48 black men to represent their country in that time.

They hurriedly put together a new edition, featuring several black players but the damage was already done. So, here we present an alternative look at the history of the England team – the greatest black players ever to wear the Three Lions. And in the spirit of diversity, we’ve even thrown in Bobby Robson as a token white manager. See what you think.

GK: David James
48 appearances; 0 goals

Something of a forced choice, given that he is the sole black goalkeeper to play for England. Best known for being the only public figure to rival Prince Philip for the number of occasions on which his name has appeared in the press preceded by the words ‘gaffe prone.’ Earned the nickname ‘Calamity James’ after a series of high-profile errors while playing for Liverpool, and has found it hard to shake off. However, fans of Aston Villa and Manchester City will tell you a different story – of a reliable, gifted goalkeeper who inspires confidence in his defence and fierce loyalty from the supporters.

RB: Viv Anderson
30 appearances; 2 goals

The first ever black player to represent the full England side, Anderson was a key member of Brian Clough’s legendary Nottingham Forest team, earning domestic and European honours in the late 70s and early 80s. He went on to play for Arsenal and Manchester United, but was unlucky to find the likes of Phil Neal ahead of him in the England set-up. One of the few black players to make the leap into management when he became Barnsley boss, Anderson has been a proud moustache-wearer for much of his career, even taking it bravely into handlebar territory during the early 90s. Talks candidly about his football years in an explosive autobiography out now: First Among Unequals.

LB: Ashley Cole
77 appearances; 0 goals

Promising young Arsenal defender cuts his teeth on loan at Crystal Palace and returns to push Brazilian international Silvinho out of the side. Goes on to establish himself as a mainstay for club and country, felt by many to be the finest left back in the world. Comes to represent everything that is vaguely distasteful about the modern game, acquiring a pop-star wife, getting ‘tapped up’ in a dodgy move to Chelsea FC and constantly being pictured in the tabloids for having cheated on his wife or falling out of celebrity night-spots with obligatory blonde ‘stunnas’ in tow and a hand thrust aggressively at the camera lens.

CB: Sol Campbell
73 appearances; 1 goal

Former-rock at the heart of the England defence alongside Rio Ferdinand and just edges out the turtle-faced Man United player for sheer dependability. Strong in the challenge, dangerous at set-pieces, and exuding a quiet confidence in everything he does, Sol faced a challenge in winning over the Arsenal crowd after his high-profile defection from Spurs. But went on to become absolutely indispensable, a point proven by the Gunners’ willingness to take him back after a three year stint with Portsmouth and about the same number of months with Notts County. Faced down persistent rumours about his sexuality by…well, by not being gay. Has had a series of high-profile relationships, including former Wimbledon champion Martina Hingis, and bland, seal-voiced pop-tomaton Dido.

CB: Des Walker
59 appearances; 0 goals

Scowly-faced former Nottingham Forest and Sheffield Wednesday stopper. Walker had an unhappy ‘It was like a foreign country’-style interlude in Italy with Sampdoria, but was an automatic choice for England for 5 years. Played out of position by the Italians, at leftback, he scowled so hard that he ended up spending a fortnight on the physio’s table with a self-inflicted facial injury. Perhaps. Feted, in his prime, for his lightning-quick pace, but now best remembered for ‘switching off’ against Holland in a 1993 World Cup qualifier. Marc Overmars scored, England didn’t go to the World Cup, no more caps for Des.

RM: Laurie Cunningham
6 appearances; 0 goals

Shot to prominence as arguably the most talented of West Brom’s ‘Three Degrees.’ Under the tutelage of Ron ‘lazy, thick nigger’ Atkinson, Cunningham became the first black player to wear an England shirt when he turned out for the Under-21 team in 1977, going on to win 6 full caps. Could mesmerise opponents with his pace and tricks, and earned himself a move to Real Madrid in 1979. Never quite fulfilled his potential in the Spanish capital, and his career wound down with spells at Man United, Leicester City, and Wimbledon. Cunningham died in a car crash in Madrid on the morning of 15th July, 1989, aged only 33. The BBC did not report his death.

LM: John Barnes
79 appearances; 11 goals

One of the most breathtakingly gifted players ever to pull on an England shirt. The scorer of perhaps the greatest England goal of all time (against Brazil in the Maracana). However, was never able to reproduce his best Liverpool form for his country, and ended his England career unfairly targeted as the fans’ whipping boy. Had a bad time as manager of Celtic, where he presided over a cup defeat to Inverness Caledonian Thistle, and had the misfortune of signing an unknown Brazilian defender by the name of Scheidt who was shite. Barnes took over as manager of the Jamaica national team on 1 November 2008 but resigned six months later to take over at Tranmere. He was sacked by Tranmere on 9 October 2009 after a series of poor results.

CM: Paul Ince
53 appearances; 2 goals

Best described as ‘niggly’ during his top-flight playing career. First black player to captain the England first team. His defining moment in the Three Lions came when he put in a battling performance against Italy, helping England to a draw that put them into the 1998 World Cup Finals. Ending the game with his head swathed in bandages after sustaining a nasty head wound in the first half, cheeky Geordie wife-beating funster Paul Gascoigne brought the world to its knees with helpless mirth by likening Ince to ‘a pint of Guinness’ because Ince is black, and the bandage on his head was white. And Guinness is black, with white on top. See? Amazing.

CM: Carlton Palmer
18 appearances; 1 goal

Some may disagree with the idea of Carlton Palmer earning a place in any ‘best of’ list. However, Palmer was unfairly maligned throughout his career, and suffered from being part of a singularly uninspiring Graham Taylor-era England team, and the fact that he wasn’t Paul Gascoigne. But he was a hard-working, effective player, and a godsend for cliché-happy commentators, who could always find an excuse to refer to his ‘telescopic legs’. To some he will always be an Argos catalogue version of Patrick Vieira. To me he will always be the man who made me cry with laughter at his pitch-perfect Graham Taylor impression in the classic ‘Impossible Job’ documentary about the beleaguered England manager.

CF: Cyrille Regis
5 appearances; 0 goals

Another of Ron ‘after everything I’ve done for black players’ Atkinson’s ‘Three Degrees.’ Regis terrorised defences in the 70s and 80s with his muscular forward play and explosive shooting. Built like a middleweight boxer, he was voted PFA Young Player of the Year in 1978, and went on to win five full England caps. Never truly reaped the rewards in terms of medals that his incredible natural gifts should have brought him, despite playing a key role in the Coventry City team that won the FA Cup in 1987. In the team for his sheer charisma and physical presence. Also, he looks a bit like my Dad and signed a programme for me at the 1995 Coca Cola Cup Final.

CF: Ian Wright
33 appearances; 9 goals

The irrepressible, near-hysterically excitable Arsenal forward had a frustrating England career. Finding it nigh-on impossible to recreate his super-prolific club form in a white shirt. All the same, the fact that he remained an automatic choice for much of his top-flight career reflected his undeniable class, and the quality of his all-round game. Has moved on to forge a successful career in the media, and no international is complete now without footage of Wright punching the air and climbing all over Alan Hansen in the commentary box when England score. In time, it may be that Wright’s greatest contribution to the national team is his son. What odds on him wildly over-celebrating a Shaun Wright-Phillips winner in the 2010.

Over 32 years and all of 58 black faces have appeared for England after Viv Anderson made his début through to the match against Brazil on 14 November 2009, it now seems that colour is no longer a factor when the national squad is selected (even though a England manager, rumoured to be Graham Taylor, once disclosed that he was approached by two senior members of the FA and advised not to select ‘too many’ black players). But I imagine that bookies would give you long odds on there being a black England boss any time in the next 10 years. Les Ferdinand recently spoke out about club chairmen’s seeming reluctance to give black men a chance in management, regardless of their playing pedigree.

Viv Anderson and John Barnes had unhappy spells in the sheepskin and are now pursuing other careers. Carlton Palmer was briefly in the Mansfield hotseat, and Paul Ince is currently manager of Milton Keynes Dons for the second time in his managerial career having managed Blackburn Rovers and Macclesfield Town, nevertheless we are yet to see a black Englishman really make his mark in management. But what’s a glass ceiling if not to be smashed?

Who would be in your best ever Black English XI? Would you favour the skills of David Rocastle in midfield over the grit of ‘Crazy Legs’ Palmer? How about giving Jermaine Defoe the chance to link up with his childhood hero, Ian Wright, up front? Or would you rather just be perverse and give Michael Ricketts a chance to reprise his excruciating one-cap walk-on part in the England story?

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About the Author:

J Hill

Paul

I've always thought him a gormless fool, Cyril. I call him "Bruno" for short. Wouldn't be in my eleven. And, yes, Rosemary, David James is a looker, but he's got some slippery hands, it's said.
Rosemary

Who cares if that guy can or can't play football, look at him!!!!!!
Cyril

It certainly would *not* include Sol Campbell! He's too gaffe prone & clumsy.

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