EDUCATOR. HISTORIAN. CONSULTANT.
Brendon - Paul - Raphael - Christopher - Vivian - David - Gus - Michael - Kevin - Kwame - Andrew
The First11
Arsenal
The Black Soccer Academic - 1607
Brendon Martin Batson was born in Grenada to Trinidadian parents. He came to England at the age of 9 and started training with Arsenal as a 13 year-old.
Aged 19, he made his iconic debut for the Gunners against Newcastle in March 1972, becoming Arsenal’s first Black footballer.
In 1974 after 10 first team appearances, he moved to Cambridge United where he became the U’s captain.
Paul Vincent Davis was born in London to Jamaican parents. He joined Arsenal as a schoolboy and progressed through the youth team to sign professional forms in June 1979.
His senior debut came in April 1980 as an 18 year-old. He was selected by Terry Neill to start in a North London derby, where the Gunners won 2-1 at White Hart Lane. The left-footed midfielder made 447 appearances across 17 years and is a Highbury legend.
Raphael Joseph Meade was born in Islington and is of Montserratian descent. He was a prolific goal scorer in the reserve team and made his senior debut at 18 in September 1981.
In the Gunners UEFA Cup win against Panathanaikos, he scored with an overhead kick one minute after being subbed on. He went onto make 51 club appearances and scored a hat-trick at Highbury in a 3-1 win against Watford in 1983.
The Black Soccer Academic - 1607
Christopher Anderson Whyte was born in Islington and came through the Arsenal youth system. He made his senior debut at Highbury in September 1981, in the Gunners Uefa Cup 2nd leg win against Panathanaikos.
His league debut came in October, also at Highbury in a 1-0 win against Manchester City. The central defender made 113 club appearances and scored 8 goals before moving to America.
Vivian Alexander Anderson was born in Nottingham to Jamaican parents. Signed by Arsenal in 1984, he arrived from Nottingham Forest as a 2-time European Cup Winner.
His Gunners debut came at Highbury in August 1984 against Chelsea, and he went onto make 150 appearances. He helped the Gunners win the 1987 League Cup, and won 30 caps after becoming England’s first Black senior international.
David Carlyle Rocastle was born in Lewisham and joined Arsenal as a youth in 1982. Of Trinidadian descent, he was a multitalented midfielder and a scorer of goals.
He made his Arsenal debut in September 1985 and went onto make 277 club appearances.
He left Arsenal in 1992 as a 2-time Division 1 title winner and League winner. Loved by the Arsenal family, the club’s indoor training centre was named in his honour after his passing in 2001.
Gus Cassius Caesar was born in North London and came through the Arsenal youth system. He was a defender who could play centrally or as a full-back.
Despite suffering a broken ankle three times in his early career, he played 51 times for Arsenal.
Aged 19, he made his debut in December 1985 in the Gunners 1-0 win at Old Trafford. He spent 7 years as professional at Highbury and was capped for England at under 21’s level.
The Black Soccer Academic - 1607
Michael Lauriston Thomas made his Arsenal debut on Valentine’s Day in 1987. The central midfielder was 19 when he started for the Gunners against Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough.
In the following season he was awarded the club’s Player of the Season award. He followed this up in the 1988-89 season by scoring the goal that won Arsenal the league title at Anfield. He left in 1991 as a 2-time Division 1 winner and was capped twice by England at senior level.
Kevin Campbell was born in Lambeth to Jamaican parents. He signed schoolboy forms in 1985 and his senior debut came as an 18 year-old.
In the final match of the 87-88 season, he replaced Martin Haynes in the Gunners 2-1 win at Goodison Park and went onto make 228 appearances.
He scored in Arsenal’s very first Premier League match. He left the club in 1995 having contributed to the 1991 league title, FA and League Cup wins and the 1994 European Cup Winners Cup.
Patrick Kwame Ampadu was born in Bradford but initially played football in Ireland. A son of Irish and Ghanaian parents, his family had moved to Dublin during his early years.
His senior debut came in March 1990 against Derby County. He replaced Kevin Campbell at half-time in a 3-1 win at the Baseball Ground. He made one more appearance before signing for West Bromwich Albion a year later.
Andrew Alexander Cole was born in Nottingham to Jamaican parents. He arrived at Arsenal in 1988 as a 16 year-old via Lilleshall (the FA’s School of Excellence).
He made his senior debut at Highbury in December 1990. He was a substitute in a 4-1 win over Sheffield United and it was his sole appearance for the Gunners.
He went onto win 15 England caps and numerous accolades as an elite Premier League striker.