It was a night of celebration, inspiration and reflection as football’s black community came together under one roof on Wednesday - but more importantly, a combined sense of continued purpose.
The Football Black List awards - set up by Leon Mann and Rodney Hinds in 2008 - held its first ceremony post-Covid to honour the work of those breaking down barriers and leading the way for future generations.
From on-field superstars such as Arsenal ’s Bukayo Saka, to pioneers off the field like FA board member Jobi McAnuff, the awards are there to highlight and herald figures blazing a trail for a community which remains under-represented as a whole across the game.
Mirror Football reported on the challenges facing ethnic communities within football back in October, and it’s clear some progress has been made since then and even more significantly since the FBL’s foundation 15 years ago. But despite having plenty to champion, the overriding message is there is plenty of work still to be done.
“It’s incredible to have so many people from football and the black community together after so much time,” co-founder Mann told Mirror Football at the event at Battersea Arts Centre. “To have everyone in the room, there’s a special energy, but we need to use this energy, we need to go somewhere.”
Among those named on the exclusive list of winners is Brentford FC’s Deji Davies, who is currently the only black person on the board of a Premier League club. He said: “I’m proud to be on the board at Brentford but it really highlights an issue in terms of the level of black representation at senior levels. Clearly more needs to be done, I shouldn’t be the only one.
“Part of the result of events like this is shining a light on that and celebrating the contributions of people outside of the pitch and we really need to pick up this mantle and do more and do better in this area.” Davies has more recently been appointed as chair of the FA’s inclusion advisory board (IAB) and is one of those singled out by Mann as an example of progress.
“To have Deji Davies here as a Premier League board member is really special, to see Jobi McAnuff as well who’s an FA board member, these are the sort of things that when we started Football Black List were far, far away,” Mann said. “Obviously Heather Rabbatts broke that, but we need to see a flow of diversity in the corridors of power. A big part of tonight is recognising that.”
Representation still remains the biggest issue. With around 43 per cent of the Premier League’s players coming from the black community, a relatively small number stay in the game post-playing. Indeed, the news of Patrick Vieira’s sacking by Crystal Palace - taking the Premier League’s number of black managers back down to zero - is still fresh on an evening where he is among those praised for their work in the coaching and management sector.
Three-time Premier League winner Yaya Toure - awarded on the night for his outstanding contribution to football - has transitioned into coaching himself, now with Tottenham ’s youth teams, but admits the lack of diversity within coaching is in need of improvement.
“When you see a league where we have about 50 per cent of black players but then managers/coaches are just 1-2 per cent, that’s obvious it’s something we need to think about,” the former Manchester City midfielder said. “We’ve been talking about diversity a lot but now the action needs to be followed. Of course we have to show the desire and work hard to get us through it but at the moment it’s really difficult.”
Former West Ham star Anton Ferdinand feels just having more figures from the black community in those positions would give more confidence to others that they can follow in their footsteps.
“I think it’s very important to recognise the work ethnic minorities are doing in football, but more importantly for young, aspiring people who want to be successful in football are in a room full of people who have been successful,” Ferdinand said. “From my own personal experience of having a brother who was successful, because I was able to see him and speak to him, it gave me the belief that I could do it.
“So in this room today, the next generation of people that are coming up, whatever it is they want to do, on the pitch or off the pitch, it’s inspirational. That goes hand in hand with the celebration of our community and it’s why this event is so powerful.“
Speaking to Davies, it’s evident there are promising discussions and buy-in from the decision-makers behind the scenes to make this happen - in coaching, the boardroom and beyond. “I have actually been pleasantly surprised by how open everyone is as to how we can advance the agenda in a positive way.
"The Football Leadership Diversity Code I’m involved in with the FA, all of the senior stakeholders and leaders in football have committed to doing more and that’s a really important starting point. Now we need to move that towards impact.”
Mann highlights the attendance of Premier League chief executive Richard Masters - as well as senior figures from other elite sports - as a promising step in the right direction, insisting there is a “willingness” to address the levels of representation. “It relies on the clubs to get on board,” he said. “The Premier League are certainly on board and doing as much at they can, but without the clubs it doesn’t work.”
As Mann adds: “Many of the discussions happening are ‘what do we do next?’ We’re having a great time, we’re celebrating our community, but how do we address this issue of 43 per cent black players in the Premier League and such little representation in other areas.
“That’s what an event like this does, pulls people together to try and find solutions.”
