DEANO - Emotionally Intelligent Legend

[Stanthemanfan]

I remember watching the Blades play Manchester City in 1984. At the time City had a black goalkeeper called Alex Williams. He was well known in the game. Black footballers were still comparatively rare, black goalkeepers were virtually non-existent.

As he took his place in the goal in front of the Kop he was met with a barrage of bananas.

I remember in the early mid eighties a few ooooh oooh chants at black players as I stood on the white wall and the blokes behind me saying "don't worry son, their not racist, there just trying to put em off"

 

[Stanthemanfan]

I never saw Trenton wiggan play, just out of interest, who was the next black player we had after him?

 

[Nicolaus_Copernicus]

I never saw Trenton wiggan play, just out of interest, who was the next black player we had after him?

Richard Cadette signed from Southend in '87, then he left for Brentford when we got relegated. Then Dave Bassett brought Francis Joseph, John Francis, Brian Deane & Tony Agana to the club in '88.

 

[Stanthemanfan]

Richard Cadette signed from Southend in '87, then he left for Brentford when we got relegated. Then Dave Bassett brought Francis Joseph, John Francis, Brian Deane & Tony Agana to the club in '88.

I was thinking Richard cadette, he went much kop was he? Lol

 

[Nicolaus_Copernicus]

I can't remember him being that bad tbh, we had worse on our books at the time. On paper he looked a good buy. I think he was young & had been the stand out striker the season before in the league below.

I think we were generally crap that year if memory serves me correct. McEwan started off as maanger and Bassett ended it. Morris' last season with us, possibly Wilder's first. We lacked quality and I think it was the season we loaned Peter Withe to Birmingham and he scored against us, and that result basically saved them and condemned us to the play offs. I'm sure someone else will confirm.

 

[Silent Blade]

I never saw Trenton wiggan play, just out of interest, who was the next black player we had after him?

We had Ian Benjamin before Wiggan, before we had Benjamin we had George Oghani but he didnt play in the 1st team

 

[Nade]

I'm loving those likes, lads. Keep it up.

 

[ChipButtyBlade]

He had glandular fever once upon a time.

 

[Nicolaus_Copernicus]

Richard Cadette signed from Southend in '87, then he left for Brentford when we got relegated. Then Dave Bassett brought Francis Joseph, John Francis, Brian Deane & Tony Agana to the club in '88.

and Cliff Powell. He's just come to me. Figuratively not literary.

 

[JohnDenver]

Richard Cadette signed from Southend in '87, then he left for Brentford when we got relegated. Then Dave Bassett brought Francis Joseph, John Francis, Brian Deane & Tony Agana to the club in '88.

Blimey. I starting watching in 1988 which means I was the very first generation of fans for whom seeing black Blades was the complete norm. It never even registered as being a thing.

 

[diplomat]

I remember watching the Blades play Manchester City in 1984. At the time City had a black goalkeeper called Alex Williams. He was well known in the game. Black footballers were still comparatively rare, black goalkeepers were virtually non-existent.

As he took his place in the goal in front of the Kop he was met with a barrage of bananas.

That guy deserves an awful lot of praise. Being a keeper meant he was closer to the abuse and couldn’t move away from it. I don’t think I’d continue for long if that was accepted as the norm. There was probably a reasonable number among his own fans that would jump on the slightest mistake and criticise too.

 

[Bartleby]

Given the subject of the video might I say what an utterly crass comment.

totally agree, thought it seemed bizarre in the context of that video to pick that out to comment on.

 

[Bartleby]

I cannot recall racial abuse being directed by Blades fans at the Lane in the 1970's / 80's.

Great tribute Deano.

I can, but on a positive note it'd never happen now, so it shows how we have progressed in this country compared to some places not so far away where it still occurs, eg Spain and eastern Europe.

 

[BerksBlade]

I never saw Trenton wiggan play, just out of interest, who was the next black player we had after him?

Derek Richardson?

 

[Silent Blade]

Derek Richardson?

Wiggan played pre-season in 1979-80 but didnt play a competitive match before Richardson's debut for us (2-0 v Southend in December 1979). Wiggans last appearance for us was in 1981-82. After him was Richard Cadette in summer 1987. Hadnt realised that we didnt have a black player in the 1st team for 5 years till I checked tonight. Just checked Clive Mendonca's wiki, his uncle was a West Indian cricketer.

 

[Jehovah]

I cannot recall racial abuse being directed by Blades fans at the Lane in the 1970's / 80's.

Great tribute Deano.

Really? I've heard racial abuse in 2017. Not by many, but its still there.

 

[Danny_Boy]

Really? I've heard racial abuse in 2017. Not by many, but its still there.

Definitely is, racism is still there, just the idiots know it’s no longer acceptable for most of us so they say things quietly amongst likeminded idiots and it’s not just the older generation either.

A lot of the racists have moved onto other races now. They don’t like Asians or Arabs.

 

[BerksBlade]

Wiggan played pre-season in 1979-80 but didnt play a competitive match before Richardson's debut for us (2-0 v Southend in December 1979). Wiggans last appearance for us was in 1981-82. After him was Richard Cadette in summer 1987. Hadnt realised that we didnt have a black player in the 1st team for 5 years till I checked tonight. Just checked Clive Mendonca's wiki, his uncle was a West Indian cricketer.

Club stats show Wiggan making his debut in the LC in August 1979 (although technically he wasn't signed as a pro at that time).

 

[Silent Blade]

Club stats show Wiggan making his debut in the LC in August 1979 (although technically he wasn't signed as a pro at that time).

Yes the League Cup match was before the League season started

 

[Nicolaus_Copernicus]

 

[Silent Blade]

Before the kick off of our 1-0 win against Barnsley in February 1988. Agana scoring in the last minute after a flick on from Cadette

 

[Nicolaus_Copernicus]

His debut?

 

[Silent Blade]

His debut?

Yes

 

[Dnblade]

Thinking back to the late 70's early 80's,it was bad for the abuse these players got.
Unfortunately i can remember stood on the Kop and Trenton Wiggan getting the monkey chants ...Most of it was ignorance...people thought it was a laugh more than racism.
I had black mates so never joined in,but remember thinking it didn't feel right...also thought most of the Black players who broke through were usually decent players.
Good interview that with Deano.