DEANO - Emotionally Intelligent Legend

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The bloke was my hero at just the right age for me to be influenced.

Puts into perspective how different I could have been if I’d been a few years older - I’m sure the Lane was little different to the rest of the country in terms of giving black players abuse. As it was, hearing Deane, Agana, Francis, et al getting abuse opened my eyes to how wrong it was.

Still a hero now. Top man.
 
There was a pretty good documentary on the BBC I think a couple of years ago about racism in football back in the day, and how these players of his generation really took so much shit to pave the way for others. Hopefully it'll get repeated in tribute.

Edit: here it is, features Cyrille too

 
If you got into football after the early 80’s, you won’t appreciate the utter shit black footballers were subjected to.

Monkey chants and bananas were the order of the day. These days, you’d get a smack in the mouth for such shite.

Football has become too nice, in many ways. Thank fuck we left that rubbish behind though.
 
I remember watching an FA Cup replay from the Pontefract Road end among the Barnsley supporters in 1990 and hearing at first hand the disgusting racial abuse (from monkey noises to foul mouthed chants) to which Deane and Agana were subjected virtually non-stop throughout the game. It was the first time I really could see it from their point of view and it really opened my eyes, I can tell you. To his enormous credit, one home fan was vociferously calling them out for it but to no avail. I’m ashamed to say I lacked the courage to join him. The two lads endured it with great dignity but it was horrible. And, as Deano says, Regis would have had it even worse.

Rest In Peace, Cyrille Regis.
 
as late as '94 at burnley in the fa cup i seem to remember, certain players taking awful abuse from the home fans.
 



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

Great tribute Deano.
 
was reading one yesterday about emile heskey even includes growing up with racism in Leicester when he was younger
 
bornablade said:
I cannot recall racial abuse being directed by Blades fans at the Lane in the 1970's / 80's.

Great tribute Deano.
Click to expand...
I can in 1985, home to Barnsley and Winston Campbell getting monkey noise and bananas thrown onto the pitch from John Street terrace. Don't recall much after that and those from S6 seem to have the worse element and going on quite recent. " I'd rather be a P. than a Blade"
 
bornablade said:
I cannot recall racial abuse being directed by Blades fans at the Lane in the 1970's / 80's.
Click to expand...

I do. I was stood on the kop with my mate and asked him why the fans about us were booing Cunningham.

"Because he's black."

I had no idea, especially as our mates at school were black and one whiff of anything like that and the response was pretty conclusive. They were 'our mates' anyway. We grew up with them and their families.

First time you actually get the measure how much of a cunt-rich-environment football can be.

Never quite got the hilarity of the likes of Jim Davidson and 'Chalky', either. Surprised he made it into a ripe old age to be honest and none of his targets caught up with him. Having met him personally (twice) I can vouch he is a monumental wanker.

pommpey
 
Not watched the clip in this thread but Deano was just interviewed on BBC News at 10 and he was in tears. Dion Dublin was also interviewed and was very emotional. It's clear Regis was a massive inspiration to many younger black men who went on to play professional football. RIP Cyrille Regis
 
bornablade said:
I cannot recall racial abuse being directed by Blades fans at the Lane in the 1970's / 80's.

Great tribute Deano.
Click to expand...

I can, I remember amongst others Noel Blake getting dogs abuse, monkey chants and bananas thrown at him when playing for Pompey against us in c.84, 85. The favourite chant on John Street was ni##er, ni##er lick my boot. It sticks with me to this day.

I have to say that the guys who were being abused were in general amazingly tolerant of the bullshit they had to put up with. I know it was a different time, but it really is a stain on football and society in general how this was allowed to happen, mainly unchallenged. Maybe this explains some of the over zealousness on any language/actions that are interpreted as racist nowadays.

Deano came across really well in the interview and obviously feels that he owes Cyril a lot.

RIP Cyril.
 



Deano is my hero. The fact that he went aboard and had relative succss as a player and a manager shows he's not your average footballer.

The fact he's never had a sniff of a job in England hints at institutional racism in football
 
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