Arthur Wharton

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Arthur Wharton

| image = Arthur Wharton c1896.jpg

| image_size = 240

| fullname =

| birth_date = {{birth date|1865|10|28|df=y}}

| birth_place = Jamestown, Gold Coast

| death_date = {{death date and age|1930|12|13|1865|10|28|df=y}}

| death_place = Edlington, Yorkshire, England

| height =

| position = Goalkeeper, winger

| years1 = 1885–1886

| years2 = 1886–1888

| years3 = 1889–1894

| years4 = 1894–1895

| years5 = 1895–1896

| years6 = 1896–1897

| years7 = 1897–1899

| years8 = 1899–1901

| clubs1 = Darlington

| clubs2 = Preston North End

| clubs3 = Rotherham Town

| clubs4 = Sheffield United

| clubs5 = Rotherham Town

| clubs6 = Stalybridge Rovers

| clubs7 = Ashton North End

| clubs8 = Stalybridge Rovers

| caps1 =

| goals1 =

| caps2 =

| goals2 =

| caps3 = 19

| goals3 = 0

| caps4 = 1

| goals4 = 0

| caps5 = 15

| goals5 = 0

| caps6 =

| goals6 =

| caps7 =

| goals7 =

| caps8 =

| goals8 =

| clubs9 = Stockport County

| years9 = 1901–1902

| goals9 = 0

| caps9 = 6

| totalcaps =

| totalgoals =

}}

Arthur Wharton (28 October 1865 – 12 December 1930) was a British footballer. He is widely considered to be the first black professional footballer in the world.{{cite web | url=http://www.100greatblackbritons.com/bios/arthur_wharton-andrew_watson.html| title=Arthur Wharton | work=100 Great Black Britons }}{{cite book | author=Phil Vasili | title=The First Black Footballer, Arthur Wharton, 1865–1930|publisher=Frank Cass|date=1998| isbn=0-7146-4903-1 }}{{cite web | url=http://www.furd.org/default.asp?intPageID=25 | title=Arthur Wharton | work=Football Unites, Racism Divides | access-date=12 August 2008 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110610135710/http://www.furd.org/default.asp?intPageID=25 | archive-date=10 June 2011 | url-status=dead }} Though not the first black player outright – the amateurs Robert Walker, of Queen's Park, and Scotland international player, Andrew Watson (possibly a professional before Arthur Wharton for Bootle F.C. in 1887), predate him {{Cite web|url=https://www.scotsman.com/regions/fate-scotlands-first-black-footballer-revealed-2479247|title=Fate of Scotland's first black footballer revealed|website=www.scotsman.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/nostalgia/andrew-watson-pioneering-black-footballer-21803623|title=Andrew Watson: The pioneering black footballer who turned pro at Bootle|first=Dominic|last=Moffitt|date=14 October 2021|website=Liverpool Echo}} – Wharton may have been the first black professional and the first to play in the Football League.

Early life, ancestry and early career

Wharton was born in Jamestown, Gold Coast (now part of Accra, Ghana). His father Henry Wharton was a Grenadian missionary of Scottish and West African descent,{{cite web | url=https://dmbi.online/index.php?do=app.entry&id=3846 | title=Wharton, Henry | work=A Dictionary of Methodism in Britain and Ireland}} while his mother, Annie Florence Egyriba was a member of the Fante Ghanaian royalty.{{cite web | url=http://arthurwharton.com/the-early-years.html | title=Arthur Wharton: The Early Years | work=Arthur Wharton Foundation | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150105103850/http://arthurwharton.com/the-early-years.html | archive-date=5 January 2015}} Wharton moved to England in 1882 at age 19, to train as a Methodist missionary, but soon abandoned this in favour of becoming a full-time athlete.

He was an all-round sportsman – in 1886, he equalled the amateur world record of 10 seconds for the 100-yard sprint in the AAA championship. He was also a keen cyclist and cricketer, playing for local teams in Yorkshire and Lancashire. However, Wharton is best remembered for his exploits as a footballer; while he was not the first mixed-heritage footballer in the United Kingdom — leading amateurs Robert Walker and Scotland international Andrew Watson predate him, however Wharton was the first mixed-heritage footballer to turn professional.

Football career

File:Darlington FC Winners of the Cleveland Challenge Cup 1887.jpg

Wharton started as an amateur playing as a goalkeeper for Darlington F.C., where he was spotted by Preston North End after playing against them. He joined them as an amateur, and was part of the team that reached FA Cup semi-finals in 1886–87. During the third round victory against Renton, Wharton's clean sheet was described by Athletic News as "one of the best exhibitions of goalkeeping I have seen for a long time."{{sfn|Vasili|1998|p=63}} Though part of "The Invincibles" of the 1880s,{{cite book |last= Taw |first= Thomas | title= Football's Twelve Apostles: The Making of The League 1886–1889 |publisher=Desert Island Books|year= 2006 |isbn=1-905328-09-5 |pages=17}} he left Preston in 1888 to concentrate on his running, and thus was not part of the team that subsequently won the Double in 1888–89.{{cite web | url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/tyne/roots/2003/10/arthur_wharton.shtml | title=Arthur Wharton: The first Black Footballer | work=BBC }}

In 1888 the Sheffield Football Association agreed to give a testimonial to Sheffield Wednesday's Billy Mosforth, versus Preston North End. The meeting of both clubs in the FA Cup meant that the match was postponed until February, by which point the Olive Grove was snow covered and the match was switched to Bramall Lane. Arthur volunteered for the 'Sheffield Wednesday and District' team but despite both clubs being locked into a draw in the first half Preston ran away with the match, winning 8–1. It was reported that Wednesday's heavy loss was "in great measure owing to the wretched performance of Wharton, who utterly failed to uphold his high reputation as a goalkeeper" and that he "could not have stopped the ball had it been half as big as a balloon".{{cite news|title=Preston North End v. Sheffield Wednesday and District|publisher=Sporting Life|date=29 February 1888|page=3}} It was reported that at times the Wednesday fans applauded every kick Arthur took and one fan angrily asked the Preston team where they had "brought him from" as it was well known that Arthur was a former Preston player. There were even fears that Arthur would be the victim of violence as he left the field.{{cite news|title=Mosforth's Benefit|work=Sheffield Daily Telegraph|date=28 February 1888|page=8}} Arthur did have a connection to Sheffield Wednesday, through his trainer in Sheffield 'Billy' South, who amongst other noted Sheffield sporting icons of the day also trained Wednesday's Tommy Crawshaw.{{cite news|title=Old Sheffield Handicaps|publisher=Star Green 'Un|date=30 November 1912|page=4}}

Having failed to impress at Sheffield Wednesday he returned to football in 1889, joining Rotherham Town, signing as a professional. In 1890 he married Emma Lister (1866–1944) at Rotherham in Yorkshire.[http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/8913/ONS_M18904AZ-0832/17948035?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.uk%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fdb%3dFreeBMDMarriage%26h%3d17948035%26ti%3d5538%26indiv%3dtry%26gss%3dpt%26ssrc%3dpt_t26094080_p12742173009_kpidz0q3d12742173009z0q26pgz0q3d32768z0q26pgplz0q3dpid&ssrc=pt_t26094080_p12742173009_kpidz0q3d12742173009z0q26pgz0q3d32768z0q26pgplz0q3dpid&backlabel=ReturnRecord England & Wales, Free BMD Marriage Index, 1837–1915 for Emma Lister] – Ancestry.com pay to view By 1891 he was the landlord of the Albert Tavern in Rotherham.[http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/6598/WRYRG12_3849_3850-0361/4966214?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.uk%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fdb%3duki1891%26h%3d4966214%26ti%3d5538%26indiv%3dtry%26gss%3dpt%26ssrc%3dpt_t26094080_p12742173009_kpidz0q3d12742173009z0q26pgz0q3d32768z0q26pgplz0q3dpid&ssrc=pt_t26094080_p12742173009_kpidz0q3d12742173009z0q26pgz0q3d32768z0q26pgplz0q3dpid&backlabel=ReturnRecord 1891 England Census for Arthur Wharton] – Ancestry.com pay to view In 1894 he moved to Sheffield United, though he was understudy to regular first-team goalkeeper William "Fatty" Foulke. During the 1894–95 season, Wharton played three games for Sheffield United, against Leicester Fosse, Linfield and Sunderland — the latter being a First Division game, making Wharton the first mixed-heritage player to play in the top flight. In 1895 he left for Stalybridge Rovers but after falling out with the management moved to Ashton North End in 1897, where he opened a tobacconist shop in Ashton-under-Lyne.[http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/7814/LANRG13_3784_3786-0582/23881965?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.uk%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fdb%3duki1901%26h%3d23881965%26ti%3d5538%26indiv%3dtry%26gss%3dpt%26ssrc%3dpt_t26094080_p12742173009_kpidz0q3d12742173009z0q26pgz0q3d32768z0q26pgplz0q3dpid&ssrc=pt_t26094080_p12742173009_kpidz0q3d12742173009z0q26pgz0q3d32768z0q26pgplz0q3dpid&backlabel=ReturnRecord 1901 England Census for Arthur Wharton] – Ancestry.com pay to view Ashton North End went bankrupt in 1899, and he returned to Stalybridge Rovers, playing with a young Herbert Chapman, before seeing out his career playing for Stockport County of the Second Division in 1901–02. As well as playing in goal, he would also occasionally feature outfield as a winger.

Legacy

File:Arthur Wharton later.jpg

Having developed a drinking problem,{{cite news| first= Chris| last= Webber| url= https://www.theguardian.com/football/2009/aug/30/arthur-wharton-pioneer-black-footballer |title= Black football pioneers from Arthur Wharton to Viv Anderson and beyond| work= The Observer| date= 30 August 2009| publisher= | access-date= }} Wharton retired from football in 1902 and found employment as a colliery haulage worker at the Yorkshire Main Colliery in Edlington. By 1911 he was employed as a collier and living in Moorthorpe, West Yorkshire, with wife Emma.{{cite web|last=Thomas |first=Matt |title=Arthur Wharton|url=https://thestoryofsouthelmsall.co.uk/2023/04/01/arthur-wharton/|access-date=15 December 2024|website=thestoryofsouthelmsall.co.uk|date=1 April 2023}} When World War I began in 1914 Wharton joined the Volunteer Training Corps (roughly equivalent to the Home Guard of World War II), volunteering to give his life in defence of Britain if called upon.{{cite web |last=White |first=Mark |title= The extraordinary story of Arthur Wharton, the first black professional footballer|url=https://www.fourfourtwo.com/us/features/the-extraordinary-story-of-arthur-wharton-the-first-black-professional-footballer|access-date=2021-02-23|website=fourfourtwo.com|date=27 October 2020}} On his death in 1930 he was buried in an unmarked pauper's grave. The grave was given a headstone in 1997 after a campaign by anti-racism campaigners Football Unites, Racism Divides. In 2003 Wharton was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame in recognition of the impact he made on the game. A campaign to have a statue erected in Darlington as well as in Rotherham to acknowledge Wharton's achievements has gained wide support within the professional game.{{cite web| url= http://www.arthurwharton.com/index.php| title= Landmarks | publisher= Arthur Wharton Foundation| url-status= unfit| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20140908020654/http://www.arthurwharton.com/index.php |archivedate=8 September 2014 |access-date= }}{{cite news| url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-20878659 |title= Arthur Wharton: Campaign to honour football pioneer| work= bbc.co.uk| publisher= BBC News| date= 7 January 2013| access-date= }} In 2012, a small statue of Wharton was presented to Sepp Blatter at the headquarters of FIFA, where it will be on permanent display.{{cite news |last= Walker |first= Andy |title= FIFA boss touched by Wharton statue presentation| url= http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/9745596.FIFA_boss_touched_by_Wharton_statue_presentation/|newspaper= The Northern Echo |date=6 June 2012|access-date= 7 June 2012}} On 16 October 2014, a statue honouring Wharton was unveiled at St George's Park National Football Centre in Burton.{{cite web|title=Pioneer Arthur Wharton honoured at St. George's Park|url=http://www.thefa.com/news/2014/oct/arthur-wharton-statue-unveiled-at-st-georges-park| work= thefa.com |publisher=The FA}}

In 2020, a mural was unveiled in Darlington on Arthur Wharton's 155th anniversary.{{cite news|url=https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/18828772.mural-launched-arthur-wharton-first-professional-black-football-player/|title=Arthur Wharton mural launched in Darlington after 12 year labour of love |last =Nolan| first=Laura| work=The Northern Echo|date=28 October 2020}}{{cite news |title=Art house: a celebration of football murals – in pictures |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/gallery/2020/nov/17/art-house-celebration-football-murals-in-pictures |access-date=17 July 2021 |work=The Guardian}}

Career statistics

class=wikitable style="text-align:center" ! rowspan="2" \|Club ! rowspan="2" \|Season ! colspan="3" \|League ! colspan="2" \|FA Cup ! colspan="2" \|Other ! colspan="2" \|Total
Division !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals
rowspan="3" \|Preston North End \|1886–87{{Cite book\|last=Vasili\|first=Phil\|title=The First Black Footballer: Arthur Wharton 1865–1930\|publisher=Frank Cass Publishers\|year=1998\|isbn=978-0-7146-4459-2\|pages=63}} \| colspan="3" \|— \|6 \|0 \| colspan="2" \|— \|6 \|0
1887–88{{sfn\|Vasili\|1998\|p=70}} \| colspan="3" \|— \|0 \|0 \| colspan="2" \|— \|0 \|0
colspan="2" \| Total ! colspan="2" \|— !6 !0 ! colspan="2" \|— !6 !0
Darlington \|1887–88{{Cite web\|last=Richards\|first=Keith\|title=1887-1888 F.A. Cup matches\|url=http://www.soccer.mistral.co.uk/abc/1887-88.pdf\|url-status=live\|website=SoccerData\|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220118182745/http://www.soccer.mistral.co.uk/abc/1887-88.pdf \|archive-date=18 January 2022 }} \| colspan="3" \|— \|1 \|0 \| colspan="2" \|— \|1 \|0
Rotherham Town \|1893–94{{Cite web\|title=The English National Football Archive\|url=https://www.enfa.co.uk/\|access-date=2021-02-06\|website=enfa.co.uk}} \|Division Two \| 19 \| 0 \|1 \|0 \| colspan="2" \|— \|20 \|0
Sheffield United \|1894–95{{Cite book\|last=Clarebrough & Kirkham\|title=Sheffield United: The Complete Record\|publisher=The Derby Books Publishing Company Limited\|year=2012\|isbn=978-1-78091-019-2\|pages=278–279}} \|Division One \| 1 \| 0 \|0 \|0 \|1{{efn\|Appearance in United Counties League}} \|0 \|2 \|0
Rotherham Town \|1895–96 \|Division Two \| 15 \| 0 \|5 \|0 \| colspan="2" \|— \|20 \|0
Stockport County \|1901–02{{sfn\|Vasili\|1998\|p=146}} \|Division Two \|6 \|0 \|0 \|0 \|1{{efn\|Appearance in Manchester Senior Cup}} \|0 \|7 \|0
colspan="3" \|Career total !41 !0 !13 !0 !2 !0 !56 !0

class=wikitable style="text-align:center"

! rowspan="2" |Club

! rowspan="2" |Season

! colspan="3" |League

! colspan="2" |FA Cup

! colspan="2" |Other

! colspan="2" |Total

Division

!Apps

!Goals

!Apps

!Goals

!Apps

!Goals

!Apps

!Goals

rowspan="3" |Preston North End

|1886–87{{Cite book|last=Vasili|first=Phil|title=The First Black Footballer: Arthur Wharton 1865–1930|publisher=Frank Cass Publishers|year=1998|isbn=978-0-7146-4459-2|pages=63}}

| colspan="3" |—

| colspan="2" |—

1887–88{{sfn|Vasili|1998|p=70}}

| colspan="3" |—

| colspan="2" |—

colspan="2" | Total

! colspan="2" |—

Darlington

|1887–88{{Cite web|last=Richards|first=Keith|title=1887-1888 F.A. Cup matches|url=http://www.soccer.mistral.co.uk/abc/1887-88.pdf|url-status=live|website=SoccerData|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220118182745/http://www.soccer.mistral.co.uk/abc/1887-88.pdf |archive-date=18 January 2022 }}

| colspan="3" |—

| colspan="2" |—

Rotherham Town

|1893–94{{Cite web|title=The English National Football Archive|url=https://www.enfa.co.uk/|access-date=2021-02-06|website=enfa.co.uk}}

|Division Two

| 19

| 0

| colspan="2" |—

|20

Sheffield United

|1894–95{{Cite book|last=Clarebrough & Kirkham|title=Sheffield United: The Complete Record|publisher=The Derby Books Publishing Company Limited|year=2012|isbn=978-1-78091-019-2|pages=278–279}}

|Division One

| 1

| 0

|1{{efn|Appearance in United Counties League}}

Rotherham Town

|1895–96

|Division Two

| 15

| 0

| colspan="2" |—

|20

Stockport County

|1901–02{{sfn|Vasili|1998|p=146}}

|Division Two

|1{{efn|Appearance in Manchester Senior Cup}}

colspan="3" |Career total

!41

!13

!56

References

External links

[http://www.vasili.co.uk The History of Black Footballers]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20110610135710/http://www.furd.org/default.asp?intPageID=25 Football Unites Racism Divides profile]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20051221130515/http://www.nationalfootballmuseum.com/Hall%20of%20Fame/arthurwharton.htm English Football Hall of Fame profile]
[http://www.spartacus-educational.com/SLAwhartonA.htm Article on Spartacus Educational]

Category:1865 births

Category:1930 deaths

Category:English men's footballers

Category:Men's association football goalkeepers

Category:Darlington F.C. players

Category:Preston North End F.C. players

Category:Rotherham Town F.C. (1878) players

Category:Sheffield United F.C. players

Category:Stalybridge Rovers F.C. players

Category:Stockport County F.C. players

Category:English people of Ghanaian descent

Category:Sportspeople of Ghanaian descent