British Asians in association football
{{short description|none}}
{{EngvarB|date=April 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2024}}
British Asians in association football include British citizens with heritage or joint nationality of any Asian country; there is a long history of British Asian football players in England particularly, dating back to the Victorian era, albeit in low numbers. In modern times the proportionately low number of British Asians in association football has received significant media attention, and has seen some clubs announce plans to explicitly target young British Asian players.{{cite web|url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/gordon-parks-asian-stars-footballs-4178523|title=Asian stars are football's missing men|author=Gordon Parks|work=Daily Record|date=7 September 2014|accessdate=16 October 2018}}{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/football-they-think-theyve-no-chance-before-even-kicking-a-ball-1291479.html|title=Football: They think they've no chance before even kicking a ball|work=The Independent|author=Olivia Blair|date=1 November 1997|accessdate=16 October 2018}} Prominent British Asian players have included Frank Soo, Neil Taylor, Zesh Rehman, Jimmy Carter and Michael Chopra.
In October 2017 the BBC reported that out of 3,000 professional footballers in England, only 10 were British Asian.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/av/uk-england-birmingham-41428071/son-challenges-dad-why-couldn-t-i-go-to-man-utd-trial|title=Son challenges dad: Why couldn't I go to Man Utd trial?|date=2 October 2017|website=BBC News}} In 2019, academic Daniel Kilvington suggested a figure of 10 British Asians out of a total of 4,000 professional players in the English game.{{cite journal|title=Two decades and little change: British Asians, football and calls for action|first=Daniel|last=Kilvington|journal=Soccer & Society|volume=20|issue=4|pages=584–601|doi=10.1080/14660970.2017.1366902|year=2019|s2cid=148687225|url=http://eprints.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/4124/7/Two%20decades%20a%20little%20changeAM_KILVINGTON.pdf}} By contrast, at the time of the 2011 census around 7.5% of the population of England was of Asian descent – a ratio of footballers mirroring this would be 300 out of the 4,000.
History
=Players=
==Early players==
The earliest documented British Asian players were the Cother brothers who appeared for Watford in the late 1890s, their father was an Indian man from Mumbai. Later in the 20th century the British Chinese players Frank Soo and Sammy Chung had prominent careers. Soo became the first ethnic minority player to represent England, albeit in Victory International matches that were not included on full senior records; he went on to have a long coaching career, particularly in Sweden where he won the Allsvenskan with Djurgårdens IF in 1955.{{cite news |last1=White |first1=Jonathan |title=Frank Soo Street hopes to put England's pioneering Asian footballer on the map |url=https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/2177631/frank-soo-street-hopes-put-englands-pioneering-asian-footballer-map |access-date=2 August 2022 |work=South China Morning Post |date=13 December 2018 |language=en}} Chung played over 200 league matches for Watford and went on to manage Wolverhampton Wanderers in the 1970s and Doncaster Rovers in the 1990s.{{cite web |title=Where Are They Now? A look at Wolves' UEFA Cup finalists 1971/72 |url=https://www.theleaguepaper.com/latest-news/football-league-championship/2593/where-are-they-now-a-look-at-wolves-uefa-cup-finalists-7172/ |website=Football League Paper |accessdate=2 August 2022}}
Roger Verdi, of Indian origin, decided to change his name because of racism, and had to move to the United States to start a professional career in 1972.{{cite web|url=http://www.indianfootball.com/features/interview/interview50.html|title=Interview with Roger Verdi|accessdate=21 October 2009|date=June 2007|author=Harmit Singh Kamboe|publisher=IndianFootball.com}}{{cite web|url=http://www.indianexpress.com/oldStory/30606/|title=He played against Pele, Best, Banks, now he wants to coach here|accessdate=21 October 2009|author=Shamya Dasgupta|publisher=IndianExpress.com}}
==Premier League==
Robert Rosario became the first British Asian to play in the Premier League, when he started for Coventry City against Middlesbrough on 15 August 1992.{{Cite web|url=https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/13135501/i-wanted-to-be-white-and-english-the-story-of-robert-rosario-the-premier-leagues-first-south-asian-player160 |title='I wanted to be white and English' - the story of Robert Rosario: the Premier League's first South Asian player |last=Walker-Khan |first=Miriam |website=Sky Sports |date=17 May 2024}} Jimmy Carter, who had played in the Premiership in 1991, also had Indian heritage and became the second British Asian to play in that league, when he played against Blackburn Rovers three days later on 18 August 1992. However he did not disclose his heritage,{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55536025|title=Nobody knew he was the Premier League’s first British Asian|via=www.bbc.co.uk}} and until he did so, Zesh Rehman, of Pakistani origin, and Michael Chopra of Indian origin, were both claimed to be the first British Asians to play in the Premiership, in 2003 and 2004, respectively.{{cite magazine|url=http://www.people.co.uk/sport/jsp/tm_headline=the-premiership-s-first-asian-star-zesh-rehman&method=full&objectid=21361784&siteid=93463-name_page.html|title=The Premiership's first asian star: Zesh Rehman|accessdate=21 October 2009|date=17 May 2009|magazine=The People}}{{cite web |title=Michael Chopra |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/michael-chopra/story-0xvdu6e0MAFWEBnaYvUqFK.html |website=Hindustan Times |access-date=2 August 2022}} Rehman later launched his own Foundation in May 2010, with the intention of helping young British Asians in football.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/b/bradford_city/8607007.stm|title=Rehman targets helping British Asians into football|accessdate=28 May 2010|date=7 April 2010|author=Nikesh Rughani|work=BBC Sport}}{{cite news|url=http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sport/sportbcfc/10585538.Zesh_Rehman_leading_push_for_change/|title=Zesh Rehman leading push for change|date=1 August 2013|newspaper=Telegraph & Argus}}
==Modern club football==
A Commission for Racial Equality survey in 2004 found only seven professional British Asian footballers playing in the UK; the same survey also found only ten British Asian players at Premier League academies.{{cite web|url=http://www.kickitout.org/228.php|title=Asians in Football news|accessdate=21 October 2009|publisher=Let's Kick Racism Out of Football|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100217054620/http://www.kickitout.org/228.php|archive-date=17 February 2010|url-status=dead}} By February 2008 the number of professionals had dropped to just five, and less than 1 in 100 of young players in Academies throughout the entire English football league system were Asian.{{cite news|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/article3341861.ece|title=Why are there no Asian football stars?|accessdate=21 October 2009|date=10 February 2008|newspaper=The Times | location=London | first=Jonathan | last=Northcroft}}{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} Current professionals, such as Adnan Ahmed, have publicly spoken out about the lack of fellow Asians in the sport.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/mansfield_town/7741329.stm|title=Ahmed wants rise in Asian players|accessdate=21 October 2009|date=21 November 2008|work=BBC Sport}}
Anwar Uddin, of Bangladeshi origin, was the first British Asian to captain a side in any of the top four divisions of English League football.{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/2318501/Anwar-Uddin-to-lead-Dagenham-and-Redbridge.html|title=Anwar Uddin to lead Dagenham and Redbridge|accessdate=21 October 2009|date=8 August 2007|author=Patrick Nathanson|newspaper=The Telegraph | location=London}}
In October 2013 the Football Association announced plans to encourage an increase in British Asian players and coaches.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/24593671|title=British Asians in football: FA steps up recruitment drive|date=29 October 2013|accessdate=27 March 2014|author=Mandeep Sanghera|work=BBC Sport}}{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/24532778|title=Is English football set for an Asian breakthrough?|date=29 October 2013|accessdate=27 March 2014|author=Mandeep Sanghera|work=BBC Sport}}
In December 2015, Yan Dhanda, of Indian heritage, signed a two-and-a-half-year deal with Liverpool.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/35132933|title=Liverpool sign Yan Dhanda on professional deal|date=18 December 2015|accessdate=18 December 2015|author=Mandeep Sanghera|work=BBC Sport}}
Easah Suliman, of Pakistani descent, became the first player of Asian heritage to captain an England football side, having done so at Under-16, Under-17 and Under-19 levels,{{cite web |date=18 November 2015 |title=Aston Villa's Easah Suliman hopes to set standard for England's Asian footballers, Ed Aarons |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2015/nov/18/aston-villa-easah-suliman-england-asian-footballers |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160806141453/https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2015/nov/18/aston-villa-easah-suliman-england-asian-footballers |archive-date=6 August 2016 |access-date=4 August 2016 |website=The Guardian}} Suliman played every game at centre back in the England Under-19s victorious UEFA European Under-19 Championship campaign in July 2017, scoring the opening goal in England's 2–1 final victory over Portugal.{{cite web |title=Under-19 2017: Portugal-England |url=https://www.uefa.com/under19/match/2022852--portugal-vs-england/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180607190648/http://www.uefa.com/under19/season=2017/matches/round=2000774/match=2022852/index.html |archive-date=7 June 2018 |access-date=28 July 2017 |website=UEFA}}
On 28 November 2017, Hamza Choudhury made his Premier League debut for Leicester coming on as substitute in the 83rd minute of a home win against Tottenham Hotspur. He is the first player of Bangladeshi descent to have played in the Premier League, as well as the only Bangladeshi to currently play in the Premier League.{{cite news |title=Premier League: Leicester City vs Tottenham Hotspur – 2:1 |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/42061046 |date=28 November 2017}}
In February 2019, Adil Nabi said that he wanted to be an inspiration to other British Asian footballers, in the same way that Cyrille Regis and Laurie Cunningham had done for black players.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/47006218|title=Adil Nabi: Ex-West Brom midfielder on playing with Roberto Carlos, Greece & inspiring youngsters|date=4 February 2019|publisher=|via=www.bbc.co.uk}}
In October 2019 there were "just 12 players of South Asian heritage across the Premier League and the English Football League".{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/50063299|title=British Asians in football: What happened to Football Association strategy?|date=31 October 2019|via=www.bbc.co.uk}}
On 29 October 2020, Hamza Choudhury scored a 39th-minute volley against AEK Athens in the UEFA Europa League, becoming the first British Asian footballer to score in the Europa League.{{Cite web|url=https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/match/2029729--aek-vs-leicester/|title=AEK-Leicester Match Report?|date=29 October 2020|via=www.uefa.com}}
In December 2021, Shadab Iftikhar became the first British Asian to be a senior manager in Scotland when he took charge of Fort William.{{Cite web|url=https://www.skysports.com/football/news/36621/12483148/shadab-iftikhar-joins-fort-william-to-become-scotlands-first-senior-manager-of-south-asian-heritage|title=Shadab Iftikhar joins Fort William to become Scotland's first senior manager of South Asian heritage|website=Sky Sports}}
On 8 December 2021, Zidane Iqbal came on as an 89th-minute substitute in Manchester United's final UEFA Champions League group stage match against BSC Young Boys to become the first ever British Asian footballer to play in a Champions League finals match, being of Pakistani and Iraqi descent.{{cite web|url=https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11667/12489941/manchester-united-zidane-iqbal-becomes-first-british-south-asian-in-clubs-history-after-champions-league-appearance|title=Zidane Iqbal becomes first British South Asian to play in the UEFA Champions League|website=skysports.com}}
In June 2022, Mal Benning spoke out about being a role model for South Asian players.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-61651524|title=Mal Benning: 'We need more South Asian role models in football'|date=1 June 2022|via=www.bbc.co.uk}}
On 1 November 2023, Elkan Baggott scored his first goal for the Blues against Fulham in a 1–3 defeat in the fourth round of the EFL Cup, making him the first Indonesian to score a goal in the competition.{{Cite web |date=1 November 2023 |title=Gol Elkan Baggott Tak Mampu Selamatkan Ipswich Town {{!}} Goal.com Indonesia |url=https://www.goal.com/id/berita/gol-elkan-baggott-tak-mampu-selamatkan-ipswich-town/bltee2611c121587285 |access-date=10 May 2024 |website=www.goal.com |language=id}}
In November 2023 it was announced that the number of South Asian professional players in English football had risen for a second year in a row.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/67504440|title=South Asian pro player numbers rise again - PFA|via=www.bbc.co.uk}} In March 2023 they made up 0.45% of the 5,000 professional players.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-64894407|title='We need to see a lot more South Asian players' says Stevenage youngster|date=10 March 2023|via=www.bbc.co.uk}}
==International football==
Correct as of 2022, Paul Wilson, Ricky Hill and Neil Taylor are the only three British Asian men's footballers to have won full senior international caps for one of the home nations. Wilson was the first British South Asian to represent any of the home nations when he made his senior international debut for Scotland in his only appearance in 1975.{{Cite web |url=https://the18.com/soccer-entertainment/paul-wilson-celtic-scotland-national-team |title="Remembering Paul Wilson: The Only Non-White Player To Represent Scotland In The 20th Century" the18.com 28 December 2017 |access-date=9 February 2020 |archive-date=30 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220630201845/https://the18.com/soccer-entertainment/paul-wilson-celtic-scotland-national-team |url-status=live }}{{cite news|url=http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/spfl/interview-paul-wilson-on-stein-celtic-and-racial-abuse-in-the-1970s-1-1901659|title=Interview: Paul Wilson on Stein, Celtic and racial abuse in the 1970s|first=Andrew|last=Smith|work=The Scotsman|date=10 October 2011|accessdate=31 July 2014|archive-date=8 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140808034618/http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/spfl/interview-paul-wilson-on-stein-celtic-and-racial-abuse-in-the-1970s-1-1901659}} Hill was the first British South Asian to represent England at the senior level,{{Cite web |title=England Match No. 570 - Denmark - 22 September 1982 - Match Summary and Report |url=http://www.englandfootballonline.com/Seas1980-90/1982-83/M0570Den1982.html |access-date=4 September 2022 |website=Englandfootballonline.com}} making 3 appearances for England between his debut in 1982 and his last match in 1986.{{Cite book |last2=Durham |first2=Adrian |last1=Hill |first1=Ricky Anthony |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1201655692 |title=Love of the game : the man who brought the Rooney Rule to the UK |date=2021 |isbn=978-1-78531-826-9 |location=London |oclc=1201655692}} Taylor made 43 appearances for Wales between his debut in 2010 and last match in 2019. He also represented Great Britain at the 2012 Summer Olympics.{{Cite web|url=http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/swanseas-neil-taylor-only-asian-6827657|title=Why is Swansea's Neil Taylor the only British Asian in the Premier League?|first=Tusdiq|last=Din|date=13 November 2015|website=mirror}}
In 2023, Safia Middleton-Patel made her senior international debut for Wales, becoming the first women's footballer to be capped for one of the home nations.{{Cite web|url=https://nation.cymru/sport/major-documentary-series-on-wales-black-and-asian-footballers-released/|title=Major documentary series on Wales’ Black and Asian footballers released|date=17 July 2023|website=nation.cymru}}{{Cite news |title='Happy tears' for debutant keeper Middleton-Patel |work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/av/football/64658493}}
Frank Soo, of Chinese heritage, played for the England wartime team and remains the only player of East Asian heritage to do so.{{cite web|url=http://bygonederbyshire.co.uk/articles/Soo,_Frank_-_Derbyshire%27s_Famous_%27Chinaman%27|title=FRANK SOO – DERBYSHIRE'S FAMOUS CHINAMAN|accessdate=21 October 2009|publisher=Bygone Derbyshire|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081204163431/http://bygonederbyshire.co.uk/articles/Soo%2C_Frank_-_Derbyshire%27s_Famous_%27Chinaman%27|archive-date=4 December 2008|url-status=dead}}
In August 2007, trials were organised by the Pakistan Football Federation in Rotherham, South Yorkshire for British Pakistanis players to attend a training camp with the Pakistan national team.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/6926463.stm|title=Bend it like Beckham in Rotherham|accessdate=21 October 2009|date=1 August 2007|author=Pramod Morjaria|work=BBC News}}
=Clubs=
There are a number of Asian-specific football teams such as London APSA, Sporting Khalsa and Sporting Bengal United, who became the first Asian clubs to play in the FA Cup in 2005.
In October 2007, clubs in the Football League began out-reach programmes into Asian communities to attract new fans.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7065780.stm|title=Football clubs reaching out to Asians|accessdate=21 October 2009|date=28 October 2007|author=Niki Cardwell|work=BBC News}}
In March 2009, Premier League club Chelsea announced plans to target young players from Asian communities.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/7914439.stm|title=Chelsea plot Asian talent trawl|accessdate=21 October 2009|date=26 March 2009|work=BBC Sport}} Two players found on the trial later signed with Southend United and Leyton Orient, and in May 2010 Chelsea launched a second initiative, with the aim to find six young British Asian players.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/c/chelsea/8709309.stm|title=Chelsea continue search for an Asian football star|accessdate=28 May 2010|date=27 May 2010|work=BBC Sport}}
=Fans=
In December 1999, a Scottish Asian football fan publicly spoke out about the racism he had encountered at Rangers.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/565230.stm|title=Fan's fear over 'racism at Rangers'|accessdate=21 October 2009|date=14 December 1999|work=BBC News}}
Research compiled by the Premier League in March 2009 concluded that more British Asians were attending games than ever before.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/7912357.stm|title=Have Asians embraced the beautiful game?|accessdate=21 October 2009|author=Sukhi Hayer|work=BBC Sport | date=2 March 2009}} However, research in 2013 by the BBC found that only 1% of fans of teams in the North West of England are Asian, despite making up 20% of the population of some areas.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-21893570|title=Why Asian fans shun clubs like Oldham and Burnley|date=23 March 2013|author=Rahila Bano|work=BBC News}}
Bradford City has a British Asian fan group called the 'Baji Bantams', who have won awards for their work in the community.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/24316253.south-asian-heritage-award-given-bradford-city-fan-group/|title=Bradford City fan group celebrated for contribution to South Asian heritage|date=14 May 2024|website=Bradford Telegraph and Argus}}
=Officials=
Jarnail Singh, who is of Indian descent, has been described as a "trailblazer" for Asian referees.{{cite web|url=http://www.asianfootballnetwork.org.uk/case-studies/asian-football-coaches/4/|title=Refereeing|accessdate=21 October 2009|publisher=Asian Football Network|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20091210170534/http://www.asianfootballnetwork.org.uk/case-studies/asian-football-coaches/4/|archivedate=10 December 2009}}
In January 2023, Bhupinder Singh Gill became the first Sikh-Punjabi to serve as a Premier League assistant referee.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-64187378|title=Premier League: Assistant ref Bhupinder Singh Gill on making history|date=6 January 2023|via=www.bbc.co.uk}} In March 2024 his brother Sunny Singh Gill became the first British South Asian referee in the Premier League.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/68479151|title=Dad's pride as son makes British South Asian ref history|via=www.bbc.co.uk}} Their father Jarnail Singh had been a referee in the English Football League from 2004 to 2010.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/53347268|title='If I can handle prisoners, I can handle 22 footballers' - the Asian officials aiming for the top|via=www.bbc.co.uk}}
=The Asian Football Awards=
Launched to recognise the outstanding contribution to both the professional game and grass roots initiatives by individuals and groups across the UK with South Asian heritage, the awards focus on the positive efforts made in the football industry.{{cite web|url=http://www.asianfootballawards.com/|title=Asian Football Awards 2017|website=Asian Football Awards 2017}}
=Organisations=
The Football Association has held meetings on the matter of British Asians in association football,{{cite web|url=http://www.thefa.com/TheFA/WhatWeDo/Equality/RacialEquality/News/2011/asian-participation-110711|title=Increasing Asian participation in football|date=11 July 2011|publisher=The Football Association}} and they launched a campaign in 2013 to increase British Asians in football,{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/24593671|title=British Asians in football: FA steps up recruitment drive|date=29 October 2013|via=www.bbc.co.uk}} though in March 2014 it announced plans to increase the number of British Asians in football would be delayed.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/26423457|title=British Asians plan delayed by FA as it seeks further talks|author=Mandeep Sanghera|date=4 March 2014|accessdate=4 March 2014|work=BBC Sport}} FA chairman Greg Dyke admitted in December 2014 that attempts to increase Asian participation in the sport had failed.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/30534439|title=FA chairman Greg Dyke: More Asians needed in football|date=18 December 2014|accessdate=18 December 2014|work=BBC Sport}}
In January 2012 the inaugural Asian Football Awards were held.{{cite news|url=http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sport/sportbcfc/9476433.Former_Bantam_in_running_for_top_Asian_award/|title=Former Bantam in running for top Asian award|accessdate=17 January 2012|date=17 January 2012|author=Simon Parker|newspaper=Telegraph & Argus}}
=Racism=
{{main|Racism in association football}}
In April 2019 British Asian footballers spoke out about the racist abuse they had encountered.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/47968008|title=Asian footballers call out 'systemic racism' in grassroots football|date=24 April 2019|publisher=|via=www.bbc.co.uk}} In August 2019 Yan Dhanda said that the racism he has encountered as a British Asian footballer inspires him to play his best.{{Cite web|url=https://news.sky.com/story/british-asian-footballer-yan-dhanda-racist-abuse-drives-me-on-even-more-11794861|title=British Asian footballer Yan Dhanda: Racist abuse drives me on even more|website=Sky News}}
In March 2024, British Asian football fans spoke out about the racism they experience on social media.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-68085784|title=Online hate: South Asian fans on facing 'firing squad of racist abuse'|date=1 March 2024|via=www.bbc.co.uk}}
List of British Asian footballers
{{more citations needed section|date=August 2016}}
The following is a list of notable British Asian footballers – those who have participated at professional or international level – organised by ethnic heritage.
In popular culture
The 2002 film Bend It Like Beckham deals with issues relating to British Asians in football.
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.asianfootballawards.co.uk/ Asian Football Awards]
- [http://www.asianfootballnetwork.org.uk/ Asian Football Network]
{{DEFAULTSORT:British Asians in association football}}
Category:Football in the United Kingdom
Category:Association football player non-biographical articles