Ces Podd

{{Short description|Saint Kitts and Nevis footballer (born 1952)}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Ces Podd

| image =

| fullname = Cyril Casey Marcel Podd{{Hugman|15857|accessdate=2 May 2020}}

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1952|8|7|df=y}}

| birth_place = Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis

| height = {{height|feet=5|inches=10}}{{cite book|last=Dunk |first=Peter |title=Rothmans Football Yearbook 1987–88 |page=316 |publisher=Queen Anne Press |date=20 August 1987 |url=https://archive.org/details/rothmansfootball00lond/page/316/ |isbn=978-0-3561435-4-5 |accessdate=2 May 2020}}

| position = Right-back

| currentclub =

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 = Bradford City

| years1 = 1970–1984

| clubs1 = Bradford City

| caps1 = 502

| goals1 = 3

| years2 = 1984–1986

| clubs2 = Halifax Town

| caps2 = 57

| goals2 = 0

| years3 = 1986–1988

| clubs3 = Scarborough

| caps3 =

| goals3 =

| years4 = 1988

| clubs4 = Ossett Town

| caps4 =

| goals4 =

| nationalyears1 =

| nationalteam1 = Saint Kitts and Nevis

| nationalcaps1 =

| nationalgoals1 =

| manageryears1 = 1999–2002

| managerclubs1 = Saint Kitts and Nevis

}}

Cyril Casey Marcel Podd (born 7 August 1952) is a former professional footballer who played as a right-back. An international for Saint Kitts and Nevis he spent his professional career in England. He was one of the first black players to establish themselves in English football.{{cite web|url=http://www.furd.org/default.asp?intPageID=268|title=Ces Podd|publisher=Football Unites, Racism Divides}}

Club career

A student at the Bradford College of Art, Podd made his professional debut in September 1970 for Bradford City. Over the next 14 years Podd made a total of 565 appearances for City in all competitions - a club record.{{cite web|url=http://www.bradfordcityfc.co.uk/page/BantamsGreats/0,,10266~118694,00.html|title=Bantams Greats - Ces Podd|publisher=Bradford City AFC|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081205021057/http://www.bradfordcityfc.co.uk/page/BantamsGreats/0%2C%2C10266~118694%2C00.html|archivedate=5 December 2008}} He signed for Halifax Town in August 1984, and later played with Scarborough – with whom he secured promotion to the Football League{{cite web|url=http://www.boyfrombrazil.co.uk/2007/06/20/scarborough-go-to-dust/|title=Scarborough Go To Dust|date=20 June 2007|publisher=Boy From Brazil}} – and Ossett Town.

His testimonial after 14 years at Bradford City was the first awarded to a black professional footballer. It featured a side of fellow professional black footballers, including Garth Crooks, Luther Blissett, Justin Fashanu, Vince Hilaire, Cyrille Regis and Terry Connor.{{cite news |url=https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/sport/football/weekend-interview-why-ces-podd-ditched-retirement-to-help-scarborough-make-history-1777971 |title=Weekend Interview: Why Ces Podd ditched retirement to help Scarborough make history |date=29 April 2017 |accessdate=26 January 2025 |publisher=The Yorkshire Post}}

International career

Podd played internationally for Saint Kitts and Nevis.

Coaching career

Podd coached the Saint Kitts and Nevis national side between 1999 and 2002. He went on to coach the underprivileged in Leeds.{{cite web|url=http://www.bantamspast.co.uk/frontroom/podd.html|title=Ces Podd|publisher=Bantams Past|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090708060259/http://www.bantamspast.co.uk/frontroom/podd.html|archivedate=8 July 2009}}

Podd is technical director of the Saint Lucia Football Association.

Outside football

Podd owns a salsa-dancing company called X-ces.{{cite news|url=https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/7993095.podd-on-your-dancing-shoes/ |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20200502104805/https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/7993095.podd-on-your-dancing-shoes/ |archivedate=2 May 2020 |title=Podd on your dancing shoes! |work=Telegraph & Argus |publisher=Newsquest Media Group |date=9 April 2005 |accessdate=2 May 2020}}