Arthur Wharton: the World’s First Black Professional Footballer

Arthur Wharton

A 16ft statue of the world’s first black professional footballer will be unveiled at the FA’s national football centre in Burton on Thursday.

Cast in bronze, it depicts goalkeeper Arthur Wharton flinging himself backwards to tip a ball over the bar.

The story of how it got there involves Sepp Blatter, Stevie Wonder, Rio Ferdinand and a 53-year-old Darlington artist called Shaun Campbell.

And it all started seven years ago in Middlesbrough Town Hall.  More\…