Laurie Cunningham - From Brisbane Road to the Bernabeu

[Andre]

nice write-up about laurie cunningham on the bbc football front page today. i don't think i ever see him play though. looking for video.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/8149282.stm

Exactly 20 years ago, on 15 July 1989, one of the most remarkable careers in English football history came to a sudden and tragic end in a car crash on the outskirts of Madrid.

Laurie Cunningham was only 33 when he died and spent most of the peak years of his career playing abroad.

But what he did on the pitch, and the changes he helped bring about off it, left a lasting impact on the English game.

Rejected by Arsenal, he began his professional career at Leyton Orient in 1974 and within five years he became the first Englishman to play for Real Madrid.

His amazing journey from Brisbane Road to the Bernabeu went via West Brom, where the winger became the first black player capped by England at any level and, along with defender Brendan Batson and striker Cyrille Regis, formed the legendary 'Three Degrees' partnership....

[Deeks]

When I saw Laurie played with Regis and Batson for WBA, I could not believe it. It was a rear sight on tv in those days. HE was a good player. Plenty speed and was a fairly good dribbler. He did well will Madrid, but unfotunately they lost the Euro cup when he played for them. Died to young. But when the Big MAN wants to take you, one has no choice.

As being the first black player to be cap for Eng is debately.  Paul Rennie from Leeds is probably the first black person to play for Leeds. He was a very light skin person.

[frico]

Deeks,are you talking bout Paul Reaney,he looked like a dark skin white man and I've heard people say that he had Trini origins.Inthe 70s Leeds was one of the most racist teams,they also had a half Indian GK named Kevin Keelan.

[Deeks]

Frico,
            Yes, that is the guy. He was a damn good RB. He would have been in the 1970 WC team, but I think he had a serious injury. I don't remember Keelan that well. My memory very vague about him. They also had a coloured guy(that was the term used back then) from South Africa name Albert Johanson, bear with me on the names here. He did say he use to get plenty flak(monkey chants,etc) from both home and away fans. For a racist team, they appeared to be way ahead of the times.

[frico]

Yes Deeks yuh right Albert Johansen was a South African and black,he died about 5 years ago a poor man living alone in a council flat in Leeds,how have times changed eh.Those times Afro or Asian was hardly ever seen at football matches and they definitely wouldn't go to Leeds,Chelsea or Millwall.I remember when I lived in Fulham my parents would not let me go out when Chelsea played at home,their supporters used to look for fight with anybody especially if you were a young Asian or Afro boy and I'm talking bout the late 60s early 70s.

[Andre]

Yes Deeks yuh right Albert Johansen was a South African and black,he died about 5 years ago a poor man living alone in a council flat in Leeds,how have times changed eh.Those times Afro or Asian was hardly ever seen at football matches and they definitely wouldn't go to Leeds,Chelsea or Millwall.I remember when I lived in Fulham my parents would not let me go out when Chelsea played at home,their supporters used to look for fight with anybody especially if you were a young Asian or Afro boy and I'm talking bout the late 60s early 70s.

shit frico...i went to see chelsea back in 2005 when visiting london. some english partners i was liming with tell me to look out for fellas wearing burberry at the game and stay away from them. i suppose the headhunters still around.

me eh see none though. scene at the bridge seem more family now. plenty people and their children for a sunday game. had nuff ah we "coloured" people there...even from as far away as japan.