British Asians in association football

Last updated

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. [1] [2] Prominent British Asian players have included Frank Soo, Neil Taylor, Zesh Rehman, Jimmy Carter and Michael Chopra.

Contents

In October 2017 the BBC reported that out of 3,000 professional footballers in England, only 10 were British Asian. [3] 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. [4] 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. [5]

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. [6] 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. [7] Chung played over 200 league matches for Watford and went on to manage Wolverhampton Wanderers in the 1970s and Doncaster Rovers in the 1990s. [8]

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. [9] [10]

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. [11] 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, [12] 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. [13] [14] Rehman later launched his own Foundation in May 2010, with the intention of helping young British Asians in football. [15] [16]

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. [17] 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. [18] Current professionals, such as Adnan Ahmed, have publicly spoken out about the lack of fellow Asians in the sport. [19]

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. [20]

In October 2013 the Football Association announced plans to encourage an increase in British Asian players and coaches. [5] [21]

In December 2015, Yan Dhanda, of Indian heritage, signed a two-and-a-half-year deal with Liverpool. [22]

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, [23] 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. [24]

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. [25]

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. [26]

In October 2019 there were "just 12 players of South Asian heritage across the Premier League and the English Football League". [27]

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. [28]

In December 2021, Shadab Iftikhar became the first British Asian to be a senior manager in Scotland when he took charge of Fort William. [29]

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. [30]

In June 2022, Mal Benning spoke out about being a role model for South Asian players. [31]

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. [32]

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. [33] In March 2023 they made up 0.45% of the 5,000 professional players. [34]

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. [35] [36] Hill was the first British South Asian to represent England at the senior level, [37] making 3 appearances for England between his debut in 1982 and his last match in 1986. [38] 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. [39]

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. [40] [41]

Frank Soo, of Chinese heritage, played for the England wartime team and remains the only player of East Asian heritage to do so. [42]

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. [43]

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. [17]

In October 2007, clubs in the Football League began out-reach programmes into Asian communities to attract new fans. [44]

In March 2009, Premier League club Chelsea announced plans to target young players from Asian communities. [45] 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. [46]

Fans

In December 1999, a Scottish Asian football fan publicly spoke out about the racism he had encountered at Rangers. [47]

Research compiled by the Premier League in March 2009 concluded that more British Asians were attending games than ever before. [48] 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. [49]

Bradford City has a British Asian fan group called the 'Baji Bantams', who have won awards for their work in the community. [50]

Officials

Jarnail Singh, who is of Indian descent, has been described as a "trailblazer" for Asian referees. [51]

In January 2023, Bhupinder Singh Gill became the first Sikh-Punjabi to serve as a Premier League assistant referee. [52] In March 2024 his brother Sunny Singh Gill became the first British South Asian referee in the Premier League. [53] Their father Jarnail Singh had been a referee in the English Football League from 2004 to 2010. [54]

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. [55]

Organisations

The Football Association has held meetings on the matter of British Asians in association football, [56] and they launched a campaign in 2013 to increase British Asians in football, [57] though in March 2014 it announced plans to increase the number of British Asians in football would be delayed. [58] FA chairman Greg Dyke admitted in December 2014 that attempts to increase Asian participation in the sport had failed. [59]

In January 2012 the inaugural Asian Football Awards were held. [60]

Racism

In April 2019 British Asian footballers spoke out about the racist abuse they had encountered. [61] In August 2019 Yan Dhanda said that the racism he has encountered as a British Asian footballer inspires him to play his best. [62]

In March 2024, British Asian football fans spoke out about the racism they experience on social media. [63]

List of British Asian footballers

The following is a list of notable British Asian footballers – those who have participated at professional or international level – organised by ethnic heritage.

NameHeritageDebut [64] International detailsNotes & references
Husin, Noor Afghanistan2016Full caps for Afghanistan
Kouhyar, Maziar Afghanistan2016Full caps for Afghanistan
Choudhury, Hamza Bangladesh2015Youth caps for England [65]
Ahmed, Shahed Bangladesh2004 [66]
Uddin, Anwar Bangladesh2002 [67]
Chung, Sammy Republic of China1951
Soo, Frank Republic of China1933Full caps for the England wartime and Victory International sides during and shortly after World War II. The first player of East Asian descent to play for any England side.
Jack CotherIndia1897Played for Watford and Watford St. Mary's in the Victorian era with his brother Edwin. Jack also went by the name John. Their father was an Indian man from Mumbai. [6] [68]
Edwin CotherIndia1898Played for Watford and Watford St. Mary's in the Victorian era with his brother Jack. Their father was an Indian man from Mumbai. [6] [68]
Heppolette, Ricky India1967 [69]
Bains, Rikki India2006
Batth, Danny India2009 [5] [70] [67]
Benning, Mal India2012 [5] [67]
Carter, Jimmy India1987Second Asian to play in the Premier League, but did not disclose his background at the time. [12] [67]
Chopra, Michael India2000Youth caps for EnglandIn August 2014 Chopra stated that he wanted to play for India at international level. [71] [67]
Dhanda, Yan India2018Youth caps for England [22]
Dosanj, Aman India1999Youth caps for England WomenFirst British Asian to represent England Women in official matches at any level. [72] [73]
Hill, Ricky India1976Full caps for EnglandFirst British South Asian to represent England at senior level [38]
Jhooti, Permi India1997
Juttla, Jazz India1997 [74] [75]
Luthra, Rohan India2023First goalkeeper of South Asian descent to play in the EFL Championship [76]
Markanday, Dilan India2022 [77]
Middleton-Patel, Safia India2023Youth and Full caps for Wales Women [40]
Rosario, Robert India1983Youth caps for EnglandFirst Asian to play in the Premier League [11]
Sansara, Netan India2008Youth caps for England
Sekhon, Aaron India2011 [78] [79]
Singh, Harpal India2001
Taylor, Neil India2007Full caps for Wales [5] [80] [67]
Verdi, Roger India1972
Verma, Aman India2009 [67]
Williams, Rhys India2008Full caps for AustraliaBorn in Australia to a British father and an Indian mother
Williams, Ryan India2011Australia U-20 capsBorn in Australia to a British father and an Indian Mother
Wilson, Paul India1967Full caps for ScotlandFirst British South Asian to represent any of the home nations at senior level [36]
Baggott, Elkan Indonesia2022Youth and Full caps for IndonesiaFirst Indonesian player to play in an English professional league. [81]
Nasseri, Navid Iran2018
Samizadeh, Alex Iran2016
Walker, Dennis Iran1961The first black footballer to make a senior appearance for Manchester United. [82]
Iqbal, Zidane Iraq, Pakistan2021Full caps for IraqThe first British-born South Asian footballer to make a senior appearance for Manchester United [83]
Kasim, Yaser Iraq2010Full caps for Iraq
Al-Hamadi, Ali Iraq2021Full caps for Iraq
Jalal, Shwan Iraq2000Full caps for England C
Ale, Asmita Nepal2018First Nepalese-heritage professional in the English system. Youth caps for England Women up to U-19 level [84]
Rai, Kiban Nepal2023First male Nepalese-heritage professional in the English system [85]
Abdullah, Mckeal Pakistan2023Full caps for Pakistan [86]
Ahmed, Adnan Pakistan2004Full caps for Pakistan [67]
Asghar, Adam Pakistan2013 [87]
Ashraf, Reis Pakistan2009Full caps for Pakistan
Bashir, Atif Pakistan2004Full caps for PakistanBorn in Germany to a British Asian father and a German Turkish mother.
Docker, Adam Pakistan2007Full caps for Pakistan
Gondal, Usman Pakistan2006Full caps for Pakistan
Hamid, Harun Pakistan2023Full caps for Pakistan
Iqbal, Amjad Pakistan2007Full caps for Pakistan
Kayani, Imran Pakistan2020Full caps for Pakistan [88]
Khan, Jimmy Pakistan1989Full caps for PakistanFirst overseas player to be called up to play for the Pakistan national football team. [89]
Khan, Otis Pakistan2013Full caps for Pakistan
Khan, Sabhir Pakistan2009Full caps for Pakistan
Nabi, Adil Pakistan2013Youth caps for England; full caps for Pakistan [26] [90] [67]
Nabi, Rahis Pakistan2018Youth caps for England; full caps for Pakistan
Nabi, Samir Pakistan2016Full caps for Pakistan [26]
Rehman, Zesh Pakistan2003Youth caps for England; full caps for Pakistan [67]
Sarwar, Rashid Pakistan1985 [74] [91]
Siddiqi, Kashif Pakistan2005Full caps for Pakistan [5]
Suliman, Easah Pakistan2015Youth caps for England; full caps for PakistanFirst player of Pakistani heritage to captain an England side. [90]
Etheridge, Neil Philippines2008Full caps for Philippines
Hartmann, Mark Philippines2011Full caps for Philippines
Hartmann, Matthew Philippines2006Full caps for Philippines
Gier, Rob Philippines2000Full caps for Philippines
Gould, Chad Philippines2004Full caps for Philippines
Greatwich, Christopher Philippines2004Full caps for Philippines
Greatwich, Phil Philippines2006Full caps for Philippines
Greatwich, Simon Philippines2008Full caps for Philippines
Younghusband, James Philippines2006Full caps for Philippines
Younghusband, Phil Philippines2006Full caps for Philippines
Ali, Mukhtar Saudi Arabia2017Full caps for Saudi Arabia
Ng, Perry Singapore2014 [92]
Chow, Tim Taiwan2015Capped at senior level for Chinese Taipei, the name for Taiwan in international sport [93]
Chunonsee, Mika Thailand2007Youth caps for Wales; full caps for Thailand
Ramasut, Tom Thailand1996Youth caps for Wales
Waite, Jamie Thailand2004Full caps for Thailand
Mohamed, Kaid Yemen2003

The 2002 film Bend It Like Beckham deals with issues relating to British Asians in football.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cheltenham Town F.C.</span> Association football club in Cheltenham, England

Cheltenham Town Football Club is a professional association football club based in the town of Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England. The team competes in EFL League Two, the fourth level of the English football league system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andy Cole</span> English footballer (born 1971)

Andrew Alexander Cole is an English former professional footballer who played as a striker. His professional career lasted from 1988 to 2008, and is mostly remembered for his time with Manchester United, who paid a British record transfer fee to sign him from Newcastle United. Cole spent six years with Manchester United and won nine trophies, including five Premier League titles and the Treble of the Premier League, FA Cup and UEFA Champions League in 1999.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Barnes</span> English football player and manager (born 1963)

John Charles Bryan Barnes is a former professional football player and manager. Often considered one of the greatest England players of all time, Barnes currently works as an author, as well as a commentator and pundit for ESPN and SuperSport. Initially a quick, skilful left winger, he moved to central midfield later in his career. Barnes won two League titles and two FA Cups with Liverpool. He was also an FA Cup runner-up with Watford, Liverpool and Newcastle United. He earned 79 international caps for England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Park Ji-sung</span> South Korean footballer (born 1981)

Park Ji-sung is a South Korean former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. Born in the South Korean capital Seoul, Park is one of the greatest and most successful Asian players in football history, having won 19 trophies in his career. He is the first Asian footballer to win the UEFA Champions League, play in a UEFA Champions League final, and win the FIFA Club World Cup. Park was able to play anywhere across the midfield and was noted for his exceptional fitness level, discipline, work ethic and off-the-ball movement. His remarkable endurance levels earned him the nickname "Three-Lung" Park.

Football is the most popular sport in the United Kingdom. Football is organised on a separate basis in each of the four constituent countries, England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, that make up the United Kingdom (UK), with each having a national football association responsible for the overall management of football within their respective country. There is no United Kingdom national football team. Football has been the most popular sport in the UK since the 1860s. Rugby union, rugby league and cricket are other popular sports.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zesh Rehman</span> Pakistani professional footballer

Zeshan Rehman is a former professional footballer who played as a defender. He is currently first team development coach at Portsmouth FC. Born in England, he represented the Pakistan national team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kim Do-heon</span> South Korean footballer (born 1982)

Kim Do-heon is a South Korean football wing-back and midfielder who is caretaker manager of K League 1 club Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors.

Ethnicity and football is a description of the global acceptance of association football, with players from many races and countries participating. While football has moved around the world from its roots in England during the 18th century, the progress of non-European players has sometimes been hindered, with racism a continuing problem in many countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Darren Moore</span> English footballer and manager (born 1974)

Darren Mark Moore is a professional football manager and former player who played as a centre-back. He is the manager of EFL League Two club Port Vale. He has performed extensive charity work for the Professional Footballers' Association, Show Racism the Red Card, and the Free Methodist Church.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lee Dong-gook</span> South Korean footballer

Lee Dong-gook is a South Korean former professional footballer who played as a striker. He is a record scorer in the K League 1, and had brief spells in Europe with Werder Bremen and Middlesbrough. He also played for the South Korea national football team at two FIFA World Cups and three AFC Asian Cups.

Racism in association football is the abuse of players, officials, and fans because of their skin colour, nationality, or ethnicity. Some may also be targeted because of their association with an opposing team, although there have been instances of individuals being targeted by their own fans. The topic of racism in association football has been widely covered by the media and in academic studies. There have been a range of responses by various associations, such as FIFA and UEFA, as well as by teams, and individual players and managers to address the problem.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Isa Guha</span> English cricketer

Isa Tara Guha is an English sports television commentator and radio cricket broadcaster, and former England cricketer who played in the 2005 South Africa World Cup and the 2009 Australia World Cup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anwar Uddin</span> English footballer (born 1981)

Anwar Uddin is an English football manager and former player. During a career which began at West Ham United in 2001 and concluded with a season at Eastbourne Borough from 2012 to 2013, Anwar notably represented several Football League clubs including Dagenham & Redbridge and Barnet. He was the first person of Bangladeshi origin to play professional football in England, and, while at Dagenham & Redbridge, became the first British Asian to captain a football club in the top four divisions of English football.

The 2004–05 season was Fulham F.C.'s fourth consecutive season in the top flight of English football, the Premier League. They were managed by former player, Chris Coleman, who managed to guide them into a mid-table position of 13th.

Otis Roberts is a retired Grenadan international footballer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Danny Rose (footballer, born 1990)</span> English footballer

Daniel Lee Rose is an English former professional footballer who played as a left-back. As a left-back with a tendency to play attacking football, Rose has been compared to Cyril Knowles, with particular focus being placed on his speed, in game decision-making and defending skills.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tyrone Mings</span> English footballer (born 1993)

Tyrone Deon Mings is an English professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Premier League club Aston Villa and the England national team.

Yan Dhanda is an English professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Scottish Premiership side Heart of Midlothian. He previously played for Swansea City and Ross County and was a youth player for West Bromwich Albion and Liverpool.

Asmita Ale is an English professional footballer who plays as a defender for Women's Super League club Leicester City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taking the knee</span> Symbolic gesture protesting racism

Taking the knee is a symbolic gesture against racism whereby an individual kneels upon one knee in place of standing to attention for an anthem or other such occasion. It was originated by American football player Colin Kaepernick on September 1, 2016, in protest against the lack of attention given to the issues of racial inequality and police brutality in the United States. Kaepernick's protest led to a wider series of national anthem protests. It has since been adopted by sports players in countries around the world, including association football in the United Kingdom, in solidarity with Kaepernick's protest against racism, and has been seen worldwide in non-sporting contexts such as the Black Lives Matter protests.

References

  1. ↑ Gordon Parks (7 September 2014). "Asian stars are football's missing men". Daily Record. Retrieved 16 October 2018.
  2. ↑ Olivia Blair (1 November 1997). "Football: They think they've no chance before even kicking a ball". The Independent . Retrieved 16 October 2018.
  3. ↑ "Son challenges dad: Why couldn't I go to Man Utd trial?". BBC News. 2 October 2017.
  4. ↑ Kilvington, Daniel (2019). "Two decades and little change: British Asians, football and calls for action" (PDF). Soccer & Society. 20 (4): 584–601. doi:10.1080/14660970.2017.1366902. S2CID   148687225.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Mandeep Sanghera (29 October 2013). "British Asians in football: FA steps up recruitment drive". BBC Sport. Retrieved 27 March 2014.
  6. 1 2 3 "THE VERY FIRST ASIAN…". Our Game Too. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  7. ↑ White, Jonathan (13 December 2018). "Frank Soo Street hopes to put England's pioneering Asian footballer on the map". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
  8. ↑ "Where Are They Now? A look at Wolves' UEFA Cup finalists 1971/72". Football League Paper. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
  9. ↑ Harmit Singh Kamboe (June 2007). "Interview with Roger Verdi". IndianFootball.com. Retrieved 21 October 2009.
  10. ↑ Shamya Dasgupta. "He played against Pele, Best, Banks, now he wants to coach here". IndianExpress.com. Retrieved 21 October 2009.
  11. 1 2 Walker-Khan, Miriam (17 May 2024). "'I wanted to be white and English' - the story of Robert Rosario: the Premier League's first South Asian player". Sky Sports.
  12. 1 2 "Nobody knew he was the Premier League's first British Asian" – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  13. ↑ "The Premiership's first asian star: Zesh Rehman". The People. 17 May 2009. Retrieved 21 October 2009.
  14. ↑ "Michael Chopra". Hindustan Times . Retrieved 2 August 2022.
  15. ↑ Nikesh Rughani (7 April 2010). "Rehman targets helping British Asians into football". BBC Sport. Retrieved 28 May 2010.
  16. ↑ "Zesh Rehman leading push for change". Telegraph & Argus. 1 August 2013.
  17. 1 2 "Asians in Football news". Let's Kick Racism Out of Football. Archived from the original on 17 February 2010. Retrieved 21 October 2009.
  18. ↑ Northcroft, Jonathan (10 February 2008). "Why are there no Asian football stars?". The Times. London. Retrieved 21 October 2009.[ dead link ]
  19. ↑ "Ahmed wants rise in Asian players". BBC Sport. 21 November 2008. Retrieved 21 October 2009.
  20. ↑ Patrick Nathanson (8 August 2007). "Anwar Uddin to lead Dagenham and Redbridge". The Telegraph. London. Retrieved 21 October 2009.
  21. ↑ Mandeep Sanghera (29 October 2013). "Is English football set for an Asian breakthrough?". BBC Sport. Retrieved 27 March 2014.
  22. 1 2 Mandeep Sanghera (18 December 2015). "Liverpool sign Yan Dhanda on professional deal". BBC Sport. Retrieved 18 December 2015.
  23. ↑ "Aston Villa's Easah Suliman hopes to set standard for England's Asian footballers, Ed Aarons". The Guardian . 18 November 2015. Archived from the original on 6 August 2016. Retrieved 4 August 2016.
  24. ↑ "Under-19 2017: Portugal-England". UEFA . Archived from the original on 7 June 2018. Retrieved 28 July 2017.
  25. ↑ "Premier League: Leicester City vs Tottenham Hotspur – 2:1". 28 November 2017.
  26. 1 2 3 "Adil Nabi: Ex-West Brom midfielder on playing with Roberto Carlos, Greece & inspiring youngsters". 4 February 2019 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  27. ↑ "British Asians in football: What happened to Football Association strategy?". 31 October 2019 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  28. ↑ "AEK-Leicester Match Report?". 29 October 2020 – via www.uefa.com.
  29. ↑ "Shadab Iftikhar joins Fort William to become Scotland's first senior manager of South Asian heritage". Sky Sports.
  30. ↑ "Zidane Iqbal becomes first British South Asian to play in the UEFA Champions League". skysports.com.
  31. ↑ "Mal Benning: 'We need more South Asian role models in football'". 1 June 2022 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  32. ↑ "Gol Elkan Baggott Tak Mampu Selamatkan Ipswich Town | Goal.com Indonesia". www.goal.com (in Indonesian). 1 November 2023. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
  33. ↑ "South Asian pro player numbers rise again - PFA" – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  34. ↑ "'We need to see a lot more South Asian players' says Stevenage youngster". 10 March 2023 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  35. ↑ ""Remembering Paul Wilson: The Only Non-White Player To Represent Scotland In The 20th Century" the18.com 28 December 2017". Archived from the original on 30 June 2022. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
  36. 1 2 Smith, Andrew (10 October 2011). "Interview: Paul Wilson on Stein, Celtic and racial abuse in the 1970s". The Scotsman. Archived from the original on 8 August 2014. Retrieved 31 July 2014.
  37. ↑ "England Match No. 570 - Denmark - 22 September 1982 - Match Summary and Report". Englandfootballonline.com. Retrieved 4 September 2022.
  38. 1 2 Hill, Ricky Anthony; Durham, Adrian (2021). Love of the game : the man who brought the Rooney Rule to the UK. London. ISBN   978-1-78531-826-9. OCLC   1201655692.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  39. ↑ Din, Tusdiq (13 November 2015). "Why is Swansea's Neil Taylor the only British Asian in the Premier League?". mirror.
  40. 1 2 "Major documentary series on Wales' Black and Asian footballers released". nation.cymru. 17 July 2023.
  41. ↑ "'Happy tears' for debutant keeper Middleton-Patel". BBC Sport.
  42. ↑ "FRANK SOO – DERBYSHIRE'S FAMOUS CHINAMAN". Bygone Derbyshire. Archived from the original on 4 December 2008. Retrieved 21 October 2009.
  43. ↑ Pramod Morjaria (1 August 2007). "Bend it like Beckham in Rotherham". BBC News. Retrieved 21 October 2009.
  44. ↑ Niki Cardwell (28 October 2007). "Football clubs reaching out to Asians". BBC News. Retrieved 21 October 2009.
  45. ↑ "Chelsea plot Asian talent trawl". BBC Sport. 26 March 2009. Retrieved 21 October 2009.
  46. ↑ "Chelsea continue search for an Asian football star". BBC Sport. 27 May 2010. Retrieved 28 May 2010.
  47. ↑ "Fan's fear over 'racism at Rangers'". BBC News. 14 December 1999. Retrieved 21 October 2009.
  48. ↑ Sukhi Hayer (2 March 2009). "Have Asians embraced the beautiful game?". BBC Sport. Retrieved 21 October 2009.
  49. ↑ Rahila Bano (23 March 2013). "Why Asian fans shun clubs like Oldham and Burnley". BBC News.
  50. ↑ "Bradford City fan group celebrated for contribution to South Asian heritage". Bradford Telegraph and Argus. 14 May 2024.
  51. ↑ "Refereeing". Asian Football Network. Archived from the original on 10 December 2009. Retrieved 21 October 2009.
  52. ↑ "Premier League: Assistant ref Bhupinder Singh Gill on making history". 6 January 2023 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  53. ↑ "Dad's pride as son makes British South Asian ref history" – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  54. ↑ "'If I can handle prisoners, I can handle 22 footballers' - the Asian officials aiming for the top" – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  55. ↑ "Asian Football Awards 2017". Asian Football Awards 2017.
  56. ↑ "Increasing Asian participation in football". The Football Association. 11 July 2011.
  57. ↑ "British Asians in football: FA steps up recruitment drive". 29 October 2013 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  58. ↑ Mandeep Sanghera (4 March 2014). "British Asians plan delayed by FA as it seeks further talks". BBC Sport. Retrieved 4 March 2014.
  59. ↑ "FA chairman Greg Dyke: More Asians needed in football". BBC Sport. 18 December 2014. Retrieved 18 December 2014.
  60. ↑ Simon Parker (17 January 2012). "Former Bantam in running for top Asian award". Telegraph & Argus. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
  61. ↑ "Asian footballers call out 'systemic racism' in grassroots football". 24 April 2019 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  62. ↑ "British Asian footballer Yan Dhanda: Racist abuse drives me on even more". Sky News.
  63. ↑ "Online hate: South Asian fans on facing 'firing squad of racist abuse'". 1 March 2024 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  64. ↑ Club or international debut – whichever came first
  65. ↑ Tanner, Rob (12 October 2017). "Why Leicester City's local lad Hamza Choudhury really stands out". leicestermercury.
  66. ↑ Player profile – "The youngster has his roots in Bangladesh"
  67. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Daniel Kilvington (2016). British Asians, Exclusion and the Football Industry. Routledge. p. 3. ISBN   9781317569039 . Retrieved 4 November 2018.
  68. 1 2 "120-year-old Watford FC handbook and trailblazing Cother Brothers". Hillingdon & Uxbridge Times. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  69. ↑ Sessions, George (5 August 2021). "Ricky Heppolette would love to see more Asian players follow in his footsteps". Belfast Telegraph.
  70. ↑ "Wolves skipper Danny Batth left frustrated by his quest to play for India". Sky Sports. 7 July 2017. Retrieved 7 July 2017.
  71. ↑ "Michael Chopra: 'I want to be Indian football's Tendulkar'". BBC Sport. 22 August 2014. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
  72. ↑ Urmee Khan (10 November 2006). "The unsporting life". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 November 2010.
  73. ↑ Daniel Burdsey (2007). British Asians and football: culture, identity, exclusion. Routledge. ISBN   9780203966860 . Retrieved 28 November 2010.
  74. 1 2 Ben Carrington; Ian McDonald (2001). 'Race', Sport, and British Society. Psychology Press. p. 38. ISBN   9780415246293 . Retrieved 14 September 2018.
  75. ↑ Scott McDermott (12 November 2011). "Rangers are right to tap into Indian market by looking at stars, says former player Jazz Juttla". Daily Record. Retrieved 13 September 2018.
  76. ↑ "Cardiff City's Rohan Luthra becomes first 'keeper from Britain's South Asian community to play in Championship". Sky Sports.
  77. ↑ "'First British-Asian to play for Tottenham Hotspur' - 5 things you should know about Spurs' Dilan Markanday | Goal.com". 27 October 2021. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
  78. ↑ Chris Roberts (16 July 2011). "I want to be a role model to young Asians who love football, says Partick Thistle starlet Aaron Singh Sekhon". Daily Record.
  79. ↑ Gordon Parks (25 January 2012). "Partick Thistle young star Aaron Sekhon shortlisted for top Asian award". The Glaswegian.
  80. ↑ Ben Proctor (17 February 2012). "Football in India is growing – Swansea City's Neil Taylor". Goal.com.
  81. ↑ Okezone (16 April 2022). "Elkan Baggott Main dari Menit Pertama, Ipswich Town Kalah dari Rotherham : Okezone Bola". bola.okezone.com/ (in Indonesian). Retrieved 10 May 2024.
  82. ↑ Gleave, Bill Hern and David (30 October 2020). "Dennis Walker: Manchester United's first and only black Busby Babe". The Guardian.
  83. ↑ "Zidane Iqbal: Manchester United's first British South Asian player" – via www.bbc.com.
  84. ↑ "South Asian Heritage Month: Leicester City defender Asmita Ale opens up on her Nepalese heritage". Sky Sports. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  85. ↑ "Gurkha's son aims to inspire - and play for Wales" – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  86. ↑ Sohail, Shahrukh (16 June 2024). "FOOTBALL: STEADY AS SHE GOES". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 16 June 2024.
  87. ↑ "Interview: Tony Asghar denies 'untoward' dealings at Dundee United". The Scotsman. 16 February 2019. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
  88. ↑ "We spoke to the Queen Mary student playing international football for Pakistan". UCL. 4 March 2024. Retrieved 28 March 2024.
  89. ↑ "Grimsby Town star told he can be a role mode for future generations". Grimsby Live. 30 May 2023. ISSN   0307-1235 . Retrieved 11 October 2024.
  90. 1 2 Ed Aarons (18 November 2015). "Aston Villa's Easah Suliman hopes to set standard for England's Asian footballers". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 August 2016.
  91. ↑ "Kilmarnock FC: Legend Eddie Morrison dies". Daily Record. 3 June 2011. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
  92. ↑ House, Future Publishing Limited Quay; Ambury, The; Engl, Bath BA1 1UA All rights reserved; number 2008885, Wales company registration (24 May 2017). "Perry Ng signs new Crewe deal, keen to play for Singapore". FourFourTwo. Archived from the original on 10 September 2017. Retrieved 25 October 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  93. ↑ Henderson, Mark (8 July 2020). "Yaki Yen and Tim Chow look like they'll never play for Taiwan again". The Tofu Bowl. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.