Conker Editions

These Football Times with Dave Busby

Our Black History Month series of podcasts with These Football Times concluded with this episode featuring special guest Dave Busby. Dave was the first Black player at Brighton and Barrow. Dave talked frankly about his, not altogether positive, recollections of Brian Clough whose path he crossed at Derby and Brighton, along with many other entertaining stories of his time in football.

https://audioboom.com/posts/8392022-football-s-black-pioneers-episode-5-dave-busby

Dave is still fondly remembered at Brighton (and he clearly has some good memories of his time there) and featured in a post on the supporters’ forum commemorating the 50th anniversary of his debut for their first team in October 1973:

https://bhasc.com/wp/2023/10/20/albions-first-black-player-50-years-ago/

Earlier episodes of the podcast series are still available including a great interview with Roland Butcher (first Black player at Stevenage). Best known as a cricketer, our chat with Roland ranged freely across both sports.  In another episode we were joined by Brenton Phillips. Brenton’s name may be less well known but, a child of Windrush generation parents, he spoke fascinatingly about his experiences as player, manager and chief executive  within the game.

 

Roland Butcher in Barbados (and Stevenage!)

Roland Butcher was interviewed recently on Channel DDX in Barbados where he is now a highly respected sports administrator. Cricket fans will probably know that Roland was England’s first black test cricketer and the first black captain of Middlesex, but how many football fans will know that he was the first black player for Stevenage? He was, and this is why Roland will feature in Football’s Black Pioneers, due to be published on 31st August.

During a wide ranging interview Roland was kind enough to mention the book:

https://twitter.com/ddxchannel/status/1285858379945185280?s=11

The publishers, Conker Editions, are still taking advance orders and, if you are quick, your name will appear in the book as a subscriber: https://www.conkereditions.co.uk/product/footballs-black-pioneers-subscriber-copies-for-pre-order/