{UAH} Now shocking tale of Chelsea’s first black star comes to TV
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Paul Canoville was racially abused by his own fans… Now shocking tale of Chelsea's first black star comes to TV
· 2 hours ago
Paul Canoville was racially abused by his own fans… Now shocking tale of Chelsea's first black star comes to TV
· 2 hours ago
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Shocking tale of how Canoville was abused by his own fans comes to TV
https://www.standard.co.uk › Sport › Football
Mark Leech/Getty Images
ES Football Newsletter
The inspiring life story of the first black player to turn out for Chelsea will be told in a new TV series.
Paul Canoville faced racial abuse from his own fans on his debut in 1982, but went on to help Chelsea win promotion to the old First Division. After his career he beat drug addiction and founded a charity working with young people.
The winger, 55, will be the focus of a series that will span the history of post-war London and has the working title Kicking Black And Blue. Canoville, who grew up in west London, was homeless and had already been in borstal when he won a trial with Chelsea. He so impressed the club he was called up to the first team weeks later.
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His debut saw him barracked by fans but he went on to help Chelsea win the Second Division in 1984, and reach sixth place in the top division the following season. But his career fell apart, with serious injuries and racist abuse taking their toll. He was sold to Reading in 1986 and retired within two years.
A job as a DJ also foundered after he became addicted to crack cocaine and stole from his family — selling his championship medal to buy drugs. But he cleaned himself up and launched the Paul Canoville Foundation. He has published an autobiography, Black And Blue, and acts as a Chelsea club ambassador.
The team behind the series has signed a deal with a major broadcaster and hope to start filming soon. Richie Campbell, whose career in-cludes roles in TV dramas Liar and Top Boy, is set to play the footballer.
Arsenal fan Campbell admitted he had previously never heard of Canoville: "I was shocked I didn't know who the hell he was and I feel like I should have. As a young black Brit I should know his story. I find that fascinating but also kind of heartbreaking that there is a generation of people that don't know who he is and what he has achieved."
Writer D D Armstrong said football was only "the backdrop" to the story, which will touch on the arrival of Caribbean immigrants in London, the rise of the far Right, and music.
Chelsea fan Armstrong, who grew up in Fulham watching his team with producer Craig Abbott, said: "Some of the strongest parts of Paul's story are not what is going on on the pitch but what is going on behind that, the dressing room, coach journeys.
"This is where you really see the struggles just to put on a Chelsea shirt. You could never have a Didier Drogba or Ruud Gullit managing Chelsea without Paul Canoville."
https://www.standard.co.uk › Sport › Football
Mark Leech/Getty Images
ES Football Newsletter
The inspiring life story of the first black player to turn out for Chelsea will be told in a new TV series.
Paul Canoville faced racial abuse from his own fans on his debut in 1982, but went on to help Chelsea win promotion to the old First Division. After his career he beat drug addiction and founded a charity working with young people.
The winger, 55, will be the focus of a series that will span the history of post-war London and has the working title Kicking Black And Blue. Canoville, who grew up in west London, was homeless and had already been in borstal when he won a trial with Chelsea. He so impressed the club he was called up to the first team weeks later.
ADVERTISING
His debut saw him barracked by fans but he went on to help Chelsea win the Second Division in 1984, and reach sixth place in the top division the following season. But his career fell apart, with serious injuries and racist abuse taking their toll. He was sold to Reading in 1986 and retired within two years.
A job as a DJ also foundered after he became addicted to crack cocaine and stole from his family — selling his championship medal to buy drugs. But he cleaned himself up and launched the Paul Canoville Foundation. He has published an autobiography, Black And Blue, and acts as a Chelsea club ambassador.
The team behind the series has signed a deal with a major broadcaster and hope to start filming soon. Richie Campbell, whose career in-cludes roles in TV dramas Liar and Top Boy, is set to play the footballer.
Arsenal fan Campbell admitted he had previously never heard of Canoville: "I was shocked I didn't know who the hell he was and I feel like I should have. As a young black Brit I should know his story. I find that fascinating but also kind of heartbreaking that there is a generation of people that don't know who he is and what he has achieved."
Writer D D Armstrong said football was only "the backdrop" to the story, which will touch on the arrival of Caribbean immigrants in London, the rise of the far Right, and music.
Chelsea fan Armstrong, who grew up in Fulham watching his team with producer Craig Abbott, said: "Some of the strongest parts of Paul's story are not what is going on on the pitch but what is going on behind that, the dressing room, coach journeys.
"This is where you really see the struggles just to put on a Chelsea shirt. You could never have a Didier Drogba or Ruud Gullit managing Chelsea without Paul Canoville."
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