Jump to content
Sign in to follow this  
cambridgeshire canary

Black history month the Norwich icons

Recommended Posts

Can I be the first to nit pick? Sebastien Bassong, good bloke and all that, but I wouldn't put him in icon status.

Completely agree with the rest though.

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I'd love a two CDs of Sebastien Bassongs ability (first season with us) in our back line right now. 

Certainly shore us up more and provide a real physical presence.

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Some real legends on that list. Wierd to think though that a player like Efan Ekoku, who I really think of as a NCFC legend, only played 38 matches for us. About a 3rd as many as Stiepermann.

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
13 minutes ago, spencer 1970 said:

SB was POTS 2013, the first true overseas player to do so, sure thats something?

Disco Dale?👍

Fair point Spencer, as I say, just being a bit nit-picky.👍

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
21 minutes ago, spencer 1970 said:

Disco Dale?

Remember a while back reading Ruel Fox saying that Dale wasn't black, but Indian?

For me, I always think of him (wrongly?) as a really iconic black player for us - Mainly because of the abuse he used to get i suppose. 

Same with Donowa, i was really young but thought he was the coolest on the Norwich panini sticker page, but he'd get some serious abuse from the opposition - these players really played through a lot of **** and deserve credit (imo). 🙂

Also, what about Leon McKenzie? Surely a club icon? 

Seems that whoever put this list together deliberately picked the darkest of players, that in itself must be quite isolating for mix-raced players, such as McKenzie.  Not having a moan as you're a little damned when making such a list, but it's an eye opener to consider.

Just makes you wish that there wasn't a need to pick out 'black' icons really, as we shouldn't ever be colour grading as a society.

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

In my experience, people who admonish other people for 'seeing colour' are often the same people who struggle to 'see racism'. 

  • Like 4

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I find that article a bit curious. Why do we need to highlight black players....I mean what about Ben Godfrey....is he not black enough?  This kind of thing ignores the rich tapestry of mixed race people there are. I get the need for equality and get rid of racism, but does this kind of thing help - and at the end of the day we are all mixed race anyway, however black or white you are.

What next, a line up of mixed race people?  After all, they often get abuse too.

 

  • Like 2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

We need to promote Black History Month because there still is a massive racist issue in society.. see the abuse hurled at England's internationals this summer... for me its Alex Tettey. A brilliant servant to the club and a fantatstic uplifting human being... but so many great great players to choose from..including a special mention to Max.

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
6 hours ago, lake district canary said:

What next, a line up of mixed race people?  After all, they often get abuse too.

 

Mixed race people would be included in this, and any other list celebrating the achievements of people of colour.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

"Give it a rest. Someone who sees 'colour' and not 'the person' is the one with the problem."

Irony ?

 

Edited by Erraticus

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
18 minutes ago, Canarywary said:

Mixed race people would be included in this, and any other list celebrating the achievements of people of colour.

In that case would have thought Ben Godfrey would be on the list. He is of Jamaican background and would be ahead of Onel on footballing ability, imo.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
6 hours ago, lake district canary said:

at the end of the day we are all mixed race anyway, however black or white you are

Never a truer word said  Lakeyo!!!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
8 hours ago, Herman said:

Can I be the first to nit pick? Sebastien Bassong, good bloke and all that, but I wouldn't put him in icon status.

Completely agree with the rest though.

On a similar theme (but the other way around). Efan Ekoku, good player but bit of a tw*t whenever I hear him commentate.

7 hours ago, Google Bot said:

Also, what about Leon McKenzie? Surely a club icon? 

100% should be. One of my favourite players. 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

11 hours ago, East Rider said:

I'd love a two CDs of Sebastien Bassongs ability (first season with us) in our back line right now. 

Certainly shore us up more and provide a real physical presence.

It's embarrassing the number of takes it took me to realise that you weren't suggesting Bassong had released a couple of hit albums... I was beginning to wonder if they were any better than Drmic's offerings. 

  • Haha 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
10 hours ago, lake district canary said:

I find that article a bit curious. Why do we need to highlight black players....I mean what about Ben Godfrey....is he not black enough?  This kind of thing ignores the rich tapestry of mixed race people there are. I get the need for equality and get rid of racism, but does this kind of thing help - and at the end of the day we are all mixed race anyway, however black or white you are.

What next, a line up of mixed race people?  After all, they often get abuse too.

The answer is in the title... Black History Month.

"This year for black history month, we thought we'd switch it up a bit and throw in some curveballs. We'll start with Queen Victoria, then move through history and include the likes of Oswald Mosley."

Not sure what you're questioning really... White History Month is literally the rest of the year. 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-56447682

As an Empire, we dictated a lot of history, after all history is said to be written by the "victor". Though, the same can be said of the loser if they have a louder drum. Case in point is Rorke's Drift, famously portrayed on the big screen by the likes of Michael Caine. Famous is the story of the plucky few who managed to defend an area of a few rustic buildings by a river crossing against "faaaaasands" of Zulu's.

Sadly though, few people actually know what Zulu meant or who they were. Not only that, few people know that Rorke's drift was a piece of manipulation by the powers that be at the time. For an idea of why, see Zulu Dawn which is about a battle at Isandlwana and the lead up to it. Essentially, a massive defeat of an army seen to have technological advantages over what were described at the time as "uncivilised barbarians" armed with spears and shields. Rorke's Drift occurred at the end of the battle on the same day, when some Zulu's broke away from their main force to attack it.

Embaressed by the poor leadership of British forces at Isandlwana, the defeat was minimised in newspapers of the time as focus was put on the victory against all odds at the drift. So our history tells us of a victory snatched from the jaws of defeat, rather than the resounding thumping that had really occurred that day.

That is why we need Black History Month, to focus on black players that have had a positive impact on our club. The likes of Justin Fashanu in a time when racism was more rife than today and to come out as gay was met with just as much hatred.

  • Like 2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
13 minutes ago, chicken said:

The answer is in the title... Black History Month.

"This year for black history month, we thought we'd switch it up a bit and throw in some curveballs. We'll start with Queen Victoria, then move through history and include the likes of Oswald Mosley."

Not sure what you're questioning really... White History Month is literally the rest of the year. 
 

Not seen anything about Black History Month until now, my bad, but there it is.  Strangely though, I don't think I've ever thought of Alex Tettey as being black, just as a very likeable and intelligent Norwegian guy.  Dion Dublin is as English as they come and Onel is Cuban to me and that's it.  That they are then highlighted because they are black is no problem, but there are glaring examples not in that list, Dale Gordon, Ben Godfrey, Leon Mckenzie - and they have black heritage, just not so black as others.....so where is the line drawn?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Racism is not defeated by middle aged white men saying that "I don't see colour". That view suggests that if that is the case, there is no problem as I have no problem.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

As many have said, it's most strange that Disco is not among the names. Came up through our youth system and was a massive part in some of our most successful seasons as a club. He was a bl00dy great player as well!

My mum and dad spoke to him at Norwich airport as he was leaving to go to Rangers. He said he didn't want to go but it was out of his hands.

"Skin 'im Dale!"

OTBC

Edited by Disco Dales Jockstrap

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
1 hour ago, The Bristol Nest said:

Racism is not defeated by middle aged white men saying that "I don't see colour". That view suggests that if that is the case, there is no problem as I have no problem.

That's true racism is clearly something that needs to be tackled, but there is a certain irony about being against racism and then picking a list of players based on their skin colour.  

Edited by Baracouda
  • Like 2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Two things I’ll add

> In my experience we’ve always had a very welcoming, inclusive fanbase. We are a nicey nicey club and that is ridiculed sometimes but discrimination is rare and if it does happen it’s shut out unbelievably quickly. I do genuinely believe we all want to come to the football and have a good time, this is good and should be always encouraged.

> The 10 guys highlighted are all great guys. We have a habit of attracting footballers who are just likeable people, this is a good thing and should be encouraged.

there’s literally no need to fight about this, why would you not celebrate good people?

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Stuff like this has the marvellous knack of triggering those who need to be triggered. Long may it last.

  • Like 2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
1 hour ago, Disco Dales Jockstrap said:

As many have said, it's most strange that Disco is not among the names. Came up through our youth system and was a massive part in some of our most successful seasons as a club. He was a bl00dy great player as well!

My mum and dad spoke to him at Norwich airport as he was leaving to go to Rangers. He said he didn't want to go but it was out of his hands.

"Skin 'im Dale!"

OTBC

Good reminder and memories. A Caister lad and a very exciting player. Linked to Man Utd at one time. 

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
1 hour ago, Baracouda said:

That's true racism is clearly something that needs to be tackled, but there is a certain irony about being against racism and then picking a list of players based on their skin colour.  

So celebrating Black History Month by not focusing on Black History? That's a bit like saying it's ironic that the 100m only has sprinters featuring in it... it isn't about being exclusive, it's about sharing that there is more than one version of history and as the motherland of a former Empire, it is usually the one written by those who are in power.

For Norfolk this is fairly important. Historically as a county, even as a region - East Anglia, literacy is something that until very recently, not everyone had access to. Therefore our records in terms of accuracy of versions of events were reliant upon those recording them. I'm almost 40 and I can remember parents of friends at school who could not read and write. Less common then than 50 years prior to that. I wonder how Kett would have been portrayed all of those years ago.

Now imagine the struggles of those who were subjected to segregation, prejudice and general ill treatment. Would they have even been written about much? Is it not better for us to have a better, rounded and global view of history than just what the Victorian aristocracy wanted us to know/think?

As for other notable players - perhaps we'll see more articles of this nature over the coming month?
 

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
6 minutes ago, chicken said:

Now imagine the struggles of those who were subjected to segregation, prejudice and general ill treatment. Would they have even been written about much? Is it not better for us to have a better, rounded and global view of history than just what the Victorian aristocracy wanted us to know/think?

I agree completely, however, we should remember we are not America there has been long held views of British people against racism check the "Battle of Bamber Bridge". Unfortunately not for everyone.

Whilst prejudice in all its forms clearly exists, I was merely pointing out the irony of selecting people based on a skin colour. Its unfortunate that there is no other method of referencing the subject, without referring to the colour of skin. Its a bit like the Americans, using the term "African-American" and those of European descent are just called "Americans".   

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
1 minute ago, Baracouda said:

I agree completely, however, we should remember we are not America there has been long held views of British people against racism check the "Battle of Bamber Bridge". Unfortunately not for everyone.

Whilst prejudice in all its forms clearly exists, I was merely pointing out the irony of selecting people based on a skin colour. Its unfortunate that there is no other method of referencing the subject, without referring to the colour of skin. Its a bit like the Americans, using the term "African-American" and those of European descent are just called "Americans".   

Though they also use "people of colour" and other terms like "Asian-Americans" and "Latin-Americans". Our histories are different, and we may well have different issues and to differing degrees, but it isn't the differences that is the focus of this, but ensuring those histories are heard too. As such, the club is ensuring that that those who are still prejudiced amongst our supporter base can see that we have "iconic" are reminded that there is Black History within our club too. 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
Sign in to follow this  

×
×
  • Create New...