Premier League players and figures from across football were recently recognised for their contribution to the game at the Football Black List awards, held at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium.
The Football Black List was founded in 2008 by Leon Mann MBE and Rodney Hinds to highlight leaders of African and Caribbean heritage working and volunteering across all areas of football.
It brings together leading lights from the whole industry at a celebration event sponsored by the Premier League for the ninth time running. This year’s was held at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium, with attendees including Yaya Toure, Ashley Cole and Lauren James, as well as Idris Elba, Chris Hughton, Wes Morgan, and a range of Premier League representatives.
See: When Idris Elba visited a PL Kicks session
The latest Black List features the likes of Arsenal’s Raheem Sterling, Aston Villa’s Tyrone Mings, Tottenham Hotspur’s Richarlison, Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo and Premier League Hall of Fame inductee Cole.
Speaking at the event, Premier League Independent Non-Executive Board member Matthew Ryder KC said: “The Premier League has supported this event for nine years now and we’re really committed to it. What it’s trying to achieve is fantastic. We’ve got to understand the importance of football to British culture but also the importance of the Black contribution to football.
“Part of what’s really great about the Black List is it celebrates the achievements not just of players, but those involved in other ways too. So people can see that the contribution we’re making to the game is not simply as fantastic performers on the pitch, but people who belong in clubs, doing things outside of the actual game itself to support the game and support the business.
“I think we need to promote that more, because that diversity will make the game grow and make the game more successful.”
See the 2024 Football Black List
Co-founder Mann said: “The Football Black List is a celebration of Black people working across the game. There’s under-representation that exists in the dugout, in the Boardroom and in different areas. What we try to do is amplify the brilliant people we have to show the pathways into the game, and also for people in Black communities to go: ‘Right, if I can see it, I can be it.’”
Fellow co-founder Hinds added: “When the Premier League started supporting us, I think a lot of people were incredulous; they couldn’t believe it was happening. It’s the biggest league in the world. Without that support, I don’t think we probably would have moved so quickly.”
