Does anyone know how close this is to happening? Didn't realise a lot of the stuff he'd done after retiring, very impressive guy all around. Written a piece connected to it here anyway and questioning how much success the likes of Kick It out etc have had in getting racism out of the game ...
http://blog.oddslife.com/2012/11/the-first-black-chairman-tackling-racism-in-football/
Comments
Bye bye TJ and thanks for everything.
Aaaaargh!
I don't know Sam - seeing as you wrote the article in the first place, then you tell us!!
I don't know Sam - seeing as you wrote the article in the first place, then you tell us!!
Wasn't able to find any further information despite researching it, this being probably the main charlton forum I thought someone may have some insider info of some sort, apparently not...
well we already have 1 huge thread on this, thought of trying that ?
well we already have 1 huge thread on this, thought of trying that ?
I did not
I think it would be more shocking if someone was made a chairman of a club just because of their colour rather than what they can add to the club.
FWIW, I think Paul Elliott would be great for our club because of who he is, what skills he can bring and not what colour he is!
Ring Peter Herbert, he'll definately have an opinion.
No matter how much rubbish idiots like herbert of the Black Lawyers Assoc and the BNP spout about racism to further their own agendas racism is still there.
Its not the role of any one group or race to combat racism or any other discrimination.
It all of us. We should all be standing up to racism from where ever it comes from be we white or black or if the racism isa coming from white or black.
"The mistake is that we thought we'd finished with it," he says. "You can't ever think that. It's not strictly just football's problem. We know it was part of football in the bad old days but it's a problem that emanates from society.
"I look at football as a game, it should be available to anyone regardless of where they're from. You should be free to go and sit in a stadium and watch the game, support your team regardless of people thinking you shouldn't be here because of the colour of your skin. I'm loath to talk about it. I shouldn't be talking about it in 2012, I should be talking about football."
But, surely back in his playing days - Powell made his debut with Crystal Palace in 1987 - it was a more a case of fans' abuse of black players rather than players abusing each other as they are this season.
"Oh, there was," he sighs. "Don't be fooled by that, without a doubt there was. We all knew it was happening, both from the terraces and between the players. Nothing was done.
"Don't kid yourself it didn't happen. Back in the 70s, 80s, 90s, nothing was reported because nothing was happening with the authorities. So player-to-player abuse was almost, sadly, accepted in those days. You got on with it but the players fought their corner."
So was he racially abused by other players? He looks at me in some surprise and says: "Come on, what do you think? I don't want to talk about then. I want to talk about now. I want players to feel comfortable playing and feel free to report if things happen. That's what we're seeing. People won't accept it these days. It's being dealt with now regardless of how long it's taken. In days gone by we wouldn't even be talking about it."
6 April 2011
Chris Powell insists FA is encouraging black managers
Charlton Athletic boss Chris Powell believes the Football Association is doing nothing wrong in its approach to encouraging black managers.
Powell, currently the only black manager in the Football League, dismissed criticism of the FA over the perceived failing.
He told BBC Radio Kent: "People will always look for someone to blame.
"I've come through courses run in conjunction with the FA, but I stillfeel it's up to the individual."
He added: "The FA obviously wants more players of ethnic backgrounds to apply for jobs but it will taketime.
"I obviously recognise the importance of my role, but I don't think you can always blame governing bodies - I think it's always quite easy to do that."
The issue has been in the news following the departure of Paul Ince from Notts County last week.
The fact that Powell is now the only black boss left in the Football League led the Sports Minister Hugh Robertson to say it was "further proof that football is the worst governed sport in this country".
The chief executiveof the Professional Footballers' Association, Gordon Taylor, has suggested thata possible solution would be to introduce a new regulation modelled on the American National Football League's "Rooney Rule" (named after Pittsburgh Steelers owner Dan Rooney), which requires all teams to include at least one ethnic minority candidate in interviews for senior management posts.
But Powell said it was up to individuals to push themselves forward for the top jobs.