Black Flash: Laurie Cunningham remembered
Amazing what a quick search of the net can do.
News of this reached me today - via this Polish website oddly - that a biopic will be made about Laurie Cunningham.
I never saw Cunningham play and know little about him - apart from anecdotal musings of his former team-mates/manager, fans of a certain age (ie, older than me) and from my colleagues who covered Albion back in the day.
He was the first black player to pull on an England jersey. With a football he was a magician - an athlete, whose grace could easily have been drawn from ballet.
By all accounts he was one of the most gifted players to pull on the blue-and-white stripes.
The biopic will be called Black Flash and produced by Kwame Kwei-Armah, who was nominated in 2005 for the TV BAFTA for Elmina's Kitchen.
In the meantime, this 15-minute film is worth a watch. If, like me, you're too young to remember this then enjoy. If you were fortunate enough to see him play then enjoy the memories.
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Chris Lepkowski - Mail man Chris LepkowskiâÂÂs view of whatâÂÂs going on at West Bromwich Albion FC.
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Viv Anderson was the first black England player
Tony, Laurie Cunningham was the first Black player to represent England. He did so at 'B' level, as it was then (a sort of reserve England side).
Anderson was the first Black player to win a full cap.
Tony, Laurie Cunningham was the first black player to represent England. Viv Anderson was the first to be capped at senior level.
It was a travesty that Laurie and Cyrille didn't play for England more than the patheticly few times they did, and it does make you wonder if there was a hidden agenda somewhere back then.
I have no doubt they would walk into the side today and be a joy to watch.
Hi Chris,
I was privileged to have watched The Great Man Play Many, Many Times.
I was at Old Trafford to witness The Famous 3-5, I was also fortunate enough to see him "Reign In Spain" the night when he made the Newly Crowned King Of The World Cup - Argentina's Mario Kempes Look Ordinary.
Looking back it was a great pity that Laurie didn't have an Off Night in that game (although that Very, Very rarely happened)
If he had, it would of meant no bid from Real(I am sure we would All of prefered to of kept Laurie, than have a New Stand)
He would of course of followed Big Ron to Man U along with Robbo and Remi, but at least he would still be around to Reminicise our Halycon Days and the Faboulous
"Three Degrees".
God Bless You Laurie and Thank You For All The Joy You Bought Us.
R.I.P.
I grew up idolising Laurie, and to a lesser extent Brendon and Cyrille. I even played on the wing like Laurie for my school teams.
Such a sad loss for an underated talent. I didn't get to meet Laurie, but when I became a journalist I was blessed enough to hear from Brendon & Cyrille first-hand on what a treasure Laurie was. RIP