In Sheffield United folklore, several goalkeepers are remembered. Some for their heroic endeavours on the pitch, some for their eccentric nature, and some for their weight in the case of William ‘Fatty’ Foulke.
One former stopper, however, will always be remembered for being the first Black professional footballer in the world.
Arthur Wharton was born in Accra and moved to England to train as a Methodist preacher. He settled in Darlington, and it was in the North East that he began to realise the true extent of his sporting talents. In 1886, he won the Amateur Athletics Association 100-yard race and established himself as the fastest man in Britain. A year later, he set a record time for cycling between Preston and Blackburn.
However, football was Wharton’s true calling and he entered the professional game with Darlington. He went on to represent some of England’s most reputable clubs at the time, including Preston North End and Sheffield United.
He overcame the sneers and taunts of racist naysayers to carve out a career in professional football, and also took up professional running between his spells with Darlington and Rotherham.
As well as his bravery and footballing prowess, Wharton is fondly remembered for his eccentricity. He was known to regularly crouch beside the post, before leaping into position when a shot was taken. One supporter of Sheffield Wednesday even recalled that he once grabbed hold of the crossbar and caught the ball between his legs, causing three forwards to fall into the net by doing so.
Such was the extent of his sporting talent, Wharton was offered a role in cricket coaching in 1914. He continued playing cricket and running long into his retirement, before passing away in 1930.
Wharton helped to pave the way for Black footballers to enter the professional game, and will always be remembered fondly by the sport he overcame such fierce adversity to play.
