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Preston’s first black footballer celebrated with statue

Posted on - 11th March, 2014 - 8:07pm | Author - | Posted in - Preston News, Preston North End

arthur wharton

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Celebrating England’s first black professional footballer, a statue will be erected at the National Football Centre in Burton-on-Trent.

Former Preston North End player Arthur Wharton will be commemorated in bronze by sculptor Vivien Mallock.

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The statue of the Ghana born football player was commissioned by the Darlington-based Arthur Wharton Foundation.

Born in the Gold Coast, now known as Ghana, in 1865, Arthur Wharton moved to County Durham in 1884 to train as a Methodist missionary. He later opted instead to become a full-time athlete.

His football career started as goal keeper at Darlington FC, before joining Preston North End as a semi professional.

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In 1887 he played against West Bromwich Albion in the FA Cup semi-final, a game they lost 3-1. He left Preston in 1888 to concentrate on running, and was not part of the team that subsequently won the Double in 1888-89.

Wharton was such a good player at Preston that one football writer suggested he could win an international cap for England.

He later went on to play for Rotherham Town (as a professional), Sheffield United and Stockport County during a career between 1886 and 1902.

Arthur was the first official 100-yard world record holder and world champion in 1886, as well as a professional cricketer, cycling champion and rugby player. In 1887 he set a record time for cycling between Preston and Blackburn.

Arthur Wharton died a penniless alcoholic in 1930 at Springhill House Sanatorium in Doncaster. In 2003, he was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame.

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The Athletic Journal from 29th October, 1887 said of Arthur: “Good judges say that if Wharton keeps goal for Preston North End in their English Cup tie the odds will be considerably lengthened against them. I am of the same opinion”

The Sheffield Telegraph and Independent quoted in 1942: “In a match between Rotherham and Sheffield Wednesday at Olive Grove I saw Wharton jump, take hold of the cross bar, catch the ball between his legs, and cause three onrushing forwards – Billy Ingham, Clinks Mumford and Micky Bennett – to fall into the net. I have never seen a similar save since and I have been watching football for over fifty years.”

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