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An amazing talent who was ‘more than football’
JAMIE J recommends a biography of the first black man to play for England
LAURIE CUNNINGHAM was an exciting footballer. He was quick, technically superb, had outstanding fitness levels and a good goalscoring record. Matt Busby enthused about an “amazing talent” that reminded him of Pele, “with the same rhythm and movement, and the skill, grace and control.”
He rose to prominence as part of the West Bromwich Albion team that lit up English football in the late 1970s and became the first black professional footballer to play for England, making his debut for the under-21s in April 1977.
Cunningham went on to win six full international caps and became the first British player to sign for Real Madrid when they snapped him up for £950,000 in the summer of 1979.
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