Jack Leslie joins football’s Hall of Fame

NEANDRA ETIENNE

What! After the scandals over human rights, including the deaths of migrant workers and exploitation issues, associated with the controversial World Cup in Qatar last year, which also involved a full FBI investigation into endemic corruption at FIFA, I couldn’t believe it. Football was tying itself once more to a country that courts controversy over fundamental rights.

Sometimes I wonder whether the sports supremos and politicians, who have newly charged themselves with overseeing our national sport, are even living on the same planet as the average football supporter on the streets.

Where are their ethics, morals and values? They continue to insist that we should trust the ‘New’ FIFA president. Why?

This is a man who was taking selfies next to my friend Pele’s open casket in Brazil with a wide grin on his face. While it has to be pointed out that Pele was not in the pictures, where was his sense of decency and decorum, and his respect for one of the most sombre moments in world football?

Yet we trusted him. So here we are, not three months later, listening to him brag about the billions in profits which the World Cup generated. Not one word of the foreign worker deaths.

So why should we be surprised that Saudi Arabia has been selected.

2022 was one of the bloodiest years on record in Saudi Arabia’s recent history. Investigations show that at least 147 people were executed in Saudi Arabia in 2022. Eighty one people were killed in one single day, in the Kingdom’s largest mass execution in

Investigations have found that fair trial violations and torture are endemic in death penalty cases, including the cases of child defendants. Saudi Arabia has a history of handing out the death penalty to minors.

One victim is Abdullah al-Howaiti, who was 14-years-old when he was arrested, tortured and forced to confess to a crime he could not have committed. He was still a minor when he was handed the death penalty.

At least 15 child defendants – those who committed ‘alleged’ crimes when they were minors – have been executed since 2013, despite Saudi Arabia announcing they were getting rid of the death penalty for those who committed crimes when they were minors.

So how will the media and the politicians respond to FIFA this time round? Rainbow laces anybody?

Finally, I would like to finish on a football matter, but this time as an ex-player, I would like to make an appeal to my fellow professionals playing today.

Chelsea’s shock loss at home to Southampton was overshadowed by an awful and totally unnecessary injury to the Chelsea player Cesar Azpilicueta. This happened when the Southampton Striker Sekou Mara attempted a bicycle kick in the most improbable of circumstances, in a crowded penalty area, rendering the Chelsea player immediately unconscious.

The players knew how serious it was on both teams and immediately called first aid, before the player was taken in a neck brace to hospital.

Some of the greatest goals by the

Canning Town footballer Jack Leslie, who was denied an England call-up in 1925 because of his black heritage, was posthumously inducted into the National Football Museum's Hall of Fame before the ‘No Room for Racism’ West Ham United home game against Chelsea on Saturday 11 February.

National Football Museum CEO Tim Desmond told Newham Voices: “In 2019 we re-launched the National Football Museum Hall of Fame to be more representative of those players who have acted as trailblazers for the modern game.

“We were very proud to induct the first ever black player to be called up to the England men’s team and for his story to become part of our country’s football heritage.

“It is so important that Jack is remembered both at Plymouth Argyle where he spent his playing life but also at West Ham United who employed him after his retirement.

“It is fair to say his career would have been very different today and he would have no doubt won many caps for England.

“All those years later he is being given the respect he is due by the clubs, the FA, the fans and I am very pleased to say the National Football Museum."

Mr Desmond presented the award to Jack’s family, alongside West Ham legend Sir Trevor Brooking and U16 Academy Coach for West Ham United and Club Ambassador Carlton Cole, the Jack Leslie Campaign team and Plymouth Argyle ambassador Ronnie Mauge.

Jack Leslie’s granddaughter Lyn said, “We think he would have been very proud, but also wonder what all the fuss was about for just doing his job and playing football.

“As a family we can’t believe all that has happened in the last few years and are so pleased that his story will carry on and hopefully it might inspire children to follow their dreams.”

Jack previously worked in the Hammers’ boot room in the 1960s and 1970s after being approached by their manager Ron Greenwood.

He worked with Bobby Moore, Sir Geoff Hurst, Martin Peters, Sir Trevor Brooking and Billy Bonds before retiring at the age of 82.

West Ham commissioned a bronze maquette by sculptor Andy Edwards. A statue was unveiled outside Plymouth Argyle stadium in October 2022 by the Jack Leslie Campaign. His Newham Heritage plaque was placed at his former Canning Town home in 2021. www.jackleslie.co.uk