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Post by roots1937 on May 17, 2021 21:56:06 GMT
Good evening, everyone. I have just joined to ask if anyone can help me with some research I'm doing. But first of all I'd like to wish you luck for your remaining games. Fingers crossed that all goes well for you.
I'm trying to establish who was the first black player to represent clubs up and down the country ('black' for my purposes includes anyone with one black parent, or even one black grandparent). Can anyone suggest who that might have been for Sutton?
Grateful for any help you can give.
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Post by medyel on May 19, 2021 9:43:40 GMT
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markf
Top Performer
Posts: 3,310
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Post by markf on May 19, 2021 10:30:28 GMT
Gavin joined Sutton for the 1973/4 season.
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Post by davep on May 19, 2021 11:44:57 GMT
I recall Tony White playing for Sutton in the early-mid 1970s. I think that he might have joined Sutton a year or so after Gavin Fraser. However, I believe that he played for Wimbledon prior to playing for Sutton and I think that he might have been their first black player.
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Post by roots1937 on May 19, 2021 16:39:50 GMT
I'm very grateful for your replies. Does anyone know anything about Gavin or remember seeing him play? I have found an article that seems to be about him: jerseyeveningpost.com/sport/2015/08/01/football-jrfc-link-to-boost-island-sport/The article does say he used to play for Sutton. Although he doesn't look very black in the photo there, in the link medyel posted, Gavin is sporting a very nice afro in that picture so I'm guessing he was of mixed heritage. I'd be very grateful for any more information about him. Where he played, how long he was with the club, that sort of thing, along with any personal memories of watching him. Good luck on Sunday!
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Post by medyel on May 19, 2021 18:40:06 GMT
My memories of Gavin was he was a very tidy midfielder, wearing the number 6 jersey in my memory, a bit like an early version of Gini Wijnaldum in today’s parlance. Scored a few - never a massively prolific scorer. Left sided, very useful man to have around. As the expert Mark F says, joined Sutton in 73/74 and was around for I’d say the best part of a decade, in a side very much in transition when he joined but building up to being Anglo Italian Cup winners with Gavin in the side by the end of the 70s. Good luck!
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markf
Top Performer
Posts: 3,310
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Post by markf on May 19, 2021 18:48:58 GMT
Gavin left Sutton after 73/4 for Wycombe but he went to university too and I don't think he played much before returning to Sutton. Think he represented British Universities.
He left to join Carshalton Athletic for the 1980/1 season in a swap deal with Graham Dennis.
A mate of mine was briefly in the youth team and he played in a practice match with Gavin on the other team. He said Gavin was just brilliant.
He was a very skilful and mobile player.
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Post by davethegrave on May 22, 2021 11:16:53 GMT
I recall Tony White playing for Sutton in the early-mid 1970s. I think that he might have joined Sutton a year or so after Gavin Fraser. However, I believe that he played for Wimbledon prior to playing for Sutton and I think that he might have been their first black player. I thought it was Chris White but I could be wrong.
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Post by davef on May 22, 2021 11:28:36 GMT
Definitely Tony White, ex West Ham.
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Post by roots1937 on May 24, 2021 9:42:27 GMT
Congratulations on yesterday's result and on a storming finish to the season.
I didn't want to say exactly why I am asking about your first black player in case I put a jinx on things but I am co-author of 'Football's Black Pioneers' a book that tells the story of the first black player for each of the Football League clubs. We will be drafting a new 'chapter' about Sutton now that you are in the League. Is the consensus that it was Gavin Fraser or has Tony White made a late bid for immortality?!
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Post by davef on May 24, 2021 9:53:48 GMT
Tony came after both Gavin and Junior Crooks
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markf
Top Performer
Posts: 3,310
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Post by markf on May 24, 2021 10:06:41 GMT
Congratulations on yesterday's result and on a storming finish to the season. I didn't want to say exactly why I am asking about your first black player in case I put a jinx on things but I am co-author of 'Football's Black Pioneers' a book that tells the story of the first black player for each of the Football League clubs. We will be drafting a new 'chapter' about Sutton now that you are in the League. Is the consensus that it was Gavin Fraser or has Tony White made a late bid for immortality?! I have sent a private message to you.
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Post by roots1937 on Oct 2, 2021 11:55:57 GMT
Good evening, everyone. I have just joined to ask if anyone can help me with some research I'm doing. But first of all I'd like to wish you luck for your remaining games. Fingers crossed that all goes well for you. I'm trying to establish who was the first black player to represent clubs up and down the country ('black' for my purposes includes anyone with one black parent, or even one black grandparent). Can anyone suggest who that might have been for Sutton? Grateful for any help you can give. Thanks to those of you who helped identify Sutton's first black player, particularly club historian, Mark Frake. As we enter Black History Month is seems appropriate to share the article I have written about Gavin Fraser. I'm never confident that links work so I've included the full 'address' of the article here: footballs-black-pioneers.com/sutton-united-first-black-player-gavin-fraser/link[OK, I seem to have failed with the link but if you copy and past the full 'https' address into your browser it should take you to the article.]
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trev
1st team skipper
In Matt We Trust
Posts: 2,477
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Post by trev on Oct 2, 2021 12:46:15 GMT
Thanks so much for sharing this article, I was particularly interested to read about Gavin's brother being Andy Fraser, the bassist responsible for composing Free's legendary rock anthem "All Right Now".
However, you will need to amend your intro, because whilst David Ajiboye was responsible for scoring our first ever goal at home in the football league, our first EFL scorer was Omar Bugiel, in our 2-1 away loss to Forest Green Rovers on Saturday 7 August.
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Post by roots1937 on Oct 2, 2021 16:16:22 GMT
Sorry, it is SO annoying when I make silly mistakes like that. I have amended the article, thank you very much for pointing it out.
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