YOUNG footballers from Darlington have visited the England team’s headquarters as part of celebrations of one of the town’s greatest ever sporting heroes.
A total of 36 boys who play for Darlington Young Bulls FC visited the Football Association’s National Football Centre in memory of Arthur Wharton, the world’s first professional black footballer who once kept goal for the Quakers.
Darlington Young Bulls FC have formed a partnership with the Arthur Wharton Foundation as a way of teaching the youngsters the value of diversity and respect.
The Young Bulls from the Under 10s to the Under 15 teams, visited the national centre, known as St George’s Fields, at Burton-on-Trent, as part of the build up to the 150th anniversary of goalkeeper Arthur Wharton’s birth.
They saw the Arthur Wharton statue at the centre, met Middlesbrough FC young players and were coached by Eric Steele who was at Manchester United working with Sir Alex Ferguson and brought David De Gea to the club.
“It was an inspiring day,” said Young Bulls chair, Anthony Lamb, who explained the teams wear the Arthur Wharton Foundation logo on their shirts.
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