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CAN Shaun Campbell please explain why he is spending so much time and effort in trying to get a statue built at Darlington Football Club of a footballer than nobody but him cares about (Echo, May 3)?

Apparently Arthur Wharton became the world's first black pro footballer and played for Darlington in the 1880s.

I'm sure Mr Campbell is passionate about his campaign and believes Wharton opened doors for black footballers.

Clearly Wharton made his mark, but before we start raising his profile I can give you a list of at least 100 former Darlington players more worthy of a statue at the Arena.

What about Ron Greener (most appearances), David Brown (most goals in a season), Alan Walsh (most goals for the club) or Kevan Smith (played in three of our five promotionwinning teams)?

A Wharton statue would overshadow achievements of all of the above and give undue prominence to someone whose impact at Darlington minimal.

Manchester United have a Matt Busby statue, Liverpool have Bill Shankly, Middlesbrough have Wilf Mannion and George Hardwick and Stoke have Nat Lofthouse - all football legends. Why should Darlington be lumbered with a nonentity?

As his impact on the global game was significant, how about instead taking it somewhere like the National Football Museum in Preston (where Wharton also played)?

And at a cost of £80,000, I sincerely hope Darlington FC or Darlington Borough Council are not going to fund this absurd idea.

My concern is that nobody is going to put a stop to this for fear of being branded a racist.

Andy Armstrong, Prudhoe

9:18am Monday 12th May 2008

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