As Wolves celebrates the club’s pioneering black players as part of the 150th anniversary this black History Month, Wolves Academy graduate Elliott Bennett believes the power of education is the best way to continue to bring people of all backgrounds together as one.
The former midfielder, who progressed through Wolves’ youth set-up before going on to make 600 professional appearances, many of those in the Premier League, returned to Wolverhampton during Black History Month as part of an upcoming Wolves Studios production which celebrates legendary black players who have donned the old gold and laid the foundation for those to follow in their footsteps.
During a break in filming, Bennett caught up with wolves.co.uk to reflect on his upbringing in the midlands with his brother and fellow professional Kyle, his experiences of being a black footballer and the importance of celebrating the contributions of black players throughout the club’s 150-year history, including 'originals' Don Gardner, Bob Hazell and George Berry.
On being part of Wolves’ 150th anniversary
“It’s a real honour and a privilege to be back here. Playing for Wolves in the academy was such a proud moment for me, and every time I pulled on the shirt, I wanted to give my best for the club because of everything it had done for me.
"And now to be invited back and be part of recognising this club’s amazing history is something I'm very proud of.
“When you look back at what some of those black players of the 1970s and 1980s achieved and what they had to overcome, it gives you a huge appreciation of their contribution.”
On his childhood in Telford
“Growing up was great. Me and my brother are quite close in age and we competed at everything. If football was happening, we'd be playing football, if the Olympics were on, we'd be outside creating our own events.
“We’d run around the park and call it the 400 metres, race from the bottom of the street to the top and call it the 100 metres, and during Wimbledon we’d be out there playing tennis over a box. We didn’t have loads, but we had a football and we just made the most of what we had. We were outside all the time playing sports and enjoying ourselves.
“Football was always the main passion. We used to go and watch our dad play Sunday League and semi-professional football and those are some of my best memories.”
On family influences
“My brother actually pushed me a lot because, to be honest, he was better than me for most of the time we were in the academy. We’ve always been competitive and when you’ve got a younger brother who’s doing really well, you naturally want to work harder and improve yourself.
“That sibling rivalry definitely drove me on, but it was my dad who was the first person I looked up to. He never played professionally, but he played semi-professional football and I loved going to his games.
“I can still remember sitting in the changing rooms before matches, smelling the Deep Heat and then going back to the clubhouse afterwards. Those are memories which have stayed with me.”
On not letting skin colour be a barrier
“There were times when it was harder and there were occasions when I experienced racism, but my dad was brilliant with me and my brother. He always told us that our skin might be different, but we’re no different from anybody else. He taught us to be good people, respect others and treat everyone properly.
“When I used to watch him play, he was often one of only a few black or mixed-race players in the team, but he got on with everyone and never saw it as a barrier.
“Because of the way he brought us up, I never looked at it as something that was going to stop me. I always believed that if you worked hard, respected people and did the right things, opportunities would come.”
On recognising Wolves’ black pioneers
“I think it's brilliant. Football today is much more diverse and that’s fantastic to see, but it’s important to remember the people who came before us and broke down those barriers. Being here with the club’s first black players, the first black goalscorers, the first black legends - these are the people who paved the way for future generations.
“Players like Carl Ikeme, Matt Murray and Joleon Lescott all came afterwards, but somebody had to be the first and those people were pioneers and it's important their contribution is recognised and celebrated.
“It must be an incredible source of pride for them to look back and see the impact they’ve had on so many players who followed.”
On need to still tackle racism in football today
“Education is the biggest thing. You’re never going to change everybody’s opinions, but it’s important that young people understand we’re all the same.
“My skin might be different to yours, but that doesn’t make either of us better or worse than the other. It’s about teaching people to look beyond someone’s skin colour, religion or background and judge people on who they are and how they treat others.
“Not every white person is the same, not every black person is the same and that’s true of every community. We need to keep breaking down those barriers and encourage people to see each other as individuals.
“If we can continue educating the younger generation and helping people understand one another better, that's how we make real progress.”
