Lindy Delapenha

Lloyd Lindbergh "Lindy" Delapenha (born May 25 1927 in Jamaica) was a football player. He was the first Jamaican to play professional football in England.cite web | url=http://www.furd.org/default.asp?intPageID=269 | title=Lloyd Delapenha | work=Football United, Racism Divides ]

Footballing career

After a phenomenal performance as a schoolboy athlete, taking part in 16 events over a one-and-a-half day period, he served with the British armed forces in the Middle East following World War II. During his service, an English football scout saw him playing football for the British army.cite news|url=http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/columns/html/20041128T190000-0500_70398_OBS_LINDY_DELAPENHA__JAMAICA_S_GREATEST_FOOTBALLER_IS_A_MAN_AHEAD_OF_HIS_TIME.asp |title=Lindy Delapenha: Jamaica's greatest footballer is a man ahead of his time |date=2004-11-28 |accessdate=2007-06-08 |publisher=The Jamaica Observer |last=Desmond |first=Allen]

This gained him a trial with Arsenal, but he did not sign for the club, and in April 1948 he joined Portsmouth. There, he became the first Jamaican to play professional football in England. Although it is claimed he was the first non-white player to appear in the English Football League First Division,cite web|url=http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/19991024/sports/s2.html |title=Delapenha: First non-white to play English Division 1 football |date=1999-10-24 |accessdate=2007-06-08 |publisher=Jamaica Gleaner] he was actually predated by several other non-white players, including Arthur Wharton, who played a First Division match for Sheffield United as far back as 1894-95. [cite web | url=http://www.furd.org/default.asp?intPageID=25 | title=Arthur Wharton | work=Football United, Racism Divides ]

He went on to win a league championship medal with Portsmouth in 1948. In April 1950, after a successful few years with Portsmouth, he transferred to Middlesbrough where his career took off. He played on the wing or inside-forward, and became Boro's leading scorer in the 1951-52, 1953-54 and 1955-56 seasons. In total he scored 93 league and FA Cup goals in 270 appearances.

He moved to Mansfield Town in June 1958, contributing 27 goals in 115 appearances over two years, before retiring from League football in 1960. [cite book|title=Middlesbrough, A Complete Record, 1876-1989 | publisher=Breedon Books Sport |last=Glapser |first=Harry |authorlink=Harry Glasper |isbn=0-907969-53-4]

After three years of non-league football, initially with Hereford United, he moved back to Jamaica.

Broadcasting career

Having returned home, Delapenha played cricket for a short time and represented Boys' Town at football, taking them from Division 3 up to Division 1. Soon after though, he became director of sports at the Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation.

At the JBC, he had various roles including co-ordinating coverage of cricket, the Commonwealth Games, and helped bring international football to Jamaica. He stayed there for 30 years before JBC was sold and his services were no longer required.

References