- Lindy Delapenha
Lloyd Lindbergh "Lindy" Delapenha (born
May 25 1927 inJamaica ) was a football player. He was the first Jamaican to play professional football inEngland .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 theMiddle East followingWorld 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 EnglishFootball 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, includingArthur 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 theJamaica 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
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.