|
|
|
Viv
Anderson |
Nottingham Forest FC, Arsenal FC, Manchester United FC
30 appearances, 2 goals
P 30 W 16 D 9 L 5 F
49:
A 14
68% successful
1978-88
disciplined: none
captain: none
minutes played: 1350
|
|
 |
|
Profile |
|
Full name |
Vivian
Alexander Anderson MBE |
|
Born |
29 July 1956 in Clifton, Nottingham,
Nottinghamshire [registered in Nottingham,
September 1956].
Attended Greencroft Middle School and Fairham
Comprehensive, Clifton |
|
Source |
Some sources, like is own
autobiography, state 29 July.
The PFA states 29 August 1956. Another source, Football Unites, Racism Divides states 29
November. Viv himself, personally stated, says he was born on 29 July
1956. |
|
Married |
to Debra
E. Tassi [registered in Rushcliffe, Nottinghamshire] |
|
Height/Weight |
5' 11", 10 st
4lbs [1983] |
|
Source |
Douglas Lammings' An
English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990]. |
|
Biographies |
Viv Anderson - Andrew Longmore.
[Heinemann Kingswood, London: 31 October 1988] |
| |
Covers the
distinguished career from 1974 of the England international right-back
during his playing days with Nottingham Forest and Arsenal before his 1987
move to Manchester United. This publication pre-dates his time with
Sheffield Wednesday and subsequent move into management.
-
A Football Compendium, Peter J. Seddon (1999). |
| |
First Among
Unequals - Lynton Guest.
[FullBack Media: 12 April 2010] |
|
Club Career |
,%20Viv.jpg) |
Club(s): Played
schoolboy football in Nottingham before joining Nottingham Forest FC as an
apprentice, turning professional in August 1974. He
played in 328 league matches, scoring fifteen times. Joined Arsenal FC
in July 1984 for £275,000 and featured in
another 120 league appearances, scoring nine. Joined Manchester United FC as Alex
Ferguson's first signing in May 1987 for a tribunal-set fee of £250,000,
going on to play in 54 league matches, scoring
three.
Anderson left on a free transfer, joining Sheffield Wednesday FC in January 1991,
playing another 70 league matches, scoring eight.
He joined Barnsley FC in June 1993 in the role of player-manager,
playing twenty league matches, scoring three.
Played for Middlesbrough FC in 1994-95. Played
twice in the league, then retired from playing at the
end of the season. |
|
Club honours |
Football League
Cup winner 1977-78, 1986-87, runners-up 1979-80, 1992-93; Football
League Champions 1977-78; European Challenge Cup winner
1978-79, 1979-80; UEFA Super Cup winner 1980; FA Cup
runners-up 1992-93; |
|
Individual honours |
PFA Division
One Team of the Year 1978-79, 1979-80, 1986-87; Awarded the
MBE 31 December 1999. Inducted into the
National Hall of Fame 2004.
One of 100 great black Britons.
Ballon
d'Or =sixteenth 1980; |
|
Distinctions |
None |
|
Source |
Barry J. Hugman's PFA
Yearbook [1995]. |
|
Management Career |
,%20Viv.jpg) |
Club(s): Became the
player-manager of Barnsley FC in June 1993. Resigned from his post
less than a year later after narrowly missing out on relegation. Joined Middlesbrough FC as Bryan Robson's assistant, still registered as a
player, and did so twice in the 1994-95 promotion winning season.
Left the club in June 2001. |
|
England Career |
|
Player number |
936th player to
appear for England. |
|
BME number |
The First BME player at
Senior level. |
|
Position(s) |
Right-back. |
|
First match |
No. 526, 29 November 1978, England 1 Czechoslovakia 0, a friendly match at Wembley Stadium, London, aged 22
years 123 days. |
|
Last match |
No. 634, 24 May 1988, England 1 Colombia 1, a
Rous Cup match at Wembley Stadium, London, aged 31 years 300 days. |
|
Major tournaments |
World Cup
Finals 1982, 1986; European Championship 1980, 1988;
British Championship 1980-81, 1981-82, 1983-84; |
|
Team honours |
British
Championship winners 1981-82; |
|
Individual honours |
England B
(seven appearances, two goals), England U21 (one appearance). |
|
Distinctions |
First BME
player to appear for the England senior team.
most appearanced BME player
between May 1981 and October 1983. |
|
Beyond England |
|
Whilst playing at
Manchester Utd, the club he has supported since being a child, he was
introduced to sports events company, North West Events. The biggest
independent dealer of corporate hospitality at Old Trafford, as well as
for other venues including the Manchester Arena, Viv works from their
offices in Altrincham, attends matchdays in the corporate boxes and also
commentates for MUTV. He has also been a sports consultant and helped
deliver training camps in Dubai for touring teams and helped set up their
Soccer Academy. - Sportsworksuk.com |
|
Viv Anderson - Career Statistics |
| Squads |
Apps |
comp. apps |
Starts |
Sub on |
Sub off |
Mins. |
Goals |
goals ave.min |
comp. goals |
Capt. |
Disc. |
|
50+ |
30 |
19 |
30 |
0 |
0 |
2700 |
2 |
1350 min |
2 |
none |
none |
|
minutes are an approximation, due to the fact that many matches rarely stick to exactly ninety minutes long, allowing time for injuries and errors. |
|
Viv Anderson
- Match Record - All Matches |
|
Type |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
GD |
FTS
|
CS |
FAv |
AAv |
Pts% |
W/L |
|
Home |
12 |
8 |
3 |
1 |
20 |
3 |
+17 |
3 |
9 |
1.667 |
0.083 |
79.2 |
+7 |
|
Away |
16 |
6 |
6 |
4 |
24 |
10 |
+14 |
7 |
9 |
1.50 |
0.625 |
56.3 |
+2 |
|
Neutral |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
1 |
+4 |
0 |
1 |
2.50 |
0.50 |
100.0 |
+2 |
| All |
30 |
16 |
9 |
5 |
49 |
14 |
+35 |
10 |
19 |
1.633 |
0.467 |
68.3 |
+11 |
|
Viv Anderson
- Match Record - By Type of Match |
|
Type |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
GD |
FTS |
CS |
FAv |
AAv |
Pts% |
W/L |
|
WCP
|
6 |
3 |
3 |
0 |
14 |
1 |
+13 |
2 |
5 |
2.333 |
0.167 |
75.0 |
+3 |
|
WCF |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
=0 |
0 |
0 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
=0 |
| World Cup |
6 |
3 |
3 |
0 |
14 |
1 |
+13 |
2 |
5 |
2.333 |
0.167 |
75.0 |
+3 |
|
ECP
|
5 |
4 |
1 |
0 |
9 |
0 |
+9 |
1 |
5 |
1.80 |
0.00 |
90.0 |
+4 |
|
ECF |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
+1 |
0 |
0 |
2.00 |
1.00 |
100.0 |
+1 |
| European
Championship |
6 |
5 |
1 |
0 |
11 |
1 |
+10 |
1 |
5 |
1.833 |
0.167 |
91.7 |
+5 |
|
British Championship |
4 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
5 |
1 |
+4 |
2 |
3 |
1.25 |
0.25 |
78.1 |
+1 |
|
Rous Cup |
2 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
-1 |
1 |
0 |
0.50 |
1.00 |
25.0 |
-1 |
| Minor
Tournament/Cup |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
-1 |
1 |
0 |
0.00 |
1.00 |
0.00 |
-1 |
| Friendly |
11 |
6 |
3 |
2 |
18 |
8 |
+10 |
3 |
6 |
1.636 |
0.727 |
68.2 |
+4 |
| All |
30 |
16 |
9 |
5 |
49 |
14 |
+35 |
10 |
19 |
1.633 |
0.467 |
68.3 |
+11 |
|
Viv Anderson
- Match Record - Tournament Matches |
|
World Cup Preliminary Competition |
|
Type |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
GD |
FTS |
CS |
FAv |
AAv |
Pts% |
W/L |
|
WCP 1980-82 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
4 |
0 |
+4 |
1 |
2 |
2.00 |
0.00 |
75.0 |
+1 |
|
WCP 1984-86 |
4 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
10 |
1 |
+9 |
1 |
3 |
2.50 |
0.25 |
75.0 |
+2 |
|
WCP All |
6 |
3 |
3 |
0 |
14 |
1 |
+13 |
2 |
5 |
2.333 |
0.167 |
75.0 |
+3 |
|
World Cup Final Tournament |
|
Type |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
GD |
FTS |
CS |
FAv |
AAv |
Pts% |
W/L |
|
WCF 1982 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
=0 |
0 |
0 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
=0 |
|
WCF 1986 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
=0 |
0 |
0 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
=0 |
|
WCF All |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
=0 |
0 |
0 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
=0 |
|
World Cup |
|
Type |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
GD |
FTS |
CS |
FAv |
AAv |
Pts% |
W/L |
|
WC 1980-82 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
4 |
0 |
+4 |
1 |
2 |
2.00 |
0.00 |
75.0 |
+1 |
|
WC 1982-86 |
4 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
10 |
1 |
+9 |
1 |
3 |
2.50 |
0.25 |
75.0 |
+2 |
|
WC All |
6 |
3 |
3 |
0 |
14 |
1 |
+13 |
2 |
5 |
2.333 |
0.167 |
75.0 |
+3 |
|
European Championship Preliminary Competition |
|
Type |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
GD |
FTS |
CS |
FAv |
AAv |
Pts% |
W/L |
|
ECP 1978-80 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
+2 |
0 |
1 |
2.00 |
0.00 |
100.0 |
+1 |
|
ECP 1986-88 |
4 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
7 |
0 |
+7 |
1 |
4 |
1.75 |
0.00 |
87.5 |
+3 |
|
ECP All |
5 |
4 |
1 |
0 |
9 |
0 |
+9 |
1 |
5 |
1.80 |
0.00 |
90.0 |
+4 |
|
European Championship Final Tournament |
|
Type |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
GD |
FTS |
CS |
FAv |
AAv |
Pts% |
W/L |
|
ECF 1980 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
+1 |
0 |
0 |
2.00 |
1.00 |
100.0 |
+1 |
|
ECF 1988 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
=0 |
0 |
0 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
00.0 |
=0 |
|
ECF All |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
+1 |
0 |
0 |
2.00 |
1.00 |
100.0 |
+1 |
|
European Championship |
|
Type |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
GD |
FTS |
CS |
FAv |
AAv |
Pts% |
W/L |
|
EC 1978-80 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
1 |
+3 |
0 |
1 |
2.00 |
0.50 |
100.0 |
+2 |
|
EC 1986-88 |
4 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
7 |
0 |
+7 |
1 |
4 |
1.75 |
0.00 |
87.5 |
+3 |
|
EC All |
6 |
5 |
1 |
0 |
11 |
1 |
+10 |
1 |
5 |
1.833 |
0.167 |
91.7 |
+5 |
|
British Championship Competition |
|
Type |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
GD |
FTS |
CS |
FAv |
AAv |
Pts% |
W/L |
|
BC 1980-81 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
-1 |
2 |
1 |
0.00 |
0.50 |
50.0 |
-1 |
|
BC 1981-82 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
0 |
+4 |
0 |
1 |
4.00 |
0.00 |
100.0 |
+1 |
|
BC 1983-84 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
+1 |
0 |
1 |
1.00 |
0.00 |
100.0 |
+1 |
|
BC All |
4 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
5 |
1 |
+4 |
2 |
3 |
1.25 |
0.25 |
78.1 |
+1 |
|
Rous Cup Tournaments |
|
Type |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
GD |
FTS |
CS |
FAv |
AAv |
Pts% |
W/L |
|
RC 1984-85 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
-1 |
1 |
0 |
0.00 |
1.00 |
0.00 |
-1 |
|
RC 1987-88 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
=0 |
0 |
0 |
1.00 |
1.00 |
50.0 |
=0 |
|
RC All |
2 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
-1 |
1 |
0 |
0.50 |
1.00 |
25.0 |
-1 |
|
Minor Competition |
|
Type |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
GD |
FTS |
CS |
FAv |
AAv |
Pts% |
W/L |
| Azteca 1985 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
-1 |
1 |
0 |
0.00 |
1.00 |
0.00 |
-1 |
| TC All |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
-1 |
1 |
0 |
0.00 |
1.00 |
0.00 |
-1 |
|
All Competition |
|
Type |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
GD |
FTS |
CS |
FAv |
AAv |
Pts% |
W/L |
|
WC |
6 |
3 |
3 |
0 |
14 |
1 |
+13 |
2 |
5 |
2.333 |
0.167 |
75.0 |
+3 |
|
EC |
6 |
5 |
1 |
0 |
11 |
1 |
+10 |
1 |
5 |
1.833 |
0.167 |
91.7 |
+5 |
|
BC |
4 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
5 |
1 |
+4 |
2 |
3 |
1.25 |
0.25 |
78.1 |
+1 |
|
RC |
2 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
-1 |
1 |
0 |
0.50 |
1.00 |
25.0 |
-1 |
| TC |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
-1 |
1 |
0 |
0.00 |
1.00 |
0.00 |
-1 |
| All |
19 |
10 |
6 |
3 |
31 |
6 |
+25 |
7 |
13 |
1.632 |
0.316 |
68.4 |
+7 |
|
Viv Anderson
- Match History |
|
Club:
Nottingham Forest F.C. - 11 full appearances |
manager: Ron Greenwood - 10
full capsx
|
|
|
Age 21 |
|
1 |
b |
30 May 1978 - Malaysia A 1 England 1,
Merdeka Stadium, Kuala Lumpur |
tour |
AD |
Start |
2 |
|
2 |
b |
7 June 1978 - New Zealand A 0 England 4,
Christchurch |
AW |
Start |
2 |
|
3 |
b |
11 June 1978 - New Zealand A 1 England 3,
Wellington |
AW |
Start
 |
2 |
|
4 |
b |
14 June 1978 - New Zealand A 0 England 4,
Auckland |
AW |
Start |
2 |
|
5 |
b |
18 June 1978 - Singapore A 0 England 8,
National Stadium, Singapore City |
AW |
Start
|
2 |
|
Age 22 |
|
1 |
526 |
29 November 1978 -
England 1
Czechoslovakia
0,
Wembley
Stadium, Wembley |
Fr |
HW |
Start |
2 |
|
2 |
532 |
10 June 1979 -
Sweden
0 England 0,
Råsunda Fotbollstadion, Solna |
Fr |
AD |
Start |
2 |
|
6 |
b |
12 June 1979
- Austria
0
England 1, Klagenfurt
- abandoned
after 60 mins |
Fr
Aab |
Start |
2 |
|
Age 23 |
|
3 |
536 |
22 November 1979 -
England 2
Bulgaria
0,
Wembley
Stadium, Wembley |
ECP |
HW |
Start |
2 |
|
7 |
b |
26 March 1980 - England 1 Spain 0, Roker Park, Sunderland |
Fr |
HW |
Start |
2 |
|
- |
544 |
12 June 1980 -
Belgium
1
England 1,
Stadio Comunale di Torino, Torino |
ECF |
ND |
squad member |
12 |
|
- |
545 |
15 June 1980 - England 0 Italy
1,
Stadio Comunale di Torino, Torino |
AL |
|
4 |
546 |
18 June 1980 -
Spain
1
England 2,
Stadio San Paolo, Napoli |
NW |
Start |
12 |
|
Age 24 |
|
5 |
547 |
10 September 1980 -
England 4
Norway 0,
Wembley
Stadium, Wembley |
WCP |
HW |
Start |
2 |
|
6 |
551 |
29 April 1981 -
England 0 Romania
0, Wembley Stadium, Wembley |
WCP |
HD |
Start |
2 |
|
7 |
553 |
20 May 1981 - England 0
Wales
0,
Wembley
Stadium, Wembley |
BC |
HD |
Start |
2 |
|
8 |
554 |
23 May 1981 -
England 0
Scotland
1,
Wembley
Stadium, Wembley |
HL |
Start |
2 |
|
Age 25 |
|
9 |
558 |
23 February 1982 - England 4
Northern
Ireland 0,
Wembley
Stadium, Wembley |
BC |
HW |
Start |
2 |
|
10 |
563 |
2 June 1982 - Iceland
1 England 1,
Laugardalsvöllur,
Reykjavík |
Fr |
AD |
Start |
2 |
|
- |
564 |
16 June 1982
-
England 3 France
1,
Estadio San Mamés, Bilbao |
WCF |
NW |
squad member |
2 |
|
- |
565 |
20 June 1982 -
England 2
Czechoslovakia
0,
Estadio San Mamés, Bilbao |
NW |
|
- |
566 |
25 June 1982 -
England 1 Kuwait
0, Estadio San Mamés, Bilbao |
NW |
|
- |
567 |
29 June 1982 -
England 0
West Germany
0,
Estadio Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid |
ND |
|
- |
568 |
5 July 1982 -
England 0 Spain 0,
Estadio Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid |
AD |
|
x |
manager: Bobby Robson - 20
full capsx
|
|
|
Age 27 |
|
11 |
586 |
4 April 1984 - England 1
Northern
Ireland 0,
Wembley
Stadium, Wembley |
BC |
HW |
Start |
2 |
|
Club: Arsenal F.C. - 16 full appearances |
x |
|
|
Age 28 |
|
12 |
595 |
14 November 1984 -
Turkey
0
England 8,
Inönü Stadyumu, Ístanbul |
WCP |
AW |
Start
86 |
2 |
|
13 |
596 |
27 February 1985 -
Northern
Ireland 0
England 1,
Windsor Park, Belfast |
AW |
Start |
2 |
|
14 |
597 |
26 March 1985 -
England 2
Republic
of Ireland
1,
Wembley
Stadium, Wembley |
Fr |
HW |
Start |
2 |
|
15 |
598 |
1 May 1985 -
Romania
0
England 0,
Stadionul
23 August, Bucureşti |
WCP |
AD |
Start |
2 |
|
16 |
599 |
22 May 1985 -
Finland
1
England 1,
Olympiastadion,
Helsinki |
AD |
Start |
2 |
|
17 |
600 |
25 May 1985 -
Scotland
1
England 0,
Hampden
Park, Glasgow |
RC |
AL |
Start |
2 |
|
- |
601 |
6 June 1985
-
Italy 2
England 1,
Estadio Azteca, Ciudad de México |
TC |
NL |
unused |
- |
|
18 |
602 |
9 June 1985
-
Mexico
1
England 0,
Estadio Azteca, Ciudad de México |
AL |
Start |
2 |
|
- |
603 |
12 June 1985
- England 3
West
Germany
0,
Estadio Azteca, Ciudad de México |
NW |
unused |
- |
|
19 |
604 |
16 June 1985
-
United States 0
England 5,
LA Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles |
Fr |
AW |
Start |
2 |
|
Age 29 |
|
20 |
610 |
26 March 1986 -
USSR
0
England 1,
Dinamo Stadion, Tbilisi |
Fr |
AW |
Start |
2 |
|
21 |
612 |
17 May 1986 -
Mexico
0
England 3,
LA Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles |
Fr |
NW |
Start |
2 |
|
- |
613 |
24 May
1986 -
Canada
0 England 1,
Swangard Stadium, Burnaby, BC |
Fr |
AW |
squad member |
|
- |
614 |
3 June 1986 -
Portugal 1 England 0,
Estadio Tecnologico, Monterrey |
WCF |
NL |
squad member |
12 |
|
- |
615 |
6
June 1986 - England 0 Morocco 0,
Estadio Tecnologico, Monterrey |
NL |
|
- |
616 |
11 June 1986 -
England 3 Poland 0,
Estadio Universitario de Nuevo León, Monterrey |
NW |
|
- |
617 |
18 June 1986 -
England 3 Paraguay 0,
Estadio Azteca, Ciudad de México |
NW |
|
- |
618 |
22 June 1986 -
Argentina 2 England 1,
Estadio Azteca, Ciudad de México |
NL |
|
Age
30 |
|
22 |
619 |
10 September 1986 - Sweden
1
England
0,
Råsunda Fotbollstadion, Solna |
Fr |
AL |
Start |
2 |
|
23 |
620 |
15 October 1986 -
England 3
Northern
Ireland 0,
Wembley
Stadium, Wembley |
ECP |
HW |
Start |
2 |
|
24 |
621 |
12 November 1986 -
England 2
Yugoslavia
0,
Wembley
Stadium, Wembley |
HW |
Start
57 |
2 |
|
25 |
622 |
18 February 1987 -
Spain
2 England 4,
Estadio Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid |
Fr |
AW |
Start |
2 |
|
26 |
623 |
1 April 1987 -
Northern
Ireland 0
England 2,
Windsor Park, Belfast |
ECP |
AW |
Start |
2 |
|
27 |
624 |
29 April 1987 -
Turkey
0
England 0,
Atatürk
Stadyumu, İzmir |
AD |
Start |
2 |
|
|
|
Age 31 |
|
28 |
627 |
9 September 1987 - West
Germany 3
England
1,
Rheinstadion,
Düsseldorf |
Fr |
AL |
Start |
2 |
|
29 |
632 |
27 April 1988 - Hungary
0
England 0,
Népstadion,
Budapest |
Fr |
AD |
Start |
2 |
|
- |
633 |
21 May 1988 -
England 1
Scotland
0,
Wembley
Stadium, Wembley |
RC |
HW |
squad member |
|
30 |
634 |
24 May 1988 -
England 1
Colombia
1, Wembley
Stadium, Wembley |
HD |
Start |
2 |
|
- |
635 |
28 May 1988 - Switzerland
0
England 1,
Stade Olympique de la Pontaise, Lausanne |
Fr |
AW |
squad member |
|
- |
636 |
12 June 1988 -
England 0
Republic
of Ireland 1,
Neckarstadion, Stuttgart |
ECF |
NL |
squad member |
14 |
|
- |
637 |
15 June 1988 - England 1 Netherlands
3, Rheinstadion, Düsseldorf |
NL |
|
- |
638 |
18 June 1988 -
England 1
USSR
3, Waldstadion, Frankfurt |
NL |
Notes
,%20Viv.jpg) History was made on an icy
cold, dank Wembley evening [in November 1978].
Viv
Anderson, then a key part of Brian Clough's newly promoted Nottingham Forest
side that was taking the top flight by storm, was selected at right-back by
manager Ron Greenwood for England's friendly against reigning European
champions Czechoslovakia at Wembley Stadium.
Nowadays, the colour of a
player's skin doesn't warrant so much as a passing mention in the media, but
in 1978, at a time when black players were routinely abused from the terraces,
Anderson's appearance grabbed the headlines.
And while the game itself was a
tepid affair, the then 22-year-old was inadvertently blazing a trail in which
the likes of John Barnes, Ian Wright and Paul Ince, England's first black
captain, would follow.
"The game itself was fairly
non-eventful" Anderson recalls. "It was a cold evening and I remember one
half of the pitch was soft, the other was hard - nothing like the green baize
you see at Wembley these days. We had to change boots at half-time.
Fortunately I had a hand in the goal and we won 1-0."
If the game itself was nothing
special, Anderson was acutely aware of its wider significance. "Of course I
was, because it was a big thing at the time. There were no black faces on the
football field.
"Ok, there was Brendan Batson -
and Clyde Best before him - but that was it. And to be the first black player
to don an England shirt in a full international, I can see why people made a
bit of a fuss."
Anderson, who was Bryan
Robson's assistant-manager at Boro from 1994-2001, cites Trevor Brooking and
captain Kevin Keegan as being instrumental in helping him prepare mentally for
the occasion. "They were the big players at the time and it was good to have
them on hand to pass on some of their knowledge and experience.
,%20Viv.jpg) "I
remember Bob Latchford telling me that I'd remember the night forever. He was
right."
And it wasn't just fellow pros
who showed their support, as the England faithful made their voices heard too.
"It
was a very positive reaction from the terraces. To them, it was all about the
football." Anderson went on to play 30 times for England, being selected
for two World Cup squads.
Thirty years later and
England's....game against Germany in Berlin [2007] saw seven black players
make an appearance.
He urges those currently on the
fringes of the squad to be persistent in waiting for their break.
"The likes of (Ashley) Young
and (Gabriel) Abonglahor are talented individuals whose chance will come if
their attitude is right. They need to listen to the older pros like I
did and appreciate every ounce of time they have as part of the national set
up.
Anderson, who now works in
events in Manchester and is an ambassador for the anti-racism body Kick It
Out, looks back fondly on his England years.
"I played in an age where it
wasn't the norm for a black man to represent his country so to do it not just
once, but 30 times, is more than I could've ever asked for."
Kick It Out spokesman, Piara
Powar, added: "Many of today's younger England fans will take for granted the
black faces in Fabio Capello's team. But in 1978, it was a rarity to see
a young black man achieving so highly, both on the football pitch and society
in general. This is a milestone
for Viv, and gives the rest of us an opportunity to take stock of a
significant turning point for sport in this country."
Viv Anderson began his career
at Nottingham Forest in 1974 and spent a total of 10 years at his hometown
club, winning numerous honours including a league title, two League Cups and
two European Cups. He had spells with Arsenal, Manchester United and
Sheffield Wednesday and was player manager at Barnsley before linking up with
Bryan Robson at Boro, for whom he played twice. - Gazettelive
____________________
CG
|
|
England
Football Online