How Arsenal built a devoted Black fanbase at home and abroad

I have a friend who supports Sheffield Wednesday and he said to me, ‘What’s so special about Black Britain and Arsenal? Every club has had Black players.’

Every English club has had Black players over time. But as a book written by Clive Nwonka, ‘Black Arsenal’, lays out, Arsenal Football Club have had a very unique relationship with their Black supporters – home and abroad – over the last 50 years.

‘Black Arsenal’ is a book that invites Black contributors, from professors to musicians to former players, to explain what Arsenal means to them as a Black people.

Arsenal have had some of the most iconic Black footballers over the last half century and have resonated with so much more than just football.

On the cover, it has probably the club’s most iconic Black figure, Ian Wright – a man from southeast London, who is one of the key reasons many people, including myself, who are Black, support this football club.

Before Ian Wright, Arsenal had a collection of Black players who wore the famous red and white, starting with Brendan Batson in the 70s, then going on to Paul Davis, who also has a chapter in the book and played for Arsenal for 15 years. One of the most iconic goals in English football was scored by Michael Thomas. That team also featured Paul Davis alongside the likes of David ‘Rocky’ Rocastle and Kevin Campbell.

But Arsenal’s global appeal came to the fore when Thierry Henry and all of his Va Va  Voom stepped onto the Highbury field. Manager Arsene Wenger brought through so many African and French African players, including the lights of Patrick Viera, Nwankwo Kanu and Lauren. Arsenal’s global reach to the African continent was set.

That brings us to the current Arsenal superstar, Bukayo Saka, a British Nigerian who is starting to transcend even the Arsenal fanbase. And unless you’re a Tottenham fan, you’re gonna struggle to find somebody who doesn’t like England’s right winger.

But this isn’t just about all those iconic players. The connection it has and the appreciation it has of its Black fanbase has culminated in collaborations with some of the most important and successful Black creatives across the industry. The most recent example of this is Arsenal’s away kit by Labrum, an African fashion designer.

Arsenal are not the only team to have a strong Black fanbase, but with symbolic Black players, a domestic and global Black fanbase and the cultural impact the club has had beyond football, ‘Black Arsenal’ illustrates the unique history it has with Black people.