The World's First Black Professional Association Footballer

Wharton's athletic prowess soon came to the attention of Manny Harbon a local athletics coach who suggested he enter the Amateur Athletic Association (AAA) championships being held in Stamford Bridge. In July, 1886, Arthur Wharton became the fastest man in the world over 100 yards. He set a new world record for the event of 10 seconds which also made him the first black athlete to win an AAA title. Later that same year, he joined Preston North End Football Club as a goal keeper despite his phenomenal speed. Any harboured ambitions to follow his father into the ministry of God had by now completely evaporated.

His two year tenure at Preston North End was as a semi-professional although he did make money through various expenses loopholes as was common in those days and left in 1888 after two years to run professionally for a year in Sheffield. The club went onto win the League and FA Cup Double in the 1888/89 without our hero.

The opportunity of regular wages was too much for Arthur to resist so he left the professional running circuit and signed for Rotherham FC and unwittingly made history as the world's first professional black footballer in 1889. During his six years at Rotherham, which was longest time he had spent at any one club, he also became the licencee of the Albert Tavern and later the Plough Inn public house which combined well with his football commitments. He married local girl, Emma Lister in September 1893 and the couple had two daughters Minnie and Nora.

He signed for Sheffield United but left after one season in 1895 after making only three starts and moved to Stalybridge Rovers. He was at Stalybridge for two years, and then a further two years at Ashton North End until the club went bankrupt prompting a return to Stalybridge. The final club of his career was Stockport signing for them at the turn of the century in 1901 and he retired in 1902 without any major footballing honours or having played internationally for his country.

He had by this time developed a serious alcohol problem, and he managed to find work as a colliery haulage worker at the Yorkshire Main Colliery, Edington. Despite his alcoholism, he kept himself fit playing and coaching cricket, cycling and was still running into his fifties. He died a penniless alcoholic on the 12 December, 1930 at Springhill House Sanatorium and was buried in an unmarked grave in Edlington Cemetery in Doncaster. His death certificate recorded two causes of death, syphilis and epithelioma.

Arthur Wharton was a remarkable individual and all round sportsman. He could run 100 yards in 10 seconds dead, a world record; and he became the first black professional footballer in the world. He played cricket professionally and ran professionally in the summer months during the football closed season. He was a British Cycling Champion and he could also hold his own in a game of rugby.

He no longer rests in obscurity and his previously unmarked grave proudly supports a suitable headstone after a special ceremony in 1997, and he was welcomed into the English Football Hall of Fame in 2003. I think we will all be hearing a lot more about this truly special individual in the future.