Watch 'Out Of Their Skin' on ITV4
It's been 40 years since Viv Anderson became the first black footballer to play for England. Ian Wright presents Out Of Their Skin - a 2 part documentary series. The series will serve as a celebration and an investigation, Out Of Their Skin examines the pioneering role black footballers have played in changing the game, the perception of England team and society and what still has to be done.
Featuring key contributions from England manager Gareth Southgate, Ashley Cole, Les Ferdinand and Paul Ince, the series charts the rise of black footballers in Britain through individual players’ stories, combining fresh interviews with rare archive footage to provide a unique insight into how English sporting heritage and social culture has changed.
Starting in the 1970s when Anderson and his contemporaries burst on to the scene, Out of Their Skin tells in depth the story of the progress made by ethnic minority footballers across five decades up to today with a look at the challenges still being faced in 2018.
It focuses on some of English football’s black heroes and pioneers – with vivid and often emotional recollections of their personal experiences from Chelsea’s first black player Paul Canoville, who was abused by his own fans, as well as John Barnes and Paul Ince, who have both said being black can hinder a manager's ability to get a job - and the way their stories changed the ‘beautiful game’ in this country for good.
You can catch up with Out of Their Skin on the ITV Hub now