Page 23 - Urban Kapital New MAY JUNE 2020 ISSUE

CHELSEA FC’S FIRST BLACK PLAYER
An interview with Paul Canoville: Getting to sation, Paul brought up his own mental health, de-
PAUL CANOVILLE
know Chelsea FC’s first black footballer. tailing how during some of the hardest moments
of his life (such as a football career ending way // Due to the
Last month (April) I took on a fantastic opportuni- before its time due to injury, having cancer, and
ty to have a chat (and host a mini-interview) with dealing with drug addiction), were all faced alone
Paul Canoville, ex-professional footballer for Chel- and in silence. Resulting from this was poor men- colour of
sea FC. Joining the club in 1982, Paul was also the tal health and periods of depression.
first black footballer to play for Chelsea. his skin, the
Straight off the bat, Paul told me how he was Paul highlighted how isolating and demoralising
keeping busy during the unprecedented and try- mental health can be, describing how there would [racial] abuse
ing times we are all facing – a Covid-19 pandem- be good and bad days that occurred without any
ic and lockdown. Playing music, cooking live on sense of warning. Speaking reminiscently on the
Facebook, and keeping in touch with family and matter, Paul told me that during those harder mo- had reached
friends were amongst the hobbies and pastimes ments in his life he was out of his comfort zone
Paul mentioned. and embarrassed to show any uneasiness when an enormously
around other people.
The cooking part didn’t surprise me too much… loud level
who isn’t listening to the radio and baking banana Expanding on why he suffered in silence, Paul
bread right now?! mentioned that coming from a Caribbean back-
ground and growing up in a traditional household
Moving towards a slightly more serious topic, I was one part of the problem. Within ethnic minor-
asked about Paul’s foundation, the Paul Canoville ity communities, despite how close-knit they seem
Foundation. Set up in 2015, this foundation is an to be, healthy dialogue and sharing feelings be-
important body that helps young people cope tween children and parents do not always occur as
with both mental and physical adversity. This is often as we’d like. Furthermore, being both male
achieved by equipping young people with the nec- and from the black community also contributed to
essary tools and life skills to persevere through feelings of not being able to speak out.
hard times. Facing issues together, and not in si-
lence, is a key ethos of the foundation. Helping to remove these types of barriers that stop
young people from reaching out when they most
Alongside his foundation and motivational speak- need it, Paul is an ambassador for non-profit sports
ing in colleges, Paul is also working on a project at organisation KickOff@3. Paul and the KickOff@3
St Matthew’s in Brixton. The project helps young- team work hard to boost the confidence and resil-
sters break away from the trauma that surrounds ience of young vulnerable people through sport.
knife crime incidents in the area. One example of With an all-inclusive and welcoming philosophy,
this trauma involves dealing with the loss of life KickOff@3 and Paul are able to support young peo-
that results from knife violence – an issue that ple from the most vulnerable of backgrounds, such
certainly needs all the support it can get it. Put- as young BAME men.
ting a positive spin on things and a smile on my
face, Paul told me how he recently took a group Focusing on Paul’s professional football career, I
of younger people associated with the project to asked about the highs and lows that accompanied
a football game in Wembley. The trip was some- his time in the sports industry. The abundance of
thing the kids would always remember, providing racial abuse that Paul faced in the early ‘80s is
light in what can appear to be a very dark tunnel not unspoken or unheard of. As Chelsea FC’s first
at times. black footballer, it was no easy ride for Paul.

My talk with Paul reinforced to me the importance Sobering me up quite abruptly, Paul told me how
that these relatively small, but very powerful ex- he “couldn’t wait for the whistle to blow quick
periences, have on young people that are strug- enough” after the immense racial abuse he expe-
gling with mental health and/or depression. Not rienced during his debut match for Chelsea. I felt
only can we help our young people now, but we a sadness when Paul told me that simply due to
can also create a more positive environment for the colour of his skin, the abuse had reached an
future generations. Children grow up to be kinder enormously loud level, mostly from fans of his own
MAGAZINE // 22 a circle of positivity. A little while into the conver- MAGAZINE // 23
team.
and more supportive adults, effectively producing

Read the full interview online.