S02 Ep11: Brendon Batson

The pioneer.Most famously one of West Bromwich Albion's so-called Three Degrees Brendon was part of the Windrush generation who came to the United Kingdom to work and to live but found a country that was often inhospitable and unaccepting. He had never played football when he arrived here but he quickly developed as a talent which resulted in a scholarship at Arsenal and ultimately resulted in him becoming Arsenal's first black player.It's his time at West Brom, and the battles that he, and the much missed Cyrille Regis and Laurie Cunningham, fought that stand him out as a pioneer and a hero to us at B5 Consultancy. He speaks beautifully and modestly about his incredible life experiences and we are honoured to have had him as a guest on the pod.This episode has been produced in partnership with our good friends and sponsors at Sports Fusion. Sports Fusion are a tech company who have been supporting the sports industry for many years and we are proud to be associated with them. You can find out more about the company here: https://www.sportsfusion.co.uk/Please do support us on Patreon - patreon.com/footballjourneys. For just £2 a month you can help fund the production of these episodes. You will also get early access to episodes, ad free content and benefits and content that non-Patreons don't get.

Om Podcasten

A B5 Consultancy podcast telling the untold stories of the beautiful game - the pain, the graft and the rejection. Media lawyer Matt Himsworth and former Luton, Stevenage and Newport County footballer Fraser Franks meet with those who have lived extraordinary football journeys. Not necessarily the top stars who have the accolades and the attention but those who have been through the mill, lived the struggles and come out of the other end to tell the tale. Series One focuses on the Academy journey at the Premier League champions, Liverpool FC, as we meet the class of 2013/14, a group of young men that came so close to living the Anfield dream but have had to come to terms with an alternative pathway. As well as interviewing the players and hearing their emotional stories we speak to those who knew the players and their journeys, including fans, coaches and a Liverpool legend.