Football Black List was founded by Rodney Hinds and Leon Mann in 2008 and members are selected by an expert panel from the Black community and football industry.

Rashford, Toney, Parris and Espirito-Santo all feature on the list announced today from the National Football Museum 

  • Amy Allard-Dunbar wins ‘LGBTQ+’ Award
  • The full Football Black List will be published exclusively in The Voice Newspaper 
  • Administration
  • Coaching & Management
  • Commercial
  • Community
  • Players
  • LGBTQ+
  • Media
  • Practitioners
Anita Asante, Aston Villa Women
Cyrus Christie, Fulham FC
Nikita Parris, Arsenal Women and England 
Ade Oladipo, Presenter – DAZN/talkSport/Sky Sports

Premier League stars Marcus Rashford and Ivan Toney, join England Lioness, Nikita Parris, and Tottenham Hotspur manager, Nuno Espirito-Santo on the Football Black List – an initiative shining a light on the most influential Black people in British football. 

BBC Football Focus presenter, Alex Scott, Wrexham Chief Executive, Fleur Robinson and Steve Smithies, the only Black CEO at a County FA, also make the list.

The Football Black List, founded in 2008 by sports journalists Leon Mann and Rodney Hinds, highlights leaders working across all areas of the game from the Black community.

A panel of experts from the football industry and Black community vote independently on nominations made by the public to determine who makes the list. The panel included representation from the Premier League, The Football Association, Professional Footballers’ Association, League Managers Association, English Football League, PGMOL, Sport England, BCOMS and Kick It Out.

The list was revealed today at the National Football Museum in Manchester a week after Walter Tull, the world’s first Black professional footballer, was named in the football Hall of Fame.

The Football Black List also features an LGBTQ+ Award recognising work by a Black individual in challenging homophobia in society through football. The winner this year is Amy Allard-Dunbar from Football v Homophobia.

The Voice Newspaper is the exclusive home of the Football Black List which creates an opportunity to celebrate the Black communities contribution to the industry, while also encouraging debate and discussion on how best to address the ongoing under-representation of people from African-Caribbean backgrounds away from playing.

Importantly, the list also helps to shine a light on deserving people working in the community and at the grassroots level of the game who often go uncelebrated.

The list recognises people across eight categories:

The Ugo Ehiogu ‘Ones to Watch’ category – which identifies talented, young people in the industry under 30 years of age – will be released later today during a special Football Black List Instagram broadcast from the National Football Museum.

An online celebration event is planned for broadcast next month. 

Leon Mann MBE, co-founder of the Football Black List, said: “Black excellence in football is regularly talked about on the pitch – and we want to help highlight the contribution of Black leaders off the field in the sport, too.

“This list of influential game changers is a snapshot of the contribution Black communities are making to football. Those named today join an illustrious group who have featured on the list over the last decade – including the likes of Raheem Sterling, Ian Wright, Hope Powell, Rio Ferdinand, Herman Ouseley and Rachel Yankey.”

Fellow co-founder of the initiative, Rodney Hinds, added: “The Football Black List never ceases to amaze me! The quality of nominees and awardees goes from strength to strength.

“The Voice is delighted and proud that the list is published exclusively on our pages.

“Our community continues to play a major, and increasing role, within football. There is no room for complacency as the sport in terms of inclusivity still has lots of room for improvement.

“The Football Black List is here to stay and the  goals remain; to promote black excellence and diversify the game.”

Please find the full Football Black List 2021 below:

Players:

Ivan Toney, Brentford FC

Marcus Rashford MBE, Manchester United and England

Administration:

Dayne Matthieu, Head of Safeguarding and Welfare – Tottenham Hotspur

Fleur Robinson, CEO – Wrexham FC

Paul Monekosso Cleal OBE, Equality Advisor – Premier League

Sarah Ebanja, CEO – Tottenham Hotspur Foundation

Steve Smithies, CEO – Cheshire FA 

Coaching and Management:

Darren Moore, Manager – Sheffield Wednesday 

Justin Cochrane, Head of Player Development – Manchester United

Nuno Espirito-Santo, Manager – Tottenham Hotspur 

Paul Hall, B Team Manager – QPR; Assistant Manager – Jamaica FF 

William Boye, Chairman and Manager – Ashford Town Women and Girls’ FC

Commercial:

Claudia Wilmot, Operations Director – Leaders in Sport

Gus Hurdle, Executive Producer – EA Sports

Javan Odegah, Strategic Account Executive – Leaders in Sport

Remmie Williams, Commercial Manager – The FA

Simbi Sonuga, Senior Account Manager – Octagon

Community and Grassroots:

Andrew Laylor, School Partnership Officer – Manchester United Foundation

Aneequa Prescod-Wright, Coach – Hackney Laces FC

Billy Grant, England fan/Podcast/Blogger – Beesotted 

Jawahir Roble, Football Coach and Referee – Jason Roberts Foundation 

Patsy Andrews, Grassroots Referee – The FA

LGBTQ+:

Amy Allard-Dunbar, Youth Panel Education Officer – Football v Homophobia

Media:

Alex Scott MBE, Presenter – Football Focus

Andrew Spence, Series Producer – Unedited 

Fadumo Olow, Social Media Sports Editor – The Telegraph 

Helen Campbell, Multi-Camera Director – Premier League Productions 

Practitioners:

Aji Ajibola, Referee – FA Council

Daniel Mills, Educator – Show Racism the Red Card

Drew Christie, Chair – BCOMS 

Jackie Ferdinand, Director of Safeguarding & Inclusion – West Ham United

Liz Ward, Director of Programmes – Stonewall FC