The Black Experience within English Semiprofessional Soccer

In addressing the wider issue of the Black experience in sport, this study provides an avenue of research into perceived discriminatory practices against Black semiprofessional soccer players and how such practices are dealt with by the players. In-depth interviews were conducted with 15 Black players to document their related experiences. Analysis of common emergent themes from the data reveal that the continued existence of stereotypical attitudes toward Black players limit their opportunities within the game, while spectator racial abuse, particularly outside London, is a frequent occurrence. The findings are located within the tenets of race, identity, and mainstream cultural practice within present British society, and the interaction that occurs between them. It is anticipated that despite respondent optimism, progress through, and elevation within, the semiprofessional game for Blacks continues to be slow and uneven.