001. Walter Tull
There can be few more controversial signings in the history of football than when Spurs signed Walter Tull in 1909.
Walter Tull, the son of a Bajan (Barbadian Creole) carpenter
and a local
Edward was
subsequently adopted by the Warnock family of Glasgow, and qualified as a dentist,
probably the first black person to practise this profession in the United
Kingdom.
Tull’s
footballing talents were quickly spotted and he was signed by Tottenham Hotspur
in time for their joint tour of South America with Everton FC.
Returning to
England, Tull became the first outfield black player to play professional
League football, making his debut for Tottenham in September 1909 at inside
forward against Sunderland.
His career at
Tottenham was marred by racial abuse aimed at him by rival supporters. One
match in particular against Bristol City, whose supporters used language
"lower than Billingsgate" according to a report at the time in the
‘Football Star’ newspaper.
His three years
at Tottenham saw him make 18 appearances in all competitions, scoring 7 goals.
Herbert Chapman's
Northampton Town bought Tull in October 1911 for a "substantial fee".
Tull made 110 first-team appearances for the club.
When the First
World War broke out Tull enlisted in the army, the first Northampton Town
player to do so.
It was reported
in newspapers that Tull had signed to play for the Scottish club Glasgow Rangers
once the war was over.
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