Iconic England football shirt worn by Viv Anderson goes on display in Cumbria (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Iconic England football shirt worn by Viv Anderson goes on display in Cumbria

2:50pm Wednesday 8th February 2012 in News

AN iconic England football shirt is going on public display for the first time thanks to a Cumbrian charity.

England’s first black player Viv Anderson was encouraged to hunt out his old shirt by Mark Bushell, of the Brathay Trust at Ambleside, after he visited as part of a youth programme.

It will now go on display at a Manchester museum and it is hoped it will become a teaching tool to inform young people about discrimination in sport.

Mr Bushell said: “The shirt represents a seismic shift in the way black people were beginning to be perceived.

“Although Viv was a fantastic player, recognised by the best managers of the day, he suffered terrible abuse and discrimination before going on to play at the highest level in the game, culminating in him becoming the first black player to be capped for England in 1978.”

The former football star said: “I’m delighted that the shirt has finally gone on display. It’s been a long time coming.

“Mark hounded me for months about it when he discovered that I still had it. I suppose I don’t really appreciate how big a deal it is, although I did get a telegram from the likes of Elton John and the Queen when I made my England debut.”

The shirt is now on display at the People’s History Museum in Manchester.