‘I got used to racism. I was playing for everyone who came after me’
Getty Images - Simply the Best: The Bermudian was a silky and pacy player whose skill won over the crowds. The inspirational Clyde Best on blazing a trail for Black players in England despite the abuse Clyde Best on battling racism as a pioneer in English game 15 Mar 2026 - THE OBSERVER / Sport Morgan Ofori “A universal player, one who transcends the modern tribal conversation around teams,” says executive film producer Dan Egan when asked why he chose to tell the story of Clyde Best, West Ham’s first Black player, whose undeniable impact extended far beyond the East End. The legacy of Best, now 75, a Bermudian forward who blazed a trail in the English top flight and US soccer, is the subject of a new documentary in London this month. A technically gifted and pacy player in his prime, Best’s career and role as a reference point is brilliantly illustrated by those who came after him. A number of “the firsts” look up to him: Howard Gayle, Liverpool’s first Black player, ...