An Open University lecturer and football historian from Cambridge Vasili appealed for information about Wharton through

An Open University lecturer and football historian from Cambridge, Vasili appealed for information about Wharton through the letters column of Rotherham’s weekly newspaper. Eighteen months later, his original project has been ditched in favour of The Arthur Wharton Story, the most conspicuously absent volume from the library of British sport and, surely, another Chariots of Fire celluloid success waiting to happen.”The more research I did,” Vasili said, “the more this one, larger than life, character stood out. Being in the same stable as Harrods and the Ritz of Paris will doubtless attract a new elite to the Cottagers Mr Hamilton’s tickets will be on the gate, I trust.. At a cost of $2m, and for the delectation of a live television audience in 53 countries, the 150m race in the Toronto SkyDome tonight will determine whether Waco, Texas, or Oakville, Ontario, can claim to be the home of the world’s fastest man.

When America proclaimed in favour of Waco, after Michael Johnson’s scorching 200m run in Atlanta last summer, the slighted citizens of Oakville paid for an advertisement in USA Today to stake the counter claim of their man, Donovan Bailey, the 100m Olympic champion and world record holder Hence the 15 seconds of score-settling in Toronto. Had it not been for a letter published in the Rotherham Advertiser 18 months ago, the people of Edlington, a former mining village near Doncaster, would be unaware that a man who was once the world’s fastest happens to be buried in their midst. Arthur Wharton was the first sprinter to make “even time” in authentic championship conditions: to run 100 yards in 10 seconds. He was also the first black Amateur Athletic Association champion and Britain’s first black professional footballer. Yet his fame faded long before his death, at the age of 65 in 1930. Until three weeks ago his remains lay in an unmarked grave in Edlington cemetery.
The tale of the remarkable figure known to his contemporaries as “Darkie” Wharton might have remained buried too if Phil Vasili had not been so assiduous in researching a history of black footballers in Britain. This would have puzzled faithful Fulham fans who usually have more trouble forgetting matches than remembering them.Nevertheless, we await with interest the effect that their new owner will have.

I welcome, too, a reprint of Fulham’s Golden Years by Ken Coton which tells the club’s never-a-dull- moment story from the heydays of Johnny Haynes, Jimmy Hill and Tosh Chamberlain in the late 1950s with the help of more than 700 pictures.First published as a limited edition in 1992, the book re-appears just in time to allow the club’s new owner, Mohamed Al Fayed, to brush up on its history.At the press conference to announce his pounds 30m acquisition of Craven Cottage, Mr Fayed proclaimed his great love for Fulham but could not recall any particular game. Channel 5 was staging England v Poland followed by England v Argentina We have a problem around our way. We have difficulty receiving Channel 5 clear enough to establish whether it is Channel 5.We’ve never had to cope with events we can’t even receive. BBC had highlights planned but they conflicted with Tiger Woods on Sky. Edition times prevent me reporting what happened but, at the height of our problems on Wednesday night, I glanced at the crammed scene around me, and the faces trying to focus on the giant screen and it took me back 300 years.AS a former programme editor of Fulham FC (circa 1965-75), I rejoice in their promotion to the Second Division. Those who had taken extreme precautions to remain ignorant of the occurrences at East London were treated not only to the result but to all the highlights. None the less, they insisted on seeing the game and thus delayed our arrival into the best European final for years.We’ve had cricket highlights interfering with the rapt attention we wished to offer to Tiger Woods – a fascination not adequately acknowledged by most newspapers – and last night we faced a new phenomenon.

The Railway, my particular local, fulfils all the compact camaraderie of a bob bank It’s where we come from; the original womb with a view We shout and sway and swear and belch beer over each other. Cardiff Arms Park is four miles away, but many prefer to claim an early place in the pub to watch Wales from a standing position, pint in hand.Sadly, conflict is beginning to douse the togetherness. Different appetites are at work and last Wednesday evening provided a serious test of priorities The Lions played the Borders in the afternoon. Those fortunate enough to have been at work carefully avoided the result and arrived at the pub to watch the replay at 6.30 as if it was live.