SAMUEL Cox, captain of Guyana’s senior men’s national football team, Golden Jaguars, picked up the ‘Ones to Watch’ Award at the annual ‘The Football Black List’.

The prestigious Ones to Watch award, named after former Aston Villa defender and Tottenham Hotspurs U-23 coach Ugo Ehiogu, who collapse and died from cardiac arrest at the ‘Spurs’ training ground last year, seeks to recognise footballers aged under 30 years, whose current activities look set to springboard them onto even greater accomplishments in the near future.

People from all sectors of football, from Premier League managers to community coaches, gathered at the Village Underground in London’s East End to celebrate the achievements of this year’s Football Black List.

Launched in 2008 by Leon Mann and Rodney Hinds, and supported by the Premier League for the third time, this unique event celebrates the contributions to the game of people from African and Caribbean backgrounds, a group underrepresented away from the pitch.
According to Cox, the award is in recognition for his work done, coaching at Premier League Club Tottenham Hotspur in their Academy & Foundation, along with work in the community, whilst still playing.

The Football Black List has become the most respected celebration of African and Caribbean achievement in the British game.
While more than 25 per cent of professional players in the UK are black, there is a worrying lack of representation in decision-making positions across all areas away from the pitch.

To help address this, and pay tribute to those in influential positions, the Football Black List shines a light on those who are inspiring the next generation to consider other roles in the sport.

The initiative, which has been supported by The FA, Premier League, Professional Footballers Association and anti-racism group Kick It Out, also provides an opportunity to reflect on how diverse the football industry is, to discuss the under-representation of people from African and Caribbean backgrounds, and, most importantly, how to address this issue.