John txt 2 Nat: just Cn on the internet, Hamlet signed Gr8 new =:-H

Nat: Did you hear we've signed that new keeper from Hamlet - he's meant to be blinding!

Anand: What's his name?

Nat: Oh, Ismail, or Ismael, or Ishmael - I can't quite remember.

Megan: Really? That sounds like an Asian name. Football's so weird. My dad says you only used to see white players. I mean, you'd think colour would have nothing to do with it wouldn't you?

Nat: You would, but it does....

Megan: I was reading....

Anand: What? You were reading? Do me a favour....

Megan: Shut it! I was reading about what football was like ten years ago. There were loads of good black players but not nearly as many got into the best teams...

Nat: But that's what's so weird. You'd think a manager would just want the best, no matter what.

Megan: But there's the team to consider as well, isn't there? It's just like... I dunno, y'know, if you were manager of an office or something and the others didn't want to work with someone black.

Anand: What, you mean you reckon it was the white players who kept black players out?

Megan: Not really, I mean it was everything wasn't it? Fans didn't like it. It was a big thing for some of them, if they were, like really traditional-minded. Then there's the racist ones, who just can't stand the thought of someone black being that good...

Anand: I guess it was like loads of things, no black police, or hairdressers....

Megan: But then people go on about black people being, y'know, naturally good at sport.

Anand: They can't have it both ways though... black people are supposed to be good at sport, but then they didn't let them in top football clubs...

Megan: Well, in this book...

Nat: Yeah, go on then, tell us about your book...

Megan: Well, it says that even when black players started getting into good sides the managers thought that black players were good with their feet but weren't that good at tactics, y'know, thinking. So they left the strategy to the white players...

Nat: Oh my God..!