Rashford and Wright to lead celebration of Windrush's contribution to sport
Marcus Rashford and Ian Wright are set to lead the FA's celebrations of the Windrush community's contribution to English sport.
This year marks the 75th anniversary of the arrival of HMT Empire Windrush in Essex in June 1948, carrying 800 passengers from the Caribbean. Many had served in the British armed forces in World War Two and would go on to work in the NHS and other public services.
A Windrush Day is now held every year on June 22 to commemorate those who arrived between 1948 and 1971. The FA will be participating in this year's commemorations and have invited the country's most prominent black sporting figures.
According to the Daily Mail, Rashford and Wright are among those who have been invited to Wembley later this month. Aston Villa star Tyrone Mings and Chelsea winger Raheem Sterling will also be attending the occasion.
Detailed talks have been held to organise the night, with chairwoman Debbie Hewitt fully backing the event. The plans have been spearheaded by former Chelsea star Paul Elliott, who is a Windrush descendant himself.
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Many of those on the guest list will have a link to the first Windrush generation. Other invitees linked to football who have been invite include John Barnes, Les Ferdinand, Viv Anderson and Garth Crooks.
Former Chelsea star Paul Elliott has been the driving force behind the plans (Getty Images)Women's football icons Nikita Parris and Hope Powell will also be attending, though the FA are keen to highlight Windrush's influence across other sports. Former cricketer Devon Malcolm as well as track athletes Derek Redmond and Tessa Sanderson have been sent invitations.
As well as current members of the England squad Rashford, Sterling and Mings, Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate is on the invite list. Southgate has been a key advocate for diversity and inclusion in football since he took on the top job.
Former Blues star Elliott is delighted that the Windrush generation will be given a prominent commemoration by the FA. And he is hopeful that the FA's event will capture the impact they have made on British sport.
"The original Windrush community's resilience has been their brilliance, without that we would not have found our own inner strength. Their values and motivation continue to live through us," he told the Daily Mail.
"I was always told I had to be twice as good as anyone else to even have a chance of making it in football because my parents lived through that struggle. All our Windrush descendants have lived that shared experience.
"Look at our club and national teams at every level now, packed full of footballers of different races, faiths and beliefs."
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