Hughton proud as history beckons

AS Tottenham contemplate six days in which they might reach the FA Cup semi-final and win the Worthington Cup, Chris Hughton is homing in on a distinction of his own. If Spurs win on Sunday, he will become the first black British coach to win a major trophy.

Hughton said: "If it happens I will be very, very proud. But it is an achievement that, I believe, will be surpassed before very long. Several black players of my generation are beginning to establish themselves in coaching circles and the media."

He was referring to people like Garth Crooks and Ian Wright, Viv Anderson and Luther Blisset. The first two have carved media careers and the second two are coaching. Indeed Anderson, the first black player to represent England, has made several trips to Wembley as Middlesbrough coach without winning. The fact remains, however, that in a game full of non-white faces, only Chris Kamara and Ruud Gullit have managed English club sides. Hughton says: "That will change. Players with the experience of Viv and Luther, and others like John Barnes have a lot to offer and I would like to think that there will be positions for them in management." Hughton's awareness of other players' progress is evidence of the special relationship enjoyed by English football's first wave of black players. "There was always an affinity between black players when I was playing. We experienced racist abuse from opposition players, individual supporters and, often, entire sections of the crowd. So if another black player was involved in a game, there would always be an affinity between the two of you, even if it was the first time you had met. "And most of us have been able to stay in contact through the functions organised by charities like SCAR (Sickle Cell and Anaemia Research) and the ANC football team." The Worthington Cup would not be Hughton's first milestone. In 1980, as a 20-year-old first- year professional, he became the first black player to represent the Republic of Ireland. "As a black player I think you are prouder of your achievements and that was one of my greatest. I had an upbringing that made me very aware of racial issues. My mother was from Limerick and my father was Ghanaian. I was brought up in Forest Gate. I was always very conscious of my colour and what it meant. So I knew, even then as a young man, that playing for Ireland was a very important event." Hughton's 11-year-old son, Cian, has just signed on the Spurs books. Like his father, he is a left-back. If Cian is to develop, can he expect to have experiences similar to his father? "I don't worry about him having the difficulties I had. Although there is still work to be done, much of the racist element in football has been eradicated. "As a coach, I rarely see young players encounter the problems of old. Other than offering him my support, the only thing I would stress to Cian is the importance of getting an education." As an 18-year-old, Hughton turned down a contract with Spurs to allow him to complete the final two years of a lift-engineer apprenticeship. Similarly, an Irish journalist once told me a story involving a World Cup qualifier post-match dinner. The curious hack asked the Irish players who they were scheduled to play in their next tie. Most of them shrugged their shoulders, dismissing the question because "the FAI would let them know anyway". Hughton, still in his early twenties, responded differently: he produced a diary, named every remaining game and listed all the up- to-date league standings. It is hardly surprising that he has raced through the professional coaching ranks in less than five years, from the juniors to assistant manager, breaking Football Combination unbeaten records in the process. This weekend he might go some way towards helping Spurs move out of the shadow of the side he played in, which won two FA Cups and a UEFA Cup. "The side I played in was more attack-minded; with Hod-dle and Ardiles in midfield and Keith Burkinshaw in charge, we were a real win-or-lose team. "But when the side we have now fails to win, it doesn't look like losing either. "Both sides went to Wembley in similar circumstances starved of success. And we are as hungry for success now as we were then."

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