Jack Leslie: Statue sculptor for black footballer chosen

Jack Leslie played for Plymouth Argyle in the 1920s

A sculptor has been chosen for a statue of a black footballer dropped by England when selectors discovered his race.

Andy Edwards will create a statue to Jack Leslie outside his former club Plymouth Argyle's stadium.

Leslie would have been the first black person to play for England if he had taken to the field in 1925.

Mr Edwards said he was "eternally grateful" to be chosen to create a statue to a "legend of the game".

His work includes a statue of Brian Clough and Peter Taylor at Derby County, boxer Muhammad Ali and abolitionist Frederick Douglass at the University of Maryland in the US.

Mr Edwards also created All Together Now, a sculpture of a British and a German soldier in World War One greeting each other with a football by their side, to commemorate the famous truce of Christmas Day 1914.

The Clough/Taylor statue at Derby County

The All Together Now statue was transported to Belgian town of Messine, the site of the truce on Christmas Day

Leslie played for Argyle for 14 years after joining in 1921, scoring 137 goals in 401 appearances.

The first black player would not play for England until 1978, when Viv Anderson won his cap 53 years after Leslie's call up.

The Jack Leslie Campaign reached its £100,000 fundraising goal from donations from nearly 2,000 people last year.

'More than a statue'

Mr Edwards said: "I hope to create a statue of peerless quality celebrating excellence, that will also represent respect, dignity, devotion and invigorate the quest for equal rights for all."

He works primarily out of Liverpool, but will document his progress on social media and on the campaign's website.

Jack Leslie was picked to play for England in 1925, but then dropped

Campaign co-founder Greg Foxsmith said they had been very impressed with Mr Edwards' "passion and commitment" to the project, which was "more than just a football statue".

He said: "As well as a Plymouth Argyle legend, his story represents the historic mistreatment of black footballers.

"Everyone involved in the campaign is delighted that we've made the selection and can watch as the statue is created.

"We're all looking forward to the unveiling," Mr Foxsmith added.