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Warning: This article contains details of racially offensive language and behaviour.
Roly Gregoire speaks out after decades of silence
Sunderland's first Black player, Roly Gregoire, has revealed the racial abuse and isolation he endured during his brief career at the club, which left him unable to watch football for years and forced him to change his name.
Now 67, Gregoire told BBC Look North that he waited 46 years to share his story, fearing no one would listen. "Sometimes I wish I'd never played football," he said, his voice breaking. "Some of the pain, I can still feel it."
"I thought I'd take these stories to my maker."
Roly Gregoire
A debut marred by violence
Gregoire signed for Sunderland from Fourth Division Halifax Town in November 1977 for £5,000. His debut on 2 January 1978-a 2-0 win over Hull City-should have been a career highlight. Instead, it marked the beginning of years of trauma.
Hours after the match, his brothers were chased by a group of men near Roker Park. A half-brick was thrown at them, accompanied by a racial slur. "It was a lynch mob," Gregoire recalled. "Seaburn had meant so much to us, but from that day on, my mother never spoke of Sunderland again."
Isolation and betrayal
Born in Liverpool to Windrush-generation parents from Dominica, Gregoire grew up in multicultural Bradford. Sunderland, by contrast, had a Black population of less than 1% in 1981. "I knew only one other Black person in the city," he said.
While teammates like Bobby Kerr and Mick Docherty made him feel welcome, incidents on a 1978 pre-season tour of Kenya shattered his trust. After a match, a teammate wiped his hands on Gregoire's shirt, implying Black children carried disease. Later, a hostess at a post-match reception refused to shake his hand, prompting him to walk out alone.
"I would rather be out there, with lions and hyenas, than be inside, being insulted like that."
Roly Gregoire
In the dressing room, a player used a racial slur. Gregoire grabbed him by the throat but was met with silence from teammates. "It was as if nobody at Sunderland cared for me," he said.
Career cut short by injury and abuse
Gregoire's career unravelled in 1979. After a disastrous start against Blackburn Rovers-where fans turned on him-he suffered a knee injury in a reserve match. He never played professionally again.
Sunderland terminated his £6,000-a-year contract, offering just £1,500 in insurance. "I was conned," he said. "I felt like my head was going to explode." The club declined to comment on historical compensation claims, citing its commitment to equality.
Life after football
Gregoire moved to London, aggravated his injury working in a post office, and spent decades on disability benefits. He adopted the Rastafarian name Jabari Muata Ta Seti and founded the anti-drugs charity Black Against Crack in Bradford.
For a decade, he couldn't watch Match of the Day. "It brought back too many bad memories," he said. Over time, his name became synonymous with Sunderland's worst teams, despite his respectable record: six wins and one goal in 10 appearances.
A belated return
In 2026, Gregoire returned to Sunderland, meeting current players and visiting Seaburn, where he lived during his time at the club. "Mum, dad, look where I am after all these years," he said, tears in his eyes.
The club acknowledged his role as a pioneer and pledged to celebrate his legacy in the 2026-27 season. Former captain Gary Bennett, Sunderland's second Black player, called him a "trailblazer."
"Roly went through so much, and didn't have the organisations we have now like Show Racism the Red Card or Kick It Out."
Gary Bennett
Legacy and lingering pain
Despite progress, Gregoire believes racism in football persists. "People maybe don't chant the racist things they used to, but instead they write it online," he said. "At least now Black players have a voice."
His return to Sunderland left him feeling "purged." "I'm happy," he said. "I don't hate Sunderland, but I hate what they did to me."
