IN A unique short film that premiered on October 8 at a special screening at the British Library hosted by Barclays to celebrate Black History Month, three generations of world-class footballers, the Wright-Phillips clan, chatted openly about their careers, their highs and lows, their heroes and some of the challenges they’ve faced within football. 

Arsenal legend Ian Wright and his son, Shaun Wright-Phillips, have collectively scored 149 goals in the Premier League and been capped 69 times for England. Ian and Shaun took a road trip to visit D’Margio, the third generation of Wright footballers set to make it big, and the three men drink hot chocolates and discuss their experiences of being talented black men at the top of their game. 

During a poignant moment, the family speak about visual representation and how you can’t be what you can’t see. A pioneer to a new generation of black footballers, and paving the way for his son and grandson, Ian recalls growing up in Brockley, South East London, surrounded by incredible footballers who didn’t reach their potential because there were no famous figures they could relate to.

The film gives an insight into the lives of three talented black men from one of the country’s greatest sporting families. And no family get-together would be complete without D’Margio poking fun at his grandad being vexed that Thierry Henry broke his goal-scoring record for Arsenal. In turn, Ian teases his grandson on his ‘dangerous’ celebratory backflip after scoring. 

With D’Margio just beginning his professional career, Ian and Shaun express their worry that he’ll become the third generation of Wright footballers to experience racism on the pitch, especially in a world where footballers are more contactable than ever through social media. Having experienced racism all his life, viewers see the genuine pain in Ian’s eyes as he says how he doesn’t want his grandson to ever experience what he’s been through.

In a chat about footballers changing the landscape of the game, the three discuss how players such as Raheem Sterling and Marcus Rashford are such important role models to young people, and how players such as Jordan Henderson and Burnley’s Captain, Ben Mee, make Ian hopeful that more white players will stand up as allies and support their Black teammates. 

In no shock to football fans, Ian gushes over ‘his guy’ Alan Shearer, who scored his favourite goal of all time against Aston Villa while playing for Newcastle. Shaun reminisces on his favourite goal he ever scored, while D’Margio discusses how training with Sterling gave him such a great left foot. 

Ian Wright on being inspired by Black players at the highest level, said: “Seeing black players playing at the highest level, before that started, you’re thinking ‘This isn’t gonna be possible.’ When we were growing up around Brockley, all the guys were very good players. They didn’t make it because they didn’t have no one to look up to and see doing it. By the time Cyrille [Regis} and them lot came along, and you could actually see someone in the first division playing against top players and it made you think ‘I could do that.'”

The film was commissioned by Barclays, and produced by Ian Wright’s production company, Serpentine, dedicated to hiring and nurturing black talent in the media industry.

Three Generations: Football, Family and Black Excellence is film by Barclays