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Roly Gregoire, Sunderland’s first black player, sets record straight after 46 years

Roly Gregoire, Sunderland AFC’s first black player, has broken a 46-year silence to recount the severe racial abuse he endured during his short career with the club in the late 1970s, including attacks on his family, mistreatment by teammates and staff, and an unfairly tarnished legacy tied to a single match loss. Now 67, Gregoire has returned to Sunderland to meet current players, share his story publicly, and reflect on how while online racism persists, modern black footballers have more support systems than he did.