Statue unveiled of Plymouth Argyle footballer Jack Leslie
The player was called up for England in 1925 but later denied his place due to the colour of his skin
Last updated 7th Oct 2022
After years in the making and a £100,000 crowd-funding campaign, a statue has finally been unveiled in honour of a pioneering Plymouth Argyle footballer.
A ceremony took place at Home Park today (Friday 7 October) for the big reveal of the monument in honour of Jack Leslie.
He is now more widely known as the first Black footballer to have been selected for England in 1925. He was however later denied his place due to the colour of his skin.
Leslie made 400 appearances for the Greens between 1921-1934, scoring 137 goals.
He was a huge hit with Plymouth fans as the team won promotion to Division Two in 1930 and then became the club captain.
The Jack Leslie Campaign - created by Matt Tiller and Greg Foxsmith - raised more than £100,00 in the summer of 2020 to create a fitting tribute to the player.
Since then, they have been working with a committee of volunteers, Plymouth Argyle FC and Leslie's three granddaughters to bring the statue project to fruition.
Renowned artist Andy Edwards, who has created many of the top sporting works in the country - including the Stanley Matthews monument at Stoke City FC - was commissioned to create the statue of the footballer.
His work was cast in bronze by Castle Fine Arts Foundry. The foundations for the statue were laid by Plymouth construction firm Ryearch.
The statue now stands atop a granite plinth inscribed with information about Leslie's exploits, while the surrounding landscaping commemorates key sponsors of the project.
Plymouth Argyle's game against Accrington Stanley tomorrow will be a tribute to Leslie and send out a message to celebrate and welcome diversity in sport and the community. It will also be a chance for thousands of fans to see the statue for the first time.