Brendon Batson: Football Pioneer and Big Ron Betrayal - Part Two

Welcome to It Was What It Was for part two of our interview with Brendan Batson, a trailblazer in English football. Brendon tells Jonathan and Rob about his impactful time at West Bromwich Albion as part of the iconic 'Three Degrees' with Cyrille Regis and Laurie Cunningham. We discuss his teammates, the tragic losses and his work to combat racism. Brendon also gives us an insight into the personal impact of his former manager Ron Atkinson's notorious comments on live television. 00:00 Introduction and Overview 01:07 Brendan Batson's Early Career and Challenges 03:00 The China Tour Experience 06:20 The Three Degrees Phenomenon 12:32 Impact and Legacy of Black Players 18:37 Knee Injury and Career Transition 20:10 Coaching Courses and Philosophies 24:24 The Evolution of a Coaching Philosophy 24:42 The One-Size-Fits-All Approach 25:50 Player Welfare and Career Transitions 27:59 Tragic Losses and Their Impact 28:38 The Legacy of Laurie Cunningham 32:33 Racism in Football: A Personal Betrayal 38:20 The Complexity of Racism in Football 41:21 The Fight Against Racism: Past and Present 46:17 Concluding Thoughts and Reflections Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.