Reprint of They Gave the Crowd Plenty Fun, 2 April 2024
They Gave the Crowd Plenty Fun: West Indian Cricket and its Relationship with the British-Resident Caribbean Diaspora, my first book for Hansib Publications, has been reprinted. Many thanks to Kash and Arif at Hansib for making this happen.
They Gave the Crowd Plenty Fun reflects on events that influenced the post-Second World War development of the social impact of cricket on the Caribbean diaspora in Britain. The book also also explores factors which have challenged cricket’s position as a social force for the current descendants of the Windrush generation.
Clem Seecharan, Emeritus Professor of History, London Metropolitan University, said, ‘Colin has brought out, with tremendous power and depth, how important the achievements of West Indian cricket were to the self-respect and sense of identity of West Indian people in Britain.’
Martlets Cricket Club annual dinner and awards evening, Arundel, Sussex, 1 March 2024
Many thanks to everyone at the Martlets Cricket Club, Sussex, for welcoming me as the guest speaker for their annual dinner and awards evening.
The Sussex Martlets are a wandering cricket team who play against the best club sides in Sussex, and home counties teams and touring sides from overseas. Copies of 1973 and Me were given to the award winners.
Thanks again to Paul Walker, Martlets Chairman, and Derek Horsham, Over-40s committee representative, for inviting me to speak at the event. Paul Walker said, “Colin was absolutely wonderful and the audience were riveted by tales from the 1970s, the West Indian cricket team and, generally, life in 1970s England. It was a wonderful talk and we were very pleased that he came to spend the evening with us.”
Pics from Martlets Cricket Club annual dinner and awards evening