BFW’s very own Jack Laushway attended the premiere of the film Transforming the Beautiful Game – The Clyde Best Story this past weekend in Bermuda. Clyde Best was a revolutionary football star who broke barriers as one of the first black players to play in the English top flight. Best’s story is one of adversity, hope, and humanity. After watching the film, I was fortunate to sit down with Best at the event for a BFW exclusive interview.
Best’s story starts off with an almost unthinkable achievement
which was earning a trial in London for West Ham United at just 17-years-old. Coming from the small island of Bermuda to the busy city of London all on his own is truly remarkable. “It seemed so far away in those days. Getting to West Ham was a new beginning, and it was something I wanted to do. It was a great feeling. I wasn’t scared or frightened. You can’t be frightened as a player,” said Best.
Sadly, Best endured frequent racism while playing in England. Having to block out the noise became crucial for him, but the work Best did opened the path for all the players who came after such as Ian Wright, who features in the documentary.
Despite all the trailblazing Best did during his career, the significance of his achievement didn’t set in until he actually hung up his boots for good. “At the time, I didn’t. I was just interested in playing football. It didn’t make no difference to me. I was just glad to go out there and play with professional footballers,” said Best.
One of the most memorable moments of the film was when Best recalled the time he played against the great Pelé. Not only did Best feature against the legendary Brazilian footballer, he actually scored two goals in that match, proving as a capable opponent.
“It was great to be on the same pitch as the best player in the world. That’s a childhood dream. To be able to achieve that and to score two goals, that was the icing on the cake,” said Best. “I didn’t need to pinch myself. I had a job to do. Your name is Pelé, my name is Clyde, I’m gonna show you what I can do. I already knew what he could do so I was concentrating on my own thing.”
After the match, Pelé gave his now iconic quote to Clyde. “I am the king, you are the prince.”
BFW Commentary
I truly walked away moved from the film. It is a story of such magnitude and has been overlooked for so long. This film can do a lot to share his story to those around the world. Best deserves to be mentioned alongside other greats such as Jackie Robinson and this film has the power to give Best’s story the recognition it deserves.
What was possibly the best thing about my experience though was the atmosphere of the crowd in Bermuda. While anyone can enjoy this documentary, seeing the reaction from the Bermuda people to his story was something truly special. I was moved by how impactful his story was to the Bermudian people, and Best’s impact is simply immeasurable to his home island. For that, I am grateful to have experienced.
The movie is is worth your time and tells the story of Best in a direct and engaging way that holds your interest throughout the film. The enduring spirit of Best within the movie is so well captured that it draws your focus and emotional investment into this great story of perseverance.
Clearly, it gets the BFW seal of approval!
The premiere tour is now moving to the United States starting off with Tampa from May 7th to 9th, and Portland next from June 4th to 5th. More details can be found at their official site, here.
If you are looking for more Bayern Munich and German national team coverage, check out the latest episodes of Bavarian Podcast Works, which you can get on Acast, Spotify, Apple, or any leading podcast distributor…
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