Darnell Furlong featured in our latest instalment celebrating Black History Month and all things Albion in the Millwall edition of Albion News. The Baggies No.2 discusses his family from Montserrat, his belief in BHM, and how the Three Degrees paved the way for black footballers to thrive in the game.
From his playing days, we know your dad was eligible to play for Montserrat and, presumably, that part of the world is where a lot of your family roots start…
Both my nan and grandad are from Montserrat, so both me and my dad have both been eligible to play for them. But my dad was born in England, as was I, and we’ve got that Caribbean background behind us.
How proud does knowing your heritage make you feel as someone from a mixed ethnic background…
Definitely. It’s nice and I haven’t actually been to Montserrat myself because my grandad actually lives in Antigua which is what they usually do there, and move to the slightly bigger island next door. I’ve been to Antigua when I was young; such a beautiful place and my grandad is still living there, which is a reminder every day to my family and me as to where we come from.
Are there any tales from your family who came from that part of the world, traditions, and so forth…
Not really, just their mad passion for football! There were times where I could, and even now where I can still play for Montserrat. My grandad would absolutely love for me to and I think, one day, that may come but it’s got to be the right time to do something like that for me. At the moment, it’s important to focus on what’s here.
KG mentioned the appealing food choices. While not the healthiest for athletes, are those meals something you appreciate as a result of your background…
The food from there is very similar to what KG mentioned and, in my opinion, is some of the best in the world. A bit of curry goat, rice and peas, jerk chicken, which is similar to a lot of the Caribbean food we’d have over here but some would also class it as Jamaican/West Indian food too. But it’s one of my favourites and any opportunity, at the right time of the season to have it, I’m definitely having it!
What are your feelings on Black History Month, Darnell…
The nice thing is the majority of people have no feelings towards the colour of your skin, which is obviously really nice but there are still a few individuals who may have grown up in a difficult environment and therefore don’t have the knowledge or awareness to comment on these topics. So this month is important for shedding light on different people, cultures, and how we all come together as one.
Our Albion News covers during BHM incorporate current players with the pivotal Three Degrees of Batson, Cunningham and Regis. Were you aware of the trio upon joining the club and the vital part they played in breaking down barriers during an important period of our history…
Whether it’s Black History Month or another important topic, I know the club is always on it, doing something positive and shedding light on these matters which is really nice. It’s positive that these things are never neglected and it’s appreciated. Black History Month has been a thing for a long time now but it’s always nice to bring it to the forefront.
The Three Degrees paved the way before us and things have come on a long way, in football and society since then. It’s continuing to go a long way as well and it’s really good being at a club which has that history.
On the pitch, as a defensive unit, you’ve gelled well with a new face in Torbjørn as well as Semi who’s come back into the XI this season…
Putting Torbjørn aside, Semi’s been here a long time and I’ve played a lot of games with him, as has Barts and I think people forget that the main two defenders in the centre-back position when we went up were Semi and Barts. People can forget those things with Semi not playing as much last year, but it’s nice to have him back, I enjoy playing with him and we’re focused on remaining strong at the back.
And Heggem…
Firstly, he’s such a nice guy - that’s the main thing. He would never hurt anyone, always wants to learn, gets involved in things, and I think he’s a top player who keeps growing week on week.
Finally, we've asked KG about you in the programme, so it’s only fair to put the same question to you about him…
It’s great to have him back. I always knew he had the quality to be here and he’s shown that in the early matches. The fans have seen it too and although there’s been moments where it’s not really gone his way, which is why he hasn’t been here during recent times, he’s always had the quality and sometimes the reason for this can simply be a matter of opinion. Carlos has shown his faith in KG and rightly so because he’s unstoppable on his day, he works hard for the team and if we want to achieve something this year, we definitely need players like him.
