Darkie

[Legion]

Leeg put it up because I couldn't. This is the only photo of Villa's former mascot apart from the one where he's shaking hands with the players. It's also the only mention of him with other supporters and of him being a regular fixture at games.

[Legion]

Click on image to enlarge.

[Ron Manager]

Excellent Leeg. I would think the pub they are thinking of would have been 'The Crown' which has recently closed.

[Legion]

[Ads]

A late 1940's early 50's racist version of Wolfie?

[Ron Manager]

A late 1940's early 50's racist version of Wolfie?

Racist?  A black bloke who supported the Villa and obviously enjoyed being the unofficial mascot for the club. Probably well known amongs't the massive support of the immediate post war years.

No need to use that particular word at all.

[dave.woodhall]

A late 1940's early 50's racist version of Wolfie?

Racist?  A black bloke who supported the Villa and obviously enjoyed being the unofficial mascot for the club. Probably well known amongs't the massive support of the immediate post war years.

No need to use that particular word at all.

That's the thing. Nobody knows who he was, where he came from or when he was going to the match. In fact, I've never seen any first hand recollection  of him before that top letter.

[PeterWithesShin]

Was he a black fella, as that letter mentions he "blacked up"?

[dave.woodhall]

Was he a black fella, as that letter mentions he "blacked up"?

Looking at the photos I don't think so but as I said, nobody knows anything about him. Unlike his (almost) contemporary Lennie Hands, he's been virtually forgotten.

[Ron Manager]

You may be right PWS. It seems he may have been white. Needs some investigation. Its just possible he might still be alive .Be in his late eighties/ early nineties if he is.

[dave shelley]

I don't remember this man at all.

[The Laughing Policeman]

I first got taken to Villa Park in 1955 and can't remember ever seeing him, maybe he'd packed it in by then.
It'd be nice to know if he's still alive and to hear his story.

[Ads]

A late 1940's early 50's racist version of Wolfie?

Racist?  A black bloke who supported the Villa and obviously enjoyed being the unofficial mascot for the club. Probably well known amongs't the massive support of the immediate post war years.

No need to use that particular word at all.

A white bloke blacking himself up with the name Darkie on his back? Seems pretty racist to me.

[not3bad]

A late 1940's early 50's racist version of Wolfie?

Racist?  A black bloke who supported the Villa and obviously enjoyed being the unofficial mascot for the club. Probably well known amongs't the massive support of the immediate post war years.

No need to use that particular word at all.

A white bloke blacking himself up with the name Darkie on his back? Seems pretty racist to me.

That probably wouldn't have occurred to anyone at the time though.  Right naive we were. But 'appy.

[saunders_heroes]

That photo has 'Rags Mahone' embossed across it. He's a bitter Villa hating nose who likes to post that picture on the Internet in his ongoing mission to prove we are a racist club.  He's a complete tit.