A FORMER footballer from Newport has spoken about the racism he experienced during his professional career.

Sean Wharton, who now lives in Cwmbran, played for Sunderland and Cwmbran Town in the 1980s.

Mr Wharton, who campaigns for racial equality was the first black manager in the Welsh Premier League – he was Cwmbran Town’s manager and managed Abergavenny Town until earlier this year.

South Wales Argus: Mr Wharton during his time as manager at Cwmbran Town in the early 2000sMr Wharton during his time as manager at Cwmbran Town in the early 2000s (Image: Newsquest)

Mr Wharton during his time as manager at Cwmbran Town in the early 2000s

Mr Wharton said: "Growing up was hard.

“School was tough - there weren't many people who looked like me.

“We were treated differently because of the colour of our skin and there were lots of fights.”

Mr Wharton was speaking on a new podcast launched by Torfaen Council, The Valley’s Voices, which aims to champion diverse voices across the Gwent Valleys to mark Black History Month.

Presenter Harriet Leek, who works for the West Gwent Community Cohesion team, said: "Who we are and where what we look like may be different but where we live is something we all have in common.

"This podcast aims to make sure the stories of lesser heard voices in our communities are heard. It's been a real pleasure to speak to my guests and I hope listeners will enjoy hearing from them too."

As part of the podcast, Ms Leek will speak to Noah Nyle, a transgender male who will talk about his personal journey and being an advocate from the LGBTQ+ community.

Emily Parker will also feature on the podcast and will speak about being a gay woman in rugby.

Ms Leek will soon be meeting a refugee from Afghanistan who now lives in Abertillery and speaking to young Welsh speakers about using the language in a predominantly English-speaking region.

Cllr Peter Jones, the council's executive member for corporate governance and performance, said: "This is a real opportunity to hear from people in our communities whose voices aren't always heard. 

"Our diverse communities are part of the rich fabric of our society, and they deserve to be celebrated." 

The podcast will be available on Spotify and Apple iTunes or on Torfaen’s council website.