Former Newcastle United star Ruel Fox has revealed changing perceptions towards black footballers was a motivation behind his move to St James' Park.
Fox joined Newcastle midway through the 1993/94 season from Norwich City and was dubbed by former Magpies boss Kevin Keegan as 'the best player in his position in the country.'
The former Montserrat international winger helped Newcastle finish in third place and was part of the side who competed in the 1994/95 UEFA Cup.
He left the club in October 1995 to join Tottenham Hotspur and although his time on Tyneside was brief, he is still remembered fondly by the Toon Army.
Fox had played at St James' Park with the Canaries before and he admitted he held reservations about making the move as 'it could be a very intimidating place for a black player'.
But he decided, with the encouragement of Keegan, to join Newcastle 'to open doors for other black players'.
“I spoke to Newcastle because I figured I had nothing to lose,” Fox told Planet Football.
“I wasn’t going to turn down the chance to talk to Kevin Keegan, he was a legend.
“But in the early 1990s, Newcastle wasn’t a place I would have felt comfortable in. I’m not afraid to say that when I had played there previously it could be a very intimidating place for a black player.
“Kevin Keegan sold me on Newcastle. I wasn’t too sure about moving up to Newcastle, but he sold it as an opportunity to change mindsets. If I went there and showed my ability, I could help change the way black players were perceived.
“That appealed to me. It was no longer just about going there and playing football. It was about proving something to people in the same way John Barnes did at Liverpool and Mark Walters did at Rangers.
“It was an opportunity to open doors for other black players. That was a great incentive.”
Read Fox's full interview with Planet Football, as he opened up on his time at Newcastle, working under Keegan and why he wishes he had stayed at the club for one more season rather than joining Tottenham in October 1995.
