Leslie book is available to buy after its release

MATT Tiller has described it as ‘an honour and a privilege’ to research and write a new biography on Plymouth Argyle legend and black footballing pioneer Jack Leslie.

- CHRIS ERRINGTON

Leslie’s three grand-daughters, Lyn, Gill and Lesley, gave Tiller access to their family archive, including a selection of photographs, and shared stories about their grandad.

The Lion Who Never Roared: The Star Robbed of England Glory was released in hardback by Pitch Publishing on Monday, priced £19.99, and is available to order from bookstores. It is the incredible story of Jack Leslie, the only black player in the Football League when he was selected for his country in 1925 while playing for Argyle only to be dropped due to the colour of his skin.

Leslie was born in East London to a Jamaican father and a white, English mother. He was signed by Argyle as a 19-year-old from Barking Town in 1921 and became a club legend playing 400 times in league and cup and scoring 137 goals.

The new book details his remarkable life from childhood through the Argyle years to his time at West Ham United, where he worked until he was 82 cleaning the boots of World Cup winners Bobby Moore, Martin Peters and Geoff Hurst.