Clyde Best Documentary Screened In London
[Written by Nasir Simmons]
Just a stone’s throw away from the London Stadium where his former team play, hundreds of people took in the opening night of the film chronicling athlete and trailblazer Clyde Best’s story. The documentary film, directed by U.S. Skiing and Snowboarding Hall of Famer Dan Egan [known more for his documentary work and footage in extreme sports], explores the trials and tribulations of a 17 year old Clyde “Bunny” Best’s journey from Bermuda to West Ham, all the way through to his time in the short-lived, but much beloved North American Soccer League. Best’s story is a winding one- weaving inextricably into the global history of football, with his influence stretching far beyond what could immediately be seen. This is evidenced in the film’s expansive structure, which uses many different tools [animation, dramatisation, and archive footage, among them] to put Best’s story in the context of his massive impact- not just on the Black history of football, but the whole history of football.
Despite the gravity of Clyde Best’s professional career: Egan’s connection to Best is a more personal one, having played at Bridgeton Academy in Maine with his nephew, Jerry Best. They remained close friends, with Egan frequently reconnecting to Best’s nephew through a yearly sailing race which finishes in Bermuda; always seeking him out once the race had finished. During the 2017 Americas Cup, which Egan was providing coverage for: Jerry Best began to discuss Egan using his media resources and storytelling experience to tell his uncle’s story.
With this mandate of approaching such a complex and racially charged story primarily following the struggle of a Bermudian Black man in 1970s Europe, one could question why Egan, a white man from Boston, Massachusetts is telling this story. Speaking with Bernews, Egan stated: “That is why I did not insert myself into the narrative. Nobody cares what I think about racism. That’s not the story… We care about the Black lived perspective… The story is told from that Black lived perspective.”
This is felt through the film, which includes over 40 in-depth interviews and testimonials from the likes of teammates: Ade Coker, Mark Lindsay; childhood fans who grew into Premier League players: Ian Wright, Garth Crooks, Shaka Hislop, as well as Best’s friends and family. Best himself, famously a man of few words, also speaks extensively in the film discussing feelings that he “always kept inside.” These moments of vulnerability shine through in a film which centres the man, while also putting him in the context of his Black pioneering forebears like Plymouth Argyle’s Jack Leslie [who, as we learn, mentored him], Preston North End’s Arthur Wharton, and Tottenham Hotspur’s Walter Tull to name just a few. The documentary also stresses the impact of Best’s time in the First Division of English football after he had left the game: reflecting that now [as of 2025] at least 43% of the players in the Premier League are non-white, and letting former professional players speak to how empowering it was to see Best on television as a child.
But it is not only Black footballing fans that felt their lives touched by the infectious kindness of Clyde Best. At the premiere, many fans of West Ham United shared their fond memories of watching him play at the old Boleyn Ground, as well as how his dignity, skill and quiet charisma changed their perception of the world at a young age. Speaking with Kevin, a West Ham fan from a young age in attendance at the premiere, he stated: “My father took me to my first game at Upton Park when I was 5 years old… And I remember seeing this big man up front, playing with everything he had for us… I think from then on, I decided it [the colour of anyone’s skin] didn’t matter really.”
In a story which has so many winding elements, one thing is left straight forward- Clyde’s indisputable impact. Best’s influence is felt not just on the global state of the game and the demographics on the pitch, but in people’s personal lives to this day. A testament to this are the murals frequently featuring Clyde Best in England, the United States and Bermuda- loving homages to the man who [in his own words] didn’t play for himself, but always did it “for the people in the stands”.
One can only hope this film’s continued success adds to the growing appreciation of Best’s impact and helps us to move further away from the era of non-white players receiving bullets in the mail, monkey chants and bananas thrown from the stands. But unfortunately to this day, missed penalties result in slurs being slung online. The film acknowledges that there is still a way to go. But hopefully, initiatives [like this documentary] which inspire us to follow in Clyde’s example and “be kind to others” can continue to help change the face of the game.
For those looking to see the film in Bermuda: Transforming the Beautiful Game: The Clyde Best Story will be playing on April 21 and 22 at the Earl Cameron Theatre, City Hall, and from April 23 to 26 at the Ruth Seaton James Centre for the Performing Arts in Devonshire. Tickets are available at clydebest.shop along with additional information about the film.
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