Shola Ameobi: ‘I thought: how can I be most useful to Newcastle? Then the cog started turning’

From experiencing racism growing up in Newcastle to becoming a derby hero and now a member of the executive team, the former striker has been on a remarkable journey

“There were times where I feared for my life as a kid, being harassed and chased by different groups of people,” Shola Ameobi says. “There were situations where I had to sprint to get away from groups of lads who didn’t like me because of what I looked like.”

Ameobi is recalling growing up in Newcastle during the late 1980s and 1990s, having moved from Nigeria aged six. There were, he says, “lots of moments” like that. “It was almost as if I had to hide myself to be able to do what I love to do. It wasn’t a very nice feeling, having to worry about getting from A to B. It was just part of my world. I had to be more aware of my surroundings and what I was doing.”

Continue reading…