| Justin Fashanu |
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He was the son of a Nigerian Barrister . When his parents split up he was sent, with his younger brother John , who also became a major British footballer, to a Barnados home. When he was six he and his brother were fostered by Alf and Betty Jackson and was brought up in Attleborough , Norfolk . He made his professional football debut for Norwich City in 1979, and subsequently became Britain's first £1m Black footballer when he transferred to Brian Clough 's Nottingham Forest in 1981. His career stalled as his professional relationship with Brian Clough deteriorated; Clough, it would seem, was disturbed by the rumours of Justin Fashanu's visits to Gay nightclubs and bars. Clough called him "A bloody poof!" A knee injury also played a role in curtailing his career, although he did later have brief spells with clubs such as Manchester City and Newcastle United. In his autobiography, Clough recounts a dressing down he gave Fashanu after hearing rumours that he was going to gay bars. "'Where do you go if you want a loaf of bread?' I asked him. 'A baker's, I suppose'. 'Where do you go if you want a leg of lamb?' 'A butcher's'. 'So why do you keep going to that bloody poofs' club?"' In 1990, he became the first prominent player in English football to Come Out as Gay . In the fall of 1995 he joined American side Atlanta Ruckus of the A-League for a brief time. He was suspended for the playoffs for failure to comply with the terms of his contract. He then moved to Ellicot City to coach Maryland Mania Club, a new professional team, following his retirement from the professional game. In 1998 a 17-year-old claimed to police that on 25 March he found himself in Justin Fashanu's bed, after a drinking bout, being sexually assaulted. Justin Fashanu was questioned about this by the police on 3 April, but he was not held in custody. It was widely reported that the police later arrived at his flat with a warrant to arrest him on charges of second-degree sexual assault, first degree assault, and second-degree assault. However Justin Fashanu had already returned to England. In May 1998, he hanged himself in a lock-up garage he had broken into, in Shoreditch , London , after visiting Chariots Roman Spa (a gay sauna in the area). In his Suicide Note , he cited the fact that he felt that he would be unfairly prejudged as guilty of allegations that he had abused the boy; adding: ''"I hope the Jesus I love welcomes me, I will at last find peace."'' An inquest in London held on 9 September, 1998, heard that there was in fact no warrant out for Justin Fashanu's arrest. Fashanu was listed at number 99 in the top 500 lesbian and gay heroes in The Pink Paper , 26 September, 1997, issue 500, page 15. FOOTBALL CAREER 1978-81: Norwich City 1981-82: Nottingham Forest 1982: Southampton, on loan 1982-85: Notts County 1985: Brighton and Hove Albion 1989: Manchester City 1989: West Ham United 1990: Leyton Orient 1991-93: Torquay United 1993: Airdrieonians 1993: Heart of Midlothian He scored BBC TV's Match Of The Day 's goal of the season for Norwich in 1980. EXTERNAL LINKS
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