The last report I can remember, in early 2006, showed that in all 92 professional teams there were only three black managers (one of which has since been dismissed). I have contacted the FA and the Football League asking for details on ethnic minorities and was told: "last year 9% of people on our coaching course at Levels 1, 2, and 3 were either black or Asian and we anticipate this being similar this year." Encouraged by this, I asked for information regarding those coaches/players already in the game but was told that they did not hold this data. I can therefore only conclude that no one seems to be keeping track of ethnic minorities in England's most loved sport.

I believe every one of the professional 92 teams has any number of black players, so why are so few progressing up the ladder once their footballing career ends? The natural progression for a player is to move behind the scenes and become a coach of some sort but, again, minorities seem to have found a stumbling block in this move. There are a number of reasons why this could be happening which I will not go into, but I do feel it is obvious that more should be done to encourage minorities to progress into senior positions within the game.

So remember, when celebrating your team's success or wallowing in their demise, to raise a glass to Paul Ince - a man who won the Premiership with Manchester United twice and who has already written his name in history as the first black player to captain England, now trying his luck at League Two's MK Dons setting an example once again.