Andrew Watson: The 'most influential' black footballer for decades lost to history

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  By Andrew Aloia BBC Sport Last updated on 11 October 2021 11 October 2021 . From the section Football Watson was a trailblazer who helped transform how football was played There are two murals of black footballers facing one another across an alleyway in Glasgow. One helped shape football as we know it, the other is Pele. Andrew Watson captained Scotland to a 6-1 win over England on his debut in 1881. He was a pioneer, the world's first black international, but for more than a century the significance of his achievements went unrecognised. Research conducted over the past three decades has left us with some biographical details: a man descended of slaves and of those who enslaved them, born in Guyana, raised to become an English gentleman and famed as one of Scottish football's first icons. And yet today, 100 years on from his death aged 64, Watson remains something of an enigma, the picture built around him a fractured one. His grainy, faded, sepia image evokes many differen

PICS | Madiba's former Joburg home converted into boutique hotel

 

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The presidential home of former president Nelson Mandela has been converted into a boutique hotel, which will open on 1 August.
The presidential home of former president Nelson Mandela has been converted into a boutique hotel, which will open on 1 August.
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  • Madiba's presidential home has been converted into a boutique hotel.
  • Named Sanctuary Mandela, the hotel will be open to the public in August.
  • Bookings for up to 18 guests open on 1 July.

The presidential home of former head of state Nelson Mandela has been converted into a boutique hotel called Sanctuary Mandela.

Madiba lived there before and during his presidency.

The Johannesburg property was Mandela's first home in Houghton.

The house has been refurbished and is expected to cater to world leaders and "people who aspire to the inspiration of this global icon", the Nelson Mandela Foundation said in a statement.

READ | 'I was in a tunnel that felt like there was no light': NMF boss speaks out after being cleared

Of the former president's homes that are accessible to the public, this is the only one that it is not a museum.

The hotel opens on 1 August and features nine rooms that accommodate up to 18 guests, retreat spaces for reflection and a personal connection to the Madiba's private life.

"The space will allow guests to immerse themselves in the legacy of Madiba and draw inspiration from Madiba's soul, to commune together for the common good of resolving international matters and, lastly, to be inspired by this iconic global leader's hospitable nature and spirit of service to the people," said foundation CEO Sello Hatang.

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Hatang believes that this is an important step in testing a model for the sustainability of heritage sites related to the life and work of Mandela.

"Madiba dreamed of a just and peaceful world in which societies prosper. He lived to make a difference in the lives of everyone; his leadership was about service to the people. We hope to attract global leaders and other visitors to stay at Sanctuary Mandela to reflect and draw inspiration from the spirit of Madiba," he added.

The project was announced on the centenary of Madiba's birth in 2018.

People can begin booking their stays from 1 July 2021.

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