The people behind the foundation
Our Founder
By Paul’s close friend, co-author and official Chelsea FC historian, Rick Glanvill
Paul Canoville was – and is – Black and Blue.
When I first sat down with Paul Canoville in a Crouch End cafe to discuss ‘Black and Blue’, I knew he was still ravaged by the physical and mental challenges that characterised his life after the curtain came down on his football dream.
We’d never met and I saw only glimpses of the real man. Get this project right, I said, and your circumstances could be completely transformed. The book became an acclaimed award-winner and, happily, Paul’s circumstances did improve. But it was not the book that did it – it was Paul himself, gradually, inexorably reassessing his past and regaining his trajectory in life.
Canners’ story is one of extreme racist bigotry, shattering career-ending injury, a decline into drug abuse, battles against cancer, family tragedy and a determination to beat the odds.
He was Chelsea’s first black first-team player, making his debut in 1982. But as he warmed up on the touchline, his own supporters began chanting “We don’t want the n*****!”
The vitriol went as far as letters sent to Chelsea FC addressed to Paul, with razor blades in the envelope flap. And the racist bile continued whenever he played, home and away, but within a year he had won over the terraces with his explosive pace and skill.
For Paul, two incidents reduced the abuse. In December 1983 he scored a hat-trick at home to Swansea, a wet Tuesday night in front of just 12,389 people. But from the well of the Shed rose a chant for the first time: “Canoville, Canoville, Canoville…” It was really only a murmur, but it was loud enough for all the ground to hear.
And then, in April 1984, two years after his debut, back at Crystal Palace, two years of monumental hatred, Pat Nevin scored the only goal of the game, and when questioned by the journalists about the match said he didn’t want to talk about it, he only wanted to talk about abuse still hurled at Paul. It had to stop. Soon after that intervention, Paul was crowned ‘King Canners’ by Blues fans.
At times there was also the dressing room to manoeuvre, and a pre-season incident in summer 1985 in which he encountered racist abuse from a team-mate led to confrontation, and he, the minority, was made to suffer. He started only three games that season and was transferred to Reading in 1986.
It was at his new club where Paul suffered a horrific challenge at the age of 24, which caused his eventual retirement the following year. This started a downward spiral including the death of his baby in his arms, two bouts of life-threatening lymph cancer, drug abuse and homelessness.
Yet Canners fought back to become a shining symbol of endurance and resistance. And despite everything, he is more positive than ever, remaining a fervent Chelsea fan all his life. His inspiring story is one of overcoming adversity and rising up resilient. I’m honoured to call him a friend.
The people behind the foundation
Our Trustees
Matt Uberoi
Chair
BIO
Matt is Chair of the Paul Canoville Foundation. He has a strong background in charity and community leadership having served on the boards of several third-sector organisations, managed impactful community programmes and been an elected councillor in London.
June Canoville
Vice Chair
BIO
- LinkedIn Profile
June is Vice Chair of the Paul Canoville Foundation. With over 20 years experience in Customer Service, June is an expert people manager, with specific sector experience within Logistics.
Outside of work, June is a fitness enthusiast and whilst she has moved on from her days of instructing, she regularly participates in fitness excursions both abroad and in the UK. June’s other personal interests include music, psychology, arts and crafts. June is Paul Canoville’s sister, hence why the mission of the Foundation is close to her heart.
Monica Shafaq
Role
BIO
- LinkedIn Profile
Monica Shafaq is the CEO of Gordon Moody, a leading UK charity dedicated to supporting individuals recovering from gambling addiction.
In her role, she drives innovative approaches to rehabilitation and community outreach. Monica also has strong ties to the football world, having worked closely with the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) and the Manchester United Foundation to promote mental health and wellbeing initiatives within the sport. Her unique blend of expertise in addiction recovery and football-based community engagement positions her as a powerful advocate for holistic support and positive change.
Alexia Russell
Role
BIO
- LinkedIn Profile
Alexia is a Marketing and Communications senior leader, currently Senior Director of Global Communications for a leading global technology company. As an expert within public relations and communications, Alexia has previous experience developing and leading the global PR and internal communications strategies, and managing large teams across multiple geographies.
The people behind the foundation
Our Patrons
Omari Hutchinson
PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALLER
Bio
Omari is a young professional footballer for Premier League club Ipswich Town FC and he also represents the England national team u21s.
Eddie Newton
FORMER FOOTBALLER
Bio
Eddie is a professional football coach and manager; part of the management team that led Chelsea FC to Champions League glory in Munich, 2012. As a player he won the FA Cup, Cup Winners’ Cup and League Cup.
Trevor Nelson MBE
DJ & PRESENTER
Bio
Trevor is a globally recognised broadcaster and DJ, notable as a pioneer of the breakout black music genres in the 1990s. In 2002 Trevor was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for his contribution to the Millennium Volunteers programme; an initiative that encouraged young people to work for the good of their community.
Pat Nevin
FORMER FOOTBALLER
Bio
Pat is a former professional footballer and football club Chief Executive, and more recently football writer, broadcaster and author. In his younger student days Pat was an active anti-discrimination campaigner and during his time with Chelsea, was notably outspoken in his public support for Paul and against those targeting racist abuse at him during matches.
Claire Rafferty
FORMER FOOTBALLER
Bio
Claire Rafferty was a hugely experienced defender in the Women’s Super League, having retired from West Ham United in 2019. She is Chelsea’s longest-serving player and has played at the World Cup and Olympic Games for England and Team GB respectively.
Claire joined Chelsea in 2007 and in her final season won her second domestic double before announcing her transfer to WSL side West Ham, in June 2018. She was part of both the Team GB squad which reached the quarter-finals at the 2012 London Olympics and the 2015 FA Cup winning Chelsea squad.
Claire represented England from Under-15s level, making her senior debut against Austria in March 2010. In 2015 she was the first-choice left back in the England side which won Bronze at the World Cup in Canada.
Since retiring from football, Claire has appeared on BBC, BT Sport, Sky Sports News, talkSPORT, TRT World, BBC 5Live, Yahoo Sports and Chelsea TV, and has covered major sporting events such as the 2019 Women’s World Cup in France.
Alongside her playing career, she held down a part-time job as a financial analyst for Deutsche Bank from 2012. Claire retired from football at the end of the 2019 season and took up the role of Partnership Sales Manager at former home club Chelsea FC.
Outside of football, Claire has an economics degree which she graduated with from Loughborough University in 2011. She also now works for Transfer Room as a Senior Customer Success Manager working to create successful transfers throughout their global network.
Rebecca (Becky) Spencer
PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALLER
Bio
In July 2025, Becky Spencer completed a permanent transfer with Chelsea, marking her return to the club for a second spell .The Jamaican international had previously played for the Blues between 2016 and 2018.
She has enjoyed a trophy-laden career having won a Women’s Super League title and a FA Cup during her previous spell with Chelsea. She also won a number of domestic trophies throughout her time with Arsenal and was part of the squad which won the UEFA Champions League there in 2006/07. She has also played for Nottingham Forest, Gillingham, Soyaux, Birmingham City and Spurs where she had featured since 2019.
Spencer made her debut for the Reggae Girlz in 2021 and represented her country at the 2023 World Cup. Proud of her Jamaican heritage, Spencer often speaks about the importance of embracing cultural identity and using her platform to celebrate diversity in sport.
Frank Sinclair
FORMER FOOTBALLER
Bio
Frank Sinclair is a former professional footballer whose distinguished career spanned over two decades, both in English football and on the international stage.
A product of the Chelsea youth system, Frank joined the club as an apprentice in 1988 and turned professional in 1990. He made his first-team debut in the early 1990s and quickly became a fan favourite for his dedication, defensive skill, and leadership on the pitch. He went on to enjoy successful spells with clubs including Leicester City—where he was part of the unforgettable 1999–2000 Premier League campaign—Burnley, Huddersfield Town, and more, making a lasting impression wherever he played.
Internationally, Frank represented Jamaica at the 1998 and 2002 FIFA World Cups, proudly wearing his country’s colours and demonstrating the global impact of his talent and determination. Following his playing career, he moved into management and coaching, bringing his experience and passion for the game to roles with various clubs and youth teams, mentoring the next generation of footballers.
Gus Poyet
FORMER FOOTBALLER
Bio
In 1997, Gustavo Poyet transferred to Chelsea on a free and emerged as the club’s first South American player. For our younger demographic who may never have seen Gus play, he was the prevue to Frank Lampard where he began the trend of goalscoring midfielders in the No. 8 shirt Chelsea FC. He joined from Real Zaragoza, where he became their longest-serving foreign player, featuring in 239 league matches and scoring 63 goals.
Gus was known as a goalscoring midfielder, tallying 49 goals in 145 appearances for Chelsea, most notably a famous goal that he scored against Sunderland in the PL and a UEFA Super Cup Final goal against Real Madrid. Alongside the goals, he captured major honours including the Cup Winners’ Cup, Super Cup, FA Cup, and Community Shield.
On the international stage, Poyet represented Uruguay from 1993 to 2000, earning 26 caps and scoring 3 goals. He played a key role in Uruguay’s Copa América victory in 1995.
Gus Poyet began his managerial career as an assistant at Swindon, Leeds, and Tottenham, helping Spurs win the 2008 League Cup, before taking charge at Brighton & Hove Albion and leading them to the League One title in 2011. He later managed Sunderland to Premier League survival and a League Cup final, and went on to coach clubs across Europe, Asia, and South America, including AEK Athens, Real Betis, Shanghai Shenhua, Bordeaux, and Universidad Católica, where he won the Chilean Super Cup. In 2022, he became Greece’s national team manager, achieving promotion in the UEFA Nations League, and in late 2024 took over Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors in South Korea.
The people behind the foundation
Our Management Committee
Matt Uberoi
Chair
BIO
Matt is Chair of the Paul Canoville Foundation. He has a strong background in charity and community leadership having served on the boards of several third-sector organisations, managed impactful community programmes and been an elected councillor in London.
The people behind the foundation
Our Culture Partners
Still Shadey
Musician and Mentor
Bio
Rhoda Dakar
Musician and Trailblazer
Bio
Faysal Hassan
Photographer and Creative
Bio
Duke AI
Spoken Word Poet
Bio
Mr Cee
Comedian and Mentor
Bio
The people behind the foundation
Our Media Partners
Leonie Carpenter
Bio
Leonie’s career spans work with Chelsea TV, talkSPORT, 90min Football, BBC Sport, and hosting at Wembley Stadium for major sporting and music events. She’s also been a familiar face at our own Foundation events, where her talent and warmth have brought our mission to life.
Gemma Manns
Bio
A lifelong Chelsea supporter and active member of our Fantasy Football League, Gemma brings a deep passion for the game and a commitment to making a difference. By day, she works with families at a Social Enterprise delivering quality Early Years education. Beyond that, she’s a true Blue — whether she’s analysing tactics or cheering on Chelsea at Stamford Bridge or Kingsmeadow.
Mayowa Quadri
Bio
Mayowa is a highly respected voice in football media, known for his ability to connect the game to bigger conversations around culture, diversity, and representation. Through his presenting, storytelling, and creative content, he’s inspired audiences both in the UK and internationally.
His commitment to inclusivity and his passion for using football as a force for good aligns perfectly with our values of 𝗔𝗹𝗹𝘆𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽, 𝗕𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆. By joining us, Mayowa will help amplify our positive messages and ensure they reach communities who need them most.
Nick Verlaney
Bio
Co-founder and host of the London Is Blue Podcast — as one of our new Media Partners, representing the entire Stateside team behind one of the most recognisable Chelsea podcasts in the world.
Since its launch, London Is Blue has built a passionate global following, blending insightful Chelsea analysis with a strong community spirit that stretches far beyond matchdays. Nick and his co-hosts have created a platform where Blues fans everywhere can feel part of the conversation.
Daniel Childs
Bio
Creator and host of Son of Chelsea, Daniel has been producing Chelsea-focused content for over a decade, combining insightful analysis with thoughtful, honest discussion about the club. His work spans video, audio, and written formats — always aiming to provide reasoned perspectives that go beyond the headlines.
A lifelong Chelsea supporter from a multi-generational Blues family, Daniel’s connection to the club runs deep. He joins the Foundation to help spotlight our work and live out our values of Allyship, Belonging, and Community — bringing people together through the game we all love.
Jian Batra
Bio
Known to the Fantasy Premier League community as @FPL_JianBatra, Jian is a leading content creator whose weekly insights, threads, and live shows have attracted millions of views. From his early days posting during his first year at university to recording an advert with Micah Richards, Jian’s creativity and passion have made him one of the most respected voices in the game.
Keith Lawrence
Bio
Lifelong Chelsea supporter, youth scout, and the man behind The Blue Day Podcast – where he’s grilled 50+ Blues legends, including Paul Canoville himself.
When he’s not on the mic, Keith is helping develop the next generation of Chelsea talent through the club’s Player Development Programme.
Milan Lalkovič
Bio
Milan is a former Chelsea player whose journey in the game has taken him across leagues and countries, earning him the respect of fans and professionals alike. Having come through Chelsea’s academy, he knows first-hand the values, culture, and passion that unite the Blues family.
Now, Milan is bringing that experience and passion to the work of the Paul Canoville Foundation — helping us promote Allyship, Belonging, and Community through football. His voice and platform will play an important role in amplifying our positive messages, inspiring both current and future generations.
Ishan Shah
Bio
Ishan is a sports journalist, videographer, and co-host of Cocoa Blues — a podcast sharing the stories of Chelsea’s diverse, global fanbase.
Having supported Chelsea since the age of six, from late nights in India to early mornings in Canada, Ishan’s passion for the club is lifelong. Inspired by Paul Canoville’s story in Black & Blue, he joins us to champion our core values of Allyship, Belonging, and Community.
Kelvyn Quagraine
Bio
Kelvyn’s Chelsea story began in his uncle’s South Norwood restaurant, watching Michael Essien dominate midfield — a rite of passage for many Ghanaians at the time.
Today, he’s Head of Brand at ART OF, a presenter, and co-host of the Chelsea Cocoa Blues podcast, a platform that celebrates and elevates the voices of Chelsea fans who shape the club’s identity.
Kelvyn joins us to champion our values of Allyship, Belonging & Community, helping us inspire and empower the next generation of fans and players
Parth Paree
Bio
Parth has been a familiar presence in the Chelsea community, championing academy football through his podcast and page — following the journeys of talents like Trevoh Chalobah and Levi Colwill long before they became first-team regulars.
His dream collaboration? Linking the stories of Chelsea’s next generation with Paul Canoville’s powerful legacy. Academy football is all about growth, opportunity and learning — values that align perfectly with the Foundation’s mission.
Chelsea Against the World
Bio
Tom Overend
Bio
Since launching TheChelseaSocial in 2019, Tom has built a community-led platform that brings together Chelsea fans and creators.
Nizaar Kinsella
Bio
Nizaar is one of the most respected voices in football journalism, covering the Premier League with a particular focus on Chelsea FC. Over the years, he’s interviewed Paul Canoville and seen first-hand the impact of Paul’s story on the club and wider football community.
Clayton Bokanga
Bio
Over the last year, Clayton has become one of the most recognisable Chelsea content creators, bringing a fresh and honest voice to football media. With over 25 million views across platforms in just 9 months, he’s known for his humour, raw reactions, and a powerful sense of connection with his audience.
But off-camera, Clayton’s impact is just as meaningful. A digital marketer with a criminology degree, he’s worked with global brands like EAFC, BET, Sony Music, and Universal Music Group, while also mentoring youth at Barking & Dagenham’s Future YouthZone — his home borough and a community close to his heart.
After losing two friends to knife crime at 16, Clayton committed to being a role model for young people from working-class, underrepresented backgrounds. His work with us is a continuation of that promise — to help others see what’s possible.
Sam Obaseki
Bio
Sky Sports presenter, content creator and all-round football storyteller. Whether it’s on your TV, in your feed, or hosting live events, Sam’s built a reputation for connecting with fans and bringing the game to life.
Younes Hadj-Hamou
Bio
With over 200k YouTube subscribers, Younes is known for his passionate Chelsea coverage, match analysis, and unforgettable watchalongs — from Champions League glory to Club World Cup triumphs.
Chris Wright
Bio
From bringing back the best memories of the 90s, to writing books, to his long-running cfcuk articles — Chris has been keeping Chelsea’s history alive for years. A season ticket holder since the early 90s, his passion for the club is clear.
Matisse Armani
Bio
Matisse has been supporting Chelsea since his first trip to Stamford Bridge for a 1-1 draw with Aston Villa. Today, he creates entertaining and insightful football content on his YouTube channel, covering Chelsea, the Premier League, match reactions, travel vlogs, watch-alongs, and more — with a brand-new non-football podcast launching soon.
Rosa Kama
Bio
Louis Beneventi
Bio
Louis is a Chelsea content creator and journalist, co-host of The Chelsea Echo Podcast, and he’s been producing Chelsea content for over 10 years. He’s seen the Foundation’s work from afar, now he’s here to help push it even further.
CFC Central
Bio
Sam’s tactical threads, data scouting reports and work with London is Blue make him one of the sharpest Chelsea minds around. Now, he’s bringing that insight to help amplify Paul Canoville’s story and our mission of Resilience, Inclusion & Community.
Mitchell Rogers
Bio
Mitch is a lifelong Chelsea fan, aspiring sports journalist and matchday vlogger, passionate about celebrating the club and building stronger connections within the Chelsea family.
George Benson
Bio
George is a full-time content creator and the voice behind GBFC, one of the most passionate and insightful Chelsea fan channels on YouTube. After 14 years on the platform, he’s built a community known for honest takes, emotional reactions, and in-depth commentary on all things Chelsea FC.
Lucy Clarke
Bio
Lucy is a content creator who’s made her name sharing matchday experiences, incredible behind-the-scenes moments and the pure passion of being a Chelsea fan.
Carefree Jam
Bio
Jam grew up just a few miles from Stamford Bridge and is a passionate Chelsea fan and advocate for equality. By day, he leads a team in recruitment, but in his own time he creates content that celebrates the club and its community. One of his standout projects was working with Chelsea during Black History Month 2023, collaborating with other Black fans and players to spotlight the club’s history of diversity.
Frankie Harrington
Bio
Frankie is the Chelsea ambassador for Her Game Too CIC, a lifelong supporter of the club since going to games with her dad in the 1990s, and a proud Chelsea Women’s season ticket holder. With more than a decade of experience in education and football coaching, she’s passionate about driving change in the game.
Kweku Afari
Bio
Journalist, broadcaster and presenter who’s worked with Sky Sports, talkSPORT, BBC Radio London and more. This season, you can also catch him fronting DAZN’s live coverage of the National League.
A lifelong Chelsea fan with a deep love for the game, Kweku’s joining us as a Media Partner to help amplify the Paul Canoville Foundation’s mission of Resilience, Inclusion & Community.
Georgie Day
Bio
Georgie is a content creator, coach and educator, empowering women to live their best lives through menstrual cycle–synced workouts, science-backed explainer videos, personal training, and nutrition guidance. Her mission: to make women feel informed, empowered and in control of their bodies.
Her journey has taken her from modelling with Elite London, to studying Human BioScience at Exeter, to coaching and content creation across the globe — and now to #TeamCanoville.
Liam Twomey
Bio
Liam is one of two Chelsea correspondents for The Athletic, covering the club full-time since 2015. He’s also a regular voice on the Straight Outta Cobham podcast and has brought Blues fans deep insight and analysis for nearly a decade.
Liam joins us out of a deep personal admiration for Paul Canoville — both as a person and as a force for good in football and society.
Chelsea Fan Cast
Bio
The legendary, award-winning Chelsea podcast has featured countless passionate Blues voices over its 17-year run, but in our Foundation Fantasy Premier League, it’s Stamford Chidge, Mark Worrall, and Dayne Whittle who’ll be representing the pod.