Speaking at Brentford FC Community Sports Trust’s Show Racism the Red Card workshop during Black History Month, ambassador Marcus Gayle and non-executive director Deji Davies stressed the importance of positive role models in inspiring the next generation.

Gayle began his career at Brentford in 1988 and went on to play in the Premier League for Wimbledon and Watford. He was capped 14 times by Jamaica and played at the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France.

But it’s his achievements off the field that the Brentford Hall of Famer said he is most proud of.

“I left school at 16 to take on the world of professional football,” Gayle told students from six local primary schools at the Trust’s Gtech Community Stadium Hub.

“Then the real challenges started. Can you stay there? Can you improve?

“Back then, there were challenges around perception. I had to work three times as hard because of what I looked like and the perception that came with.

“I had to break through those obstacles and those negative perceptions growing up. That was a constant throughout my career.

“Now I’m Club ambassador at Brentford and my role is focused on EDI education and allyship.

“My journey has been very rewarding in that I’ve helped to create other professionals – that’s my greatest achievement.

“To be able to help others play to a good standard means that I’ve contributed. It fills me with pride and joy.

“People take the essence of what I’m about and hopefully they apply it in a way that benefits themselves.”

Davies, who was recently appointed chair of the FA inclusion advisory board, joined the board of Brentford last August.

Davies is also a managing director at JP Morgan and revealed that when he first joined the company in 2007, he had to battle with feelings of imposter syndrome.

“When I walked into the building, I never thought I’d be able to become a managing director – it wasn’t even on my agenda,” he said.

“This can you down to your background; if none of your family or friends are in these roles, why would you think that you could have one?

“Hopefully, we are a little bit of evidence that you can achieve anything if you focus and try.

“Just because there is no one in your immediate family doing a job, that doesn’t mean you can’t do it yourself.”

Gayle and Davies were speaking at Brentford FC Community Sports Trust’s Show Racism the Red Card workshop.

The panel also included former England striker Eni Aluko; Brentford’s head of football operations Lorna Falconer; Jordan Crossman, portfolio manager at JP Morgan; and Simone Pound, director of EDI at the Professional Footballers’ Association and trustee at Kick It Out.

Find out more about Show Racism the Red Card, and our award-winning Community Sports Trust.