Arfan says football is a key to cohesion

18/ 2/2008

A FOOTBALLER from local Oldham side Glodwick Dynamoes appeared on our sister TV station ‘Channel M’ talking about the lack of Asian players making it through to the professional game.

Arfan Rafiq has been a striker with the team since he was 14 and won several honours.

The team picked up yet another trophy at a recent tournament in Milnrow and the camera’s from Channel M were there to have a word with Arfan.

The 23-year-old said: "I told them that it's sad that Asians have their own teams and the whites have their teams. I would like to see that change and see players come together.

"It would be good if a tournament were held where white, Asian and black players turn up and each are picked for mixed sides. I think that would really improve community cohesion."

Arfan has successfully turned his life around from when he was younger – by his own admission he was "always getting in trouble".

This ended up with Arfan being given an ASBO when he was 18 after getting into a fight at college.

He said: "Some people say ASBOs don’t work, but it did with me and really taught me a lesson."

Arfan is now working on a voluntary basis with Oldham Funeral Centre and is on a training course in Bradford to become a full-time funeral director.

In addition to playing for Glodwick Dynamoes, he also turns out for another local side, Sona FC. Although he admits it’s now a little too late for him to make it as a professional footballer, he hopes more Asians will do so in future.