A famous UK footballer could have had a London Overground line named after him, Transport for London (TfL) has revealed. The individual was put forward as an option for the proposed set of line names under the renaming scheme for the London Overground last year.
A report published by TfL last month included the longlist of names for the project that representative stories and identities throughout the culture of the capital. It listed Jack Cother as inspiration for the suggested Cother line.
The report said: “Honouring Jack Cother, the first Asian professional footballer in the UK who played for Watford FC from 1897. The club’s Vicarage Road stadium at the end of the line has a small plaque in his honour.”
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The club’s stadium has a plaque to honour Jack Cother -Credit:Jasper Wax / Stringer via Getty
It added: “Cother’s father was originally from Mumbai, India and this story recognises the important South Asian communities along this line, particularly at Wembley, at a time when racism in football continues to be an important issue.”
The Cother line would likely have been an option for what is now referred to as the Lioness line, given the service runs through Wembley.
The naming of the Lioness line also celebrates English football, with it being inspired by the England women’s team winning the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022.
The final was the first time an England team had won a major trophy since 1966. It was also a UK record for the highest ever attendance in a women’s football match with 87,000 people.
Sarina Wiegman, England women’s head coach, said: “I hope any girl travelling on the Lioness line feels inspired and the legacy of that very special moment in the summer of 2022 lives on for many years.”
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