Wolves’ first-team performance head chef Melissa Forde has been featured on the Football Black List, which highlights the most influential Black people in British football.
Forde, who is of Jamaican heritage, leads the catering team working with Vitor Pereira’s squad, both at Compton Park on a daily basis and on the road all over the country.
Now, she’s been included on the Football Black List alongside former Wolves head coach Nuno Espirito Santo, Premier League players Raheem Sterling, Tyrone Mings and Richarlison and England under-21 assistant head coach Ashley Cole.
The Football Black List was founded in 2008 and highlights leaders of African and Caribbean heritage working and volunteering across all areas of football.
Black Footballers Partnership say 43 per cent of players in the Premier League are Black, but the Black community is often underrepresented in other areas of the game, so the list highlights those leading the way in a bid to inspire others.
Nominations for the list are submitted by the public and an expert panel from the football industry and Black community cast their votes from the nominations, with Wolves’ Forde making the final list.
The list highlights people working across the highest level of the game, as high as board level, and Forde was one of five in the ‘practitioners’ category, alongside staff from the likes of Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur.
Later this month, Forde will join the rest of the Football Black List in an evening of celebration at the Emirates Stadium for the most influential Black people in British football.
“It's really nice to be recognised,” Forde said. “I'm always hoping to inspire other women and people from Afro Caribbean culture and motivate people to maybe explore the avenues of working within football, choosing a different field. It's really important and visibility does help.
“It’s no secret, I’ve said before, when I looked into working within football, I didn't see much representation on the culinary side. It made me a bit apprehensive, but I'm glad I took that leap and put my best foot forward and I've been doing this now for four years.
“I'm really looking forward to the event. I've seen some videos from previous events, and it's really special. I'm looking forward to enjoying it with my husband, putting on a nice dress, instead of my chef whites, and really enjoying the celebration. Hopefully I’ll meet a lot of the people there and a lot of interesting in people within football.”
Back in October, Forde was nominated as Wolves’ ‘No Room For Racism icon', showcasing the importance of diversity on and off the pitch, and in the past has embraced the club’s Black History Month celebrations by providing unique dishes honouring Black backgrounds to players and staff.
The full Football Black List can be viewed by clicking here.
