Paul Canoville, who made history as the first Black player to play for Chelsea Football Club, has been admitted to the hospital after a serious decline in his health.

The 63-year-old footballer played for Chelsea from 1981 to 1986. He played an important role in helping the team win the Second Division title during the 1983–84 season.

Canoville shared in his 2008 autobiography that he is the father of 11 children with 10 different women. Along with his physical illness, his mental health has also been affected recently.

The CEO of the Paul Canoville Foundation shared a heartfelt statement about his current condition. It said that Paul is in the hospital because his health has worsened, and it’s had a big impact on his emotional well-being too.

Paul has overcome many challenges in his life, and he remains strong. But right now, he needs time, support, and rest to heal properly.

Because of his health, he has missed school visits and, sadly, couldn’t attend the “Show Racism the Red Card” event at Downing Street. He was also looking forward to attending the premiere of a documentary about his life but may not be able to go.

The foundation kindly asked people not to contact Paul directly while he recovers. Supporters are welcome to share kind words through the foundation’s social media posts. These messages will be passed on to Paul when he feels better.

Paul faced terrible racism during his time at Chelsea. He was often targeted by fans who threw bananas at him and shouted racist slurs. Shockingly, this abuse came mostly from his own team’s fans, not the opposing teams.

In a 2023 interview, he shared his frustration, saying he didn’t understand why fans used fruit to insult him, and stressed that racism in football must be addressed. He encouraged young Black players to speak out and not stay silent when facing racism.

After leaving Chelsea, Canoville joined Reading in 1986 for £60,000. However, he had to retire from professional football just a year later because of a serious knee injury.