Lindy Delapenha started playing competitive football at the age of 11 when he played for Wolmer's Schools. He scored his first goal for Wolmer's against St. George's College, Jamaica in the Manning Cup competition. Delapenha then attended Munro College in Jamaica where he was a multi-sport athlete. As a schoolboy, Delapenha took part in 16 events over a one-and-a-half-day period in England. He then served with the British Armed Forces in the Middle East following World War II. During his service, an English football scout saw him playing football for the British Army. This gained him a trial with Arsenal, but he did not sign for the club, and in April 1948 he joined Portsmouth. There, he became the first Jamaican to play professional football in England. Although it is claimed he was the first non-white player to appear in the English Football League First Division, he was actually predated by several other non-white players, including Arthur Wharton, who played a First Division match for Sheffield United as far back as 1894–95. In April 1950, after a successful few years with Portsmouth, he transferred to Middlesbrough where his career took off. He played on the wing or inside-forward, and became Boro's leading scorer in the 1951–52, 1953–54 and 1955–56 seasons. In total he scored 93 league and FA Cup goals in 270 appearances. He moved to Mansfield Town in June 1958, contributing 27 goals in 115 appearances over two years, before retiring from League football in 1960. Delapenha played non-league football, Hereford United and Burton Albion. He won the Southern League Cup in 1964 with Burton.
Later life
Having returned home to Jamaica in 1964, Delapenha played cricket for a short time and represented Boys' Town at football, taking them from Division 3 up to Division 1. He also coached his alma mater, Wolmer's Schools in athletics and football in the mid 1960s. Soon after, he became director of sports at the Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation. At the JBC, he had various roles including co-ordinating coverage of cricket, the Commonwealth Games, and helped bring international football to Jamaica. He stayed there for 30 years before JBC was sold and his services were no longer required. He died on 26 January 2017 at the age of 89, after a stroke.
