'It’s a shocking statistic': Deji Davies on Black representation at board level in football

Deji Davies Discusses Black History Month On Sky Sports

The film emphasizes that Deji is the sole Black board member among all the Premier League clubs.

"That statistic is quite startling," he remarked. "It truly underscores the effort we need to put in. I hope I've encouraged a few individuals by demonstrating that it can be done."

Deji joined the board of Brentford in 2021. Since 2022, he has also served as the chair of The FA's inclusion advisory board.

In talking about his new position, Deji mentioned, "Brentford conducted a transparent selection process, which is typical in the corporate realm but quite revolutionary in the context of football. It's rare to see job openings posted in that manner."

Deji pointed out that the absence of representation could discourage Black individuals from applying for positions in football at the board level. He noted, “If someone from a similar background to mine were considering a role like mine, they might think, 'that position isn’t meant for me.'”

Nity Raj, the club’s general counsel, also played a role in the documentary. He was involved in the hiring process that brought Deji onto Brentford’s board.

"The experience was excellent because we received assistance along the way," Nity explained. "The key is figuring out how to communicate your desire to approach football recruitment from a new perspective."

Nity went on to discuss how the club utilizes data in their recruitment process: “By minimizing bias in player selection, we’ve managed to discover players who offer greater value. This concept is well-known at Brentford, and it makes sense to apply this way of thinking to the board and throughout the entire organization.”

"It's all about being deliberate in our approach to explore all possibilities. Every club is dedicated to thoroughly searching for top talent," Deji explained, noting the similarities between finding new board members and scouting players for the team.

It's not just about finding great individuals; Deji shared how Brentford's approach aims to enhance decision-making processes.

"If you truly want to improve your decision-making and make sure you've considered all aspects, you're more likely to achieve that by embracing a range of perspectives, thoughts, and experiences," he explained.

Deji noted that the main difficulty lies in the rapid speed of change when discussing the future of Black representation in English football.

“While the pace has been slower than we had hoped, we are fully dedicated to making progress and understand that this is a long-term effort.”

You can view "Against The Odds: Black Managers in English Football" on the YouTube channel of Sky Sports.