MX23RW : Friday, April 26 11:34:14| >> :120:6167:6167:

Ryan Giggs opens up on being made to feel "different" because of race

The Wales manager said he had 'no hesitation' in taking the knee at recent international games.

Ryan Giggs has spoken about how he was made to feel "different" because of of his mixed-race heritage after moving from Wales to England as a child.

The Wales manager, 46, also said he had "no hesitation" in taking the knee to support the "important message" of the Black Lives Matter movement at recent international games.

Giggs spoke about his experiences to former Welsh rugby International Richard Parks for ITV Wales programme Can I Be Welsh And Black?, looking the significance of ethnicity in today's Wales.

The former Manchester United winger said he was "immensely proud" of his mixed background, with his father, former rugby union player Danny Wilson, being black, and his mother, Lynne Giggs, being white.

Ryan Giggs file photo
Ryan Giggs during a friendly international against Bulgaria in Swansea in 2006 (David Davies/PA)

The family moved to Manchester from Cardiff when Giggs was seven after his father signed for rugby league side Swinton.

Asked about the first time he was made to feel "different" because of his race, Giggs said: "I didn't experience anything in Cardiff. I was seven, so I can't remember a lot before that. It wasn't until I moved to Manchester.

"Where I lived, my dad was very well known, because he was such a good player. He was probably the best player in the team in that town.

"As you can guess, to look at me, you wouldn't think my dad was black.

"But obviously everyone knowing that was my dad, and my dad quite clearly being black, that's really when I sort of experienced the first time. Which was a bit weird, because I'd never experienced that before."

On This Day in 2008: Manchester United clinch Premier League title at Wigan
Ryan Giggs won 13 Premier League titles with Manchester United (Dave Thompson/PA)

Giggs said he would define himself as "mixed race", but that he had never decided to "shout about" the fact, saying: "It's just who I am."

He also spoke about his memories of visiting "home" to see his black cousins in Cardiff's docks area.

"It was weird because when I was in Manchester there was no black people at my school. One or two. And obviously when I go back home I'm just surrounded by my dad's family," Giggs said.

"I loved it. There used to be a carnival every year down the docks, and I used to love going to that. It was just normal for me. It was great for me to have that diversity."

Asked what it meant being mixed race and Welsh at this point in life, Giggs responded: "I think immensely proud, first of all."

He said the decision to take the knee along with his his Welsh players at recent international games was to show the nation "didn't put up with discrimination or racism".

"There was no hesitation with myself and with my staff and with the team," he said.

Richard Parks: Can I Be Welsh And Black? will be shown on ITV Cymru Wales at 8pm on October 27.

ID:419908: cacheID:419908:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:6946:
Restore Data
Share this article now:
France midfielder Paul Pogba kisses the World Cup trophy in 2018
Read Next:
Paul Pogba denies planning to quit France national team
>
Read more about Ryan Giggs Football
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Arsenal34245582265677
2Manchester CityMan City33237380324876
3Liverpool34228475344174
4Aston Villa34206871502166
5Tottenham HotspurSpurs32186865491660
6Manchester UnitedMan Utd33165125150153
7Newcastle UnitedNewcastle331551369541550
8West Ham UnitedWest Ham34139125463-948
9Chelsea32138116157447
10Bournemouth34129134960-1145
11Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton331111115254-244
12Wolverhampton WanderersWolves34127154654-843
13Fulham34126165054-442
14Crystal Palace34109154456-1239
15Brentford3498175259-735
16Everton34118153648-1233
17Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest3479184260-1826
18Luton TownLuton3467214775-2825
19Burnley3458213769-3223
20Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd3437243392-5916


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!