The lack of Asian participation in British football is being brought into focus by the arrival of the Pakistan national team in England.

Their first match on tour will be at Bury, who just happen to have a player called Bhaichung Bhutia.

But, apart from Chris Dolby's limited success, he is the only Asian player to have made the grade in British professional football.

And it must also be remembered that he actually started his career in India.

Let me make something abundantly clear from the start - the reason I am not a professional footballer is because I'm completely talentless.

Own goals and gaffes were my speciality and I knew from the first time I kicked a ball that a career in football was not going to be mine.

From this writer's perspective, there is no real reason why Britain has yet to produce many Asian competitors in professional sport.

In 1995, a report into Asian participation in football, undertaken by the Football Association and Jas Bains (author of Corner Flags and Corner Shops) unearthed four key notions.

• Football was extremely popular amongst Asian youngsters;

• Many people in positions of responsibility in professional football clubs viewed Asians as either not interested in football or unsuitable;

• Football clubs were not engaging with local ethnic minority communities;

• Asian youngsters had great confidence that they would break through given the opportunity.

In response, many clubs launched initiatives in order to make the Asian communities a more integral part of the club's fanbase and also to find the man or boy who would break the mould.

West Ham United launched one called Asians in football.

The manager of the project is Mick King, whose remit is "to attract young Asian players into the game at all levels."

The Hammers' Under 19 team captain is an Asian by the name of Anwar Udin. While King does not take credit for his emergence, he believes that the effects of his project and other similar ones will soon be felt.

Working with youngsters from an age range of 8-11, he foresees the effects of the project to bear fruit within the next "five to 10 years".

"It's critical to put into place a whole range of structures to enable players to come through the ranks."

It is King's belief that the most important work is done with children at these early ages in order to find the player that will break the mould.

And like many other observers, he feels that the current generation of Asians are probably more obsessed with the 'beautiful game' than previous ones, making the breakthrough inevitable.

Stigma

As far as former England international Terry Fenwick is concerned, one factor that can be easily dismissed is "lack of ability".

Fenwick is currently working as unpaid director of football at non-league Southall and the club's public relations manager Andy Fitzsimons believes that there is plenty of work to be done.

"There seems to be a stigma attached to Asian players that, whatever happens, they will never be able to make the grade.

"These statements are ridiculous and are often made by people with very little insight into sport in general.

"I have had first hand experience playing with and against Asian players and, if anyone actually took the time to go an watch the Asian tournaments during the summer, I think they would be very surprised by how high the standard is."

Role models

There is no doubt that it used to be common for a young Asian to find himself forced into professions such as law, medicine or accountancy.

But the current generation of Asians brought up in England are finding that they have role models in cricket, tennis and hockey as well seeing Asians represented in the media and entertainment.

And from a business point of view, the top Premiership clubs may well find in the future that finding an Asian star, be it from the British Isles or elsewhere, could be the perfect way to expand their overseas marketing scheme.