A host of recent conferences, reports and anti-racism activites have brought the plight of Asian footballers back into the limelight.

But what to do the professional footballers who have made it actually think?

Andy Cole believes the emergence of a top footballer will ignite the Asian game in this country.

Cole, one of the leagues most prolific goalscorers, has been part of the growth in the number of black players in England over the past 15 years.

It was a long, and often abusive, process of integration that was kicked-started by the likes of Brendon Batson, Cyrille Regis and Viv Anderson in the seventies, and continued by John Barnes a decade later.

They were the role models who paved the way for a whole generation of black footballers, and Cole insists aspiring Asian players will only make a breakthrough when they have someone to look up to.

There are only four Asian professionals in Englands top leagues: Zesh Rehman of Fulham, Michael Chopra of Newcastle United, Huddersfields Adnan Ahmed and Harpal Singh of Stockport County.

That represents a massive under-representation in a country which features a league of nations.

Cole, who won 15 England caps, played alongside Rehman, and he believes the young defender could be the man to make that breakthrough at the top level, and signal the start of a new era for Asian footballers.

He said: Zesh could be the first Asian to make it big in the Premiership because he has got the talent and desire to do so.

"But it is going to be so important for all the young Asians out there who have not got someone of their own colour to look up to.

"And I believe that he can be a pioneer who changes things because I think it is only a matter of time before he gets through at the top level.

"Just like any other Premiership footballer, he has got the ability there. It does not matter to me where he comes from, or where his family come from, if he is good enough, he will make it.

"He is chomping at the bit now. He wants to play, he has so much desire and I think it will mean so much when he does make it through because I believe that there will be some great Asian footballers to come.

Rehman, whose parents are from Pakistan, is keen to concentrate on football rather than the colour of his skin, but he acknowledges that his success in the game will play a big part in the games development.

"People remind me that I'm the first Asian to really be making it in the Premiership but I don't really think about it as a big thing," Rehman said. "Maybe it is but I have to keep my mind on my football.

"If I think about that, then it would be easy to get distracted into the other side of the game. If other kids look at me as a role model, then that's great.

"I think there are quite a lot of things that stop Asians making it in football. Firstly is the fact there is no role model. No one to look up to and say 'yeah maybe it can happen'.

"Also I think we get stereotyped a lot as being too weak or not having the right diet. Also people presume we like cricket more. Generally you just feel people are judged even before they have been watched."

Midfielder Adnan Ahmed, whose parents came from Pakistan in the 1970s, is another of the up-and-coming Asian talents, and he recently signed a two-year contract with Huddersfield Town.

He was featured in Asian Image back in 2000 when he was on the books of a number of local clubs.

He acknowledges that he will have to fight more than most to make his mark in the game.

Adnan said: "Our fans have been unbelievable towards me, they've taken to me and they really are a great bunch of fans.

"But at away games, some of them are going to be ignorant people. Hopefully I've got to set an example where I don't react to it, and hopefully people will respect that."

Michael Chopra made history in July 1999 when he became the first Asian footballer to play for England when he was capped by the Under 16s.

He is the son of an English mother and an Indian father, who run a shop in Gateshead.

"I was proud enough that he had been picked to play for his country but the fact that he was the first South Asian to play for England made it doubly special," says his dad.

Chopra trains along with Alan Shearer at Newcastle, and his ambition is to one day fill Shearers boots for the national side.

Chopra said: "Ever since my earliest days I have always wanted to be the one out there scoring the goals and being the hero of the fans.

One day, that dream could be fulfilled, and his success could pave the way for a new era in Asian football.