Cyrille Regis

[Stickman]

Passed away age 59, sad news brilliant player

 

[VladimirIlyich]

Shame. He was a superb player for WBA and always seemed to look in good shape.

[JagSquared]

Chrikey that's no age. Before my time but a legend around where I grew up (near West Bromwich).

[razor]

He could welly a ball that lad.  Sad news.  He had character.

[Trumo]

That's two of the Three Degrees gone. Regis was unplayable on his day.

[JoeyJones65]

 

Top player for West Brom in the late 70s. They had a really good side at one point but he was the man there for me.

[Creator Supreme]

Very sad, great player!

[Stickman]

Can't post the link but that West Brom side was fantastic to watch especially when they spanked Utd 5-3 at Old Trafford, the fifth goal scored by Regis was absolutely brilliant.

[El Rojo]

That's terrible news.

 

Bit before my time, but I remember this belter from the 101 Great Goals video.

 

[suzy]

Only 59, sad news indeed. Always had a bit of a soft spot for West Brom back then. RIP Cyrille

[Winston Wolf]

Ah that's a real shame, I always liked Cyrille as a player and a fella.

He did some commentary and punditry in later years and came across as an insightful and intelligent man.

Some of the racism he has to put up during his career was nothing short of fucking disgraceful.

A real sad loss.

He played for 4 big Midlands clubs and he was liked and respected by the fans of all of them, which is testament to the man, his attitude and his ability.

He was a formidable forward at his peak.

[VladimirIlyich]

Ah that's a real shame, I always liked Cyrille as a player and a fella.

He did some commentary and punditry in later years and came across as an insightful and intelligent man.

Some of the racism he has to put up during his career was nothing short of fucking disgraceful.

A real sad loss.

He played for 4 big Midlands clubs and he was liked and respected by the fans of all of them, which is testament to the man, his attitude and his ability.

He was a formidable forward at his peak.

Just realised he spent as long at Coventry as he did at West Brom,7 seasons at each. Also played for Villa and Wolves. Was one of my favourite non Liverpool players back in the day. So sad at such a relatively young age.

[Guest Pistonbroke]

Sad news indeed, a beast of a player yet a lovely man. RIP big man. 

[stringvest]

Really saddened to hear this news.  I saw him play many times, and I remember seeing him out in the clubs in Coventry when I worked there.  There was definitely an aura about the man, on and off the pitch.  

 

RIP Cyrille.  

[Thoth]

Apparently he was booked in for an ECG next week so there was obviously something wrong, with the ticker you wonder why you have to wait for a check up.

 

RIP Cyrille

[Baltar]

Great player. RIP.

[Einch]

RIP big man.

[Tony Moanero]

1987 is one of my all-time favourite FA Cup Finals.

[Guest Pistonbroke]

[VERBAL DIARRHEA]

Great player. RIP.

[stringvest]

 

 

grinning after watching that, and not just because of the hat-trick against Utd. Great player, with unbelievable pace and two great feet.   

[Winston Wolf]

Football grounds in the late 70's and 80's resounded to "Nice one Cyrille, nice one son, Nice one Cyrille, let's have another one" more than a few times.

I remember seeing him at Anfield for the first time when I was a nipper playing for the Albion. I think it was 79/80 season when Atkinson had them challenging and West Brom and Forest were our title rivals.

They came to Anfield, in with a shout of the league and we beat them 2-1, it was a hard fought game and our lads knew they'd had a battle that day.

He was built like a boxer, strong, powerful, not that tall, but a handful for any defender of any era.

Albion had a very good side then, not only Cyrille and Laurie Cunningham, who was like quicksilver, but Bomber Brown, Ally Roberston, Bryan Robson, they could play and mix it. We went on to win the league and I think Albion finished 3rd.

He was a respected opponent for anyone who ever faced him. Sadly he played in much less enlightened times and was subject to all sorts of shit. Some of it wasn't meant as overt racism, it was a product of the times, people didn't see black players much then and Britain wasn't as multi-cultural as it is now, but Cyrille Regis was respected as a player by all clubs and fans that he came up against.

The fact that I and so many of you are sad to hear of his passing shows that respect, he had no link to our club in his playing days, but he is known and remembered as proper professional and a proper player and as a man who opened the door to acceptance of black players as a force to be reckoned with.

Regis, Batson and Laurie were still seen as something of a novelty back then, I'm not saying that's right, I'm just saying that's how it was. But anyone who played against him and saw him play will remember him.

A man and a player of a 'diiferent' cultural landscape who was accepted and respected by all. A proper footballing legend of my lifetime.

[dockers_strike]

Like all black players got dogs abuse from the terracing. Thankfully that has been largely ended. RIP lad.

[Red Hot]

Always wanted us to sign Cyrille, but it never happened. R.I.P. Cyrille Y.N.W.A.

[Guest Pistonbroke]

Football grounds in the late 70's and 80's resounded to "Nice one Cyrille, nice one son, Nice one Cyrille, let's have another one" more than a few times.

I remember seeing him at Anfield for the first time when I was a nipper playing for the Albion. I think it was 79/80 season when Atkinson had them challenging and West Brom and Forest were our title rivals.

They came to Anfield, in with a shout of the league and we beat them 2-1, it was a hard fought game and our lads knew they'd had a battle that day.

He was built like a boxer, strong, powerful, not that tall, but a handful for any defender of any era.

Albion had a very good side then, not only Cyrille and Laurie Cunningham, who was like quicksilver, but Bomber Brown, Ally Roberston, Bryan Robson, they could play and mix it. We went on to win the league and I think Albion finished 3rd.

He was a respected opponent for anyone who ever faced him. Sadly he played in much less enlightened times and was subject to all sorts of shit. Some of it wasn't meant as overt racism, it was a product of the times, people didn't see black players much then and Britain wasn't as multi-cultural as it is now, but Cyrille Regis was respected as a player by all clubs and fans that he came up against.

The fact that I and so many of you are sad to hear of his passing shows that respect, he had no link to our club in his playing days, but he is known and remembered as proper professional and a proper player and as a man who opened the door to acceptance of black players as a force to be reckoned with.

Regis, Batson and Laurie were still seen as something of a novelty back then, I'm not saying that's right, I'm just saying that's how it was. But anyone who played against him and saw him play will remember him.

A man and a player of a 'diiferent' cultural landscape who was accepted and respected by all. A proper footballing legend of my lifetime.

 

Great post mate. 

 

West Brom had a decent team back then. They were in the old league 2 until the latter part of the 70's before finishing in the top half after promotion and again the next season. The year you are on about they did indeed finish behind us and Forest in 3rd. They kind of kept that up after that season as well, i'm sure they finished above us early 80's. They had some good players back in the days, Big Cyrille, Cunningham, Statham, Wile, Willie Johnson and paper legs Robson.