Regis was an inspiration and an icon
To appreciate the essence of Cyrille Regis as a footballer, look no further than the BBC’s Goal of the Season from 1981-82.
Regis, in the navy and white of West Bromwich Albion, is ten yards inside the Norwich half when he accepts a ball on his chest with his back to goal, and rolls away from his marker.
Yellow shirts trail as he accelerates and unleashes a strike from 30 yards, which explodes from his right foot and makes the net bulge.
There were others, many scored with his head and featuring his incredible spring, but this goal, the only one of the FA Cup fifthround tie, was rated by Regis as his best.
Ten days later, he won the first of his five England caps, coming on as a substitute against Northern Ireland at Wembley.
Regis was a fabulous athlete in his prime and the same imposing physique was in evidence long after his career ended.
He still weighed the same as he did when he played and his death at the age of 59 following a suspected heart attack on Sunday was an enormous shock to those familiar with his healthy lifestyle and fitness regime.
Last year, when we met to reminisce about his former teammate Laurie Cunningham, Regis came bounding down the stairs of a health club in Birmingham, still glistening after a work-out.
Cunningham had been a major influence in his life and Regis did all he could to ensure his legend survived after he was killed in a car accident at the age of 33.
When a statue was unveiled near Leyton orient’s stadium in November, Regis was present to honour his friend, who was the first black footballer to represent England at Under 21 level.
‘At the time, you don’t know you’re breaking barriers down,’ said Regis. ‘only history can tell you that. Years later, footballers like Dwight Yorke, Andy Cole and David James come up and say: “I watched you and Laurie Cunningham on the box when I was five”.
‘That’s when you know you’re a trailblazer and a pioneer. At the time, you don’t know you’re inspiring others. But they come to you and say it made them think — if he can do it, I can do it.’
Regis was born in the rural town of Maripasoula in French Guiana to parents from St Lucia who wanted to call him Gilbert Cyrille. His father’s friend, who was handed the responsibility of registering the birth on a trip to the capital Cayenne, could not remember the first name. Cyrille was five when the family moved to London and was a teenager playing Sunday football in Regent’s Park when he was spotted by John Sullivan, the chairman of non-league Molesey.
By the time he attracted the attention of professional clubs, Regis had joined Hayes and was working as an electrician on a building site. He was 19 when West Brom struck a deal for £5,000 plus £5,000 in add-ons in May 1977. Ronnie Allen, the chief scout, was so certain of his quality that he offered to pay the money personally.
Cunningham was already at the Hawthorns and they quickly became friends. Brendon Batson would join from Cambridge nine months later. All three flourished in a fine Albion team and although the Three Degrees nickname bestowed upon them by Ron Atkinson feels uncomfortable, it seemed to help football through some cultural barriers.
A photograph of Regis in action made the cover of the New Musical Express in 1979.
Like other black players form the era, however, they suffered extreme racist abuse on a daily basis. When international recognition became a possibility, Regis received a bullet in the post, accompanied by a threat to kneecap him if he ever pulled on an England shirt.
‘I kept the bullet as a reminder of the force of anger and evil some people had inside them back then,’ said Regis. ‘For the rest of my playing days, it was also a motivation, a reminder that these people were not going to stop me.’
Allen was West Brom manager by the time Regis made his debut, scoring twice in a League Cup tie against Rotherham.
He scored again on his league debut against Middlesbrough and, by the end of his first season, St Etienne came in to offer £750,000.
‘It wasn’t the right time,’ said Regis. ‘I was only 20. I’d only been a pro for a year. I didn’t speak the language and we had a very good side.’
He scored one and set up two as Atkinson’s side won 5-3 at Manchester United, the most memorable performance in a campaign when they finished third in Division one and were beaten by a late goal in a UEFA Cup quarter-final against Red Star Belgrade.
‘I’ve worked with some very good centre-forwards, but, when I’m asked to name the best, it’s Cyrille,’ said Atkinson yesterday. ‘He had pace, power, a great shot and he was terrifically quick, as quick as any player I’ve known.
‘How he got only five caps, I’ll never know. I wish England had someone like him now.
‘He was a phenomenal player and was an even better bloke. He was a credit to football — unassuming and appreciated the fact that he was playing football for a living because he had seen the other side of it.’
Regis moved to Coventry in 1984 for £250,000, winning the FA Cup in 1987 before going on to play for Aston Villa, Wolves, Wycombe and Chester.
The death of Cunningham in 1989 hit him hard. They were still close and had been involved in a car crash in Spain two years earlier when fortunate to escape unhurt. Regis became a Born Again Christian. ‘I had to get some answers,’ he said in his interview with Sportsmail last year. ‘We had a life in parallel: football, riches, big houses, cars and fame.
‘He left it all behind. It didn’t make sense. Why did I put value on these things? Where’s Laurie? In heaven? In hell? In space? He was 33. If I had died in that car crash, where would I be?’
Regis coached briefly before becoming an agent for Stellar Group and devoted much of his time to charity work. In 2008, he was honoured with an MBE.
‘Cyrille was a special guy,’ said Jonathan Barnett, chairman of Stellar. ‘He was an icon and an inspiration to so many young players from all backgrounds.’
Regis was not the only sports star in the family. Younger brother Dave played for several clubs and their nephew Jason Roberts starred for West Brom. Cousin John was an olympic sprinter.
Cyrille’s widow Julia said: ‘He was a beautiful man and a wonderful husband, father, grandfather, brother and uncle. He came into football the hard way and never lost his passion for the game. He treated everyone with kindness and respect.’
To appreciate Regis the footballer, search for that screamer against Norwich. There was so much more to admire about Regis the man.
A phenomenal player and a better bloke