ijjysmith
Calm
Cyrille Regis, the former West Brom and England forward, has died aged 59.
He scored 112 goals in 297 appearances for the Baggies before joining Coventry City for £250,000 in 1984.
He was a pioneer for black footballers in the game when he played alongside Laurie Cunningham and Brendon Batson at The Hawthorns.
Regis, who was appointed an MBE in 2008,returned to West Brom as a coach before becoming a football agent.
The trio of Regis, Cunningham and Batson, nicknamed the Three Degrees by their then-manager Ron Atkinson, were subject to racist abuse from fans during the late 1970s.
They were honoured with a 10ft statue, called The Celebration, which was unveiled in West Bromwich in 2014.
At the time, Regis said: "We were part of that first generation of black players in this country and I'm sure that if you ask any second generation player they will tell you they were inspired by Laurie. That's why the statue will be so important."
Cunningham, Batson and Regis met their namesakes, pop group The Three Degrees, in 1979
Cunningham died in a car crash in Spain in 1989.
Regis, who won five caps for England, scored 62 goals in 274 appearances for Coventry and was a crucial part of their FA Cup-winning side in 1987. He retired from football in October 1996.
A role model and a trailblazer'
BBC Sport's chief football writer, Phil McNulty
Cyrille Regis was not simply an outstanding striker for West Brom and an FA Cup winner with Coventry City - he was a role model and a trailblazer for black footballers.
Regis, along with Brendon Batson and Laurie Cunningham at West Brom and the likes of Viv Anderson at Nottingham Forest, broke down barriers and demonstrated what could be achieved at a time when high-profile black players were a rarity in Britain.
And Regis did it the hard way by coming through the Isthmian League at Hayes before being spotted and signed for the Baggies by then-manager Ronnie Allen in May 1977.
It was under Ron Atkinson that he achieved the status that made him a legend at The Hawthorns; a striker of explosive, raw power and finishing who could unsettle any defence. Regis was powerful in the air, quick and a scorer of any type of goal, spectacular or scrappy.
Regis was a gentle man away from football but such was his threat on the field, particularly when subjected to heavy physical attentions from opponents, that opposing managers used to specifically instruct their players not to upset him or annoy him in any way as the results could be devastating. In full flight, Regis was a magnificent sight.
For all the glorious memories he created at West Bromwich Albion, Regis is also remembered fondly at Coventry City, where he was a member of the side that won the FA Cup in 1987, beating Tottenham 3-2 at Wembley.
Regis also played for Aston Villa, Wolves, Wycombe Wanderers and Chester City later in his career but it was at West Brom and Coventry where he enjoyed his greatest glory.
He will be remembered as one of the most significant footballing figures of his generation, not just for his impact on the field but his wider influence off it.
He scored 112 goals in 297 appearances for the Baggies before joining Coventry City for £250,000 in 1984.
He was a pioneer for black footballers in the game when he played alongside Laurie Cunningham and Brendon Batson at The Hawthorns.
Regis, who was appointed an MBE in 2008,returned to West Brom as a coach before becoming a football agent.
The trio of Regis, Cunningham and Batson, nicknamed the Three Degrees by their then-manager Ron Atkinson, were subject to racist abuse from fans during the late 1970s.
They were honoured with a 10ft statue, called The Celebration, which was unveiled in West Bromwich in 2014.
At the time, Regis said: "We were part of that first generation of black players in this country and I'm sure that if you ask any second generation player they will tell you they were inspired by Laurie. That's why the statue will be so important."
Cunningham, Batson and Regis met their namesakes, pop group The Three Degrees, in 1979
Cunningham died in a car crash in Spain in 1989.
Regis, who won five caps for England, scored 62 goals in 274 appearances for Coventry and was a crucial part of their FA Cup-winning side in 1987. He retired from football in October 1996.
A role model and a trailblazer'
BBC Sport's chief football writer, Phil McNulty
Cyrille Regis was not simply an outstanding striker for West Brom and an FA Cup winner with Coventry City - he was a role model and a trailblazer for black footballers.
Regis, along with Brendon Batson and Laurie Cunningham at West Brom and the likes of Viv Anderson at Nottingham Forest, broke down barriers and demonstrated what could be achieved at a time when high-profile black players were a rarity in Britain.
And Regis did it the hard way by coming through the Isthmian League at Hayes before being spotted and signed for the Baggies by then-manager Ronnie Allen in May 1977.
It was under Ron Atkinson that he achieved the status that made him a legend at The Hawthorns; a striker of explosive, raw power and finishing who could unsettle any defence. Regis was powerful in the air, quick and a scorer of any type of goal, spectacular or scrappy.
Regis was a gentle man away from football but such was his threat on the field, particularly when subjected to heavy physical attentions from opponents, that opposing managers used to specifically instruct their players not to upset him or annoy him in any way as the results could be devastating. In full flight, Regis was a magnificent sight.
For all the glorious memories he created at West Bromwich Albion, Regis is also remembered fondly at Coventry City, where he was a member of the side that won the FA Cup in 1987, beating Tottenham 3-2 at Wembley.
Regis also played for Aston Villa, Wolves, Wycombe Wanderers and Chester City later in his career but it was at West Brom and Coventry where he enjoyed his greatest glory.
He will be remembered as one of the most significant footballing figures of his generation, not just for his impact on the field but his wider influence off it.
