The facts, then. In 1977, a 19-year-old striker from French Guiana signed for West Bromwich Albion. His name was Cyrille Regis. Within two years, he was named PFA Young Player of the Year. Within five years, he won five caps for England. Along the way, he received a bullet in the post and bananas thrown at him from the terraces.

Cyrille Regis was born on February 9, 1958, in Maripasoula, French Guiana, a small town deep in the Amazon rainforest. His father was a gold prospector. The family moved to England when Cyrille was young. He grew up in west London and worked as an apprentice electrician on building sites, earning £20 a week.

Cyrille Regis

He played non-league football for Molesey, then Hayes, earning an extra £5 per match. In 1977, West Brom’s manager Ron Atkinson paid £5,000 to sign him. It was one of the best investments in football history.

Regis scored 112 goals in 297 appearances for West Brom between 1977 and 1984. His thunderous shot and powerful runs made him a fan favorite. In the 1978-79 season, he scored 13 league goals and helped West Brom finish third in the First Division.

But Regis was more than a goal scorer. Along with teammates Laurie Cunningham and Brendan Batson, he was one of the first Black players to break into the English top flight in the late 1970s. At one point, the three of them were three of only four Black players in the entire First Division. The fourth was Viv Anderson of Nottingham Forest.

Cyrille Regis

They were called “The Three Degrees” by Atkinson, a nickname taken from a popular singing group. The name was meant as a compliment, but the players received anything but compliments from the stands.

Regis later recalled: “Back then, we had 10,000 people shouting racist abuse at us.” Fans threw bananas onto the pitch. They made monkey noises. When Regis was called up to the England squad, a racist supporter sent him a bullet in the post. He kept it as a reminder of what he was fighting against.

He made his England debut in 1982 against West Germany. He earned five caps in total, between 1982 and 1987. Many believed he deserved more. The selectors, he felt, were reluctant to pick a Black striker when white alternatives were available.

In 1984, Regis moved to Coventry City. Three years later, in 1987, he won the FA Cup, Coventry’s only major trophy. He scored in the semi-final against Leeds United, a curling shot into the top corner. In the final against Tottenham, Coventry won 3-2 after extra time. Regis did not score, but his presence occupied the Spurs defense and created space for others.

Cyrille Regis

He later played for Aston Villa, Wolves, Wycombe, and Chester, retiring in 1996 after 19 professional seasons. In total, he made 614 league appearances and scored 158 league goals.

In 1989, his close friend Laurie Cunningham died in a car accident in Spain. Regis became a Christian after Cunningham’s death. He credited his faith with helping him cope with the loss and the racism he had endured.

In 2008, Regis was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for his services to football and the voluntary sector. He said: “It just shows you that dreams can be fulfilled if you have the drive and support of people around you.”

Cyrille Regis

On January 14, 2018, Cyrille Regis died of a heart attack at age 59. Tributes poured in from across the football world. West Brom called him “the iconic figurehead of the club’s legendary ‘Three Degrees’ team.”

England manager Gareth Southgate said: “Cyrille was a pioneer. He broke down barriers and made it possible for generations of Black players to follow in his footsteps.”

He was buried with his MBE medal. And the bullet he received in the post was buried with him.

Sources:

• • BBC News – Dani Alves racism interview with Cyrille Regis (2014) (https://wwwnews.live.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/27218472)

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