Cyrille Regis added to football Hall of Fame
The former West Brom, Aston Villa, and Coventry City striker has been recognised for his "outstanding contribution" to the game.
The prestigious Hall-of-Fame Award was presented to Cyrille’s widow Julia and his brother Dave by former England and Liverpool winger John Barnes, a previous inductee into the Hall of Fame, during a ceremony at Villa Park.
The presentation took place during a ‘Strike A Change’ event, the mentoring programme of the Cyrille Regis Legacy Trust.
The charity was officially launched in the forward’s memory by members of his family in July at West Bromwich Albion, the club where Cyrille, alongside Brendon Batson and Laurie Cunningham, became a pioneer for black footballers in the ’70s.
The Hall-Of-Fame Awards, supported by the Professional Footballers’ Association, celebrate the achievements of those who have made an outstanding contribution to the game, either on or off the pitch. Past inductees include Cyrille’s former Albion team-mate Bryan Robson, England women’s record goalscorer Kelly Smith, George Best and Rio Ferdinand.
John Barnes roomed with Cyrille as England Under-21 team-mates and was on the field when the French Guyana-born striker won his final senior cap as a sub against Turkey in 1987.
“It was an honour and a privilege to present this award to Julia and Dave in memory of such an iconic footballer who was an inspiration to so many black players,” he said. “Cyrille was a superstar on so many levels but remained grounded and humble."