Christian faith was the most important thing in the life of former England footballer Cyrille Regis, who died last month at the age of 59.
Cyrille was a legend of West Midlands football and best known as a centre forward for West Bromwich Albion and Coventry City. He was also renowned for his dignified stand in the fight against racism in football.
Converted to Christ
But having become a Christian in 1989, it was his faith in Jesus that shaped the second half of his life and he was a committed member of Renewal Christian Centre in Solihull.
As he looked to share the gospel, Cyrille became a passionate supporter of Christians in Sport and had been one of the organisation’s Trustees since 2011.
Christians in Sport General Director Graham Daniels said: ‘Cyrille was an outstanding footballer but, much more importantly, an outstanding man. His courage as one of the first famous high-profile black footballers meant that he became a role model who changed the canvas of professional football.
‘His faith in Christ, which he came to after the death of his friend Laurie Cunningham, became a fantastic encouragement to many elite sportspeople to consider their relationship with the God who gave them their talents. The man was a giant in his generation.
‘We watched Cyrille influencing hundreds of young leaders with his generosity, kindness and unashamed standing for Christ.’
Third black England player
Just the third black player to be capped by England, Cyrille was a pioneer in the fight against racism in football. He played 614 matches and scored 158 goals in a 19-year professional career, which also saw him make five appearances for England. Cyrille’s career highlights included winning the FA Cup with Coventry City in 1987 and scoring the goal of the season, while playing for West Brom in 1981-2. He also had spells with Aston Villa and Wolves, which cemented his popularity in the region.
Born in French Guyana in February 1958, Cyrille grew up in Harlesden, London.
His abilities were noticed when playing Non-League football and he was signed by First Division West Brom in 1977. A powerful centre forward with a penchant for spectacular goals, Cyrille was soon showing international form.
He could have played for France by virtue of his birthplace, but he chose to represent England. Having won caps at under 21 and B level, Cyrille made his full England debut in 1982. His fifth and final cap came in 1987.
Opposing racism
However, racism was a big problem in football at that time and as a high-profile player, Cyrille was frequently singled out for abuse. He said: ‘The racist abuse we got was incredible. I got my first England call-up and got fan mail saying: ‘If you put one foot on that Wembley turf, you’ll get one of these through your knees.’ A bullet came through the post.’
Cyrille was one of three prominent black players at West Brom, with him, Laurie Cunningham and Brendon Batson becoming known as the Three Degrees. Despite the racism they faced, their performances and mental strength ensured that they gave hundreds of young black footballers the confidence to follow in their footsteps.
Many of these such as Dion Dublin, Ian Wright and Brian Deane were among those to lead the tributes following Cyrille’s death.
Graham Daniels said: ‘He was a real pioneer. A man who played in front of 40,000 people and was bombarded with racist abuse, but refused to give in. What character he showed. Significant footballers cried their eyes out at his death because he had done so much to make their lives better.’
All-time great
In 2004, Cyrille was voted West Brom’s all-time cult hero in a BBC poll and such was his status at the club that they hosted a memorial service for him at their Hawthorns ground. Graham was invited to speak at this and his message included how Cyrille became a Christian.
It was the death in a car crash of his best friend and former West Brom teammate Laurie Cunningham in 1989 that prompted Cyrille to ask questions about faith. His search for answers ultimately led to him becoming a Christian after what he described as ‘a real encounter with Jesus’.
After Laurie’s death, Cyrille started attending church and soon a local Baptist minister sent him a book called A New Dimension by Michael Green.
Cyrille said: ‘As I’m reading this book, the penny drops. It really sinks in that Christ loves me. He died for me and he rose again from the dead and this awesome sense of peace comes over me.’
Telling others about Jesus
Cyrille soon became involved with and supported by Christians in Sport as he looked to live out his faith as a professional footballer. Following his retirement in 1996, he became a sports agent and remained passionate about sharing his story of faith.
He said: ‘I meet people all the time, some famous, some not, who are all looking for hope and peace. I have learned that money cannot buy peace of mind, so I simply tell people how I found hope and peace in God. The great thing about it is that anyone can have the peace that I have, you just need to know God.’
