I absolutely loved watching Cyrille as a kid on Match of the day, how such a powerhouse could hang in the air, and glide on the ground. I was fortunate in the only FA cup final ive attended, it was seeing 'Big Cyrille' wearing the sky blue of Coventry as they defeated Spurs.
So when the great man signed for us, it was sheer joy. I loved watching the contrasting
styles of the wonderful Garner/Regis partnership.
Two years ago in January we lost David Bowie, and now the football world is equally stunned by the loss of Cyrille.
RIP Cyrille Regis, a gentleman and a sporting icon.
Such sad news. The 94/95 season was probably my favourite ever season following Wycombe. Not only were we playing the likes of Huddersfield and Birmingham, but we were actually beating them! Then we signed a real footballing legend in the form of Cyrille Regis. For a few glorious months the Garner/Regis partnership was on fire and we played some of the best football I've ever seen from a Wycombe side. A truely great time in the club's history. RIP Cyrille, it was a privilege to see playing for my team.
I was fortunate enough to meet Cyrille many times when he was at Wycombe Wanderers and I was a community coach. To quote Big Ron "he was a great footballer but an even better bloke". A privilege to have seen him play and met the man, what an inspiration. RIP Mr Regis.
The one thing that seems to come out time and time again, is that no-one had a bad word to say about him.
In a competitive, aggressive natured game, with super adrenalined/testosteroned up beasts rampaging around, that is an incredible and very unusual thing.
Particularly given the absolute horror he had to endure week in, week out from racists on the terraces and beyond: to never once react with aggression or petulance, but instead prove them all wrong time and time again while retaining absolute dignity, must have required a strength of personality most of us can only imagine.
I remember when Martin O'Neill left at the end of that season there was quite a clamour for a Regis/Garner management team. I always thought he'd have made a great club manager.
Little known fact about Cyrille Regis is that isn't really his name. Mum and dad decided to call him Gilbert and sent his cousin off to the capital to register his birth. It was a two day boat journey along the amazon and by the time cousin got there he had forgotten the name and guessed. Gilbert Regis became Cyrille and the rest is history.
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Anyone who didn't see the excellent Whites v Blacks: How Football Changed a Nation documentary last year should check it out on Youtube -
It's a good to see how far we've come since the 1970s, though there's still room for improvement.
I absolutely loved watching Cyrille as a kid on Match of the day, how such a powerhouse could hang in the air, and glide on the ground. I was fortunate in the only FA cup final ive attended, it was seeing 'Big Cyrille' wearing the sky blue of Coventry as they defeated Spurs.
So when the great man signed for us, it was sheer joy. I loved watching the contrasting
styles of the wonderful Garner/Regis partnership.
Two years ago in January we lost David Bowie, and now the football world is equally stunned by the loss of Cyrille.
RIP Cyrille Regis, a gentleman and a sporting icon.
Such sad news. The 94/95 season was probably my favourite ever season following Wycombe. Not only were we playing the likes of Huddersfield and Birmingham, but we were actually beating them! Then we signed a real footballing legend in the form of Cyrille Regis. For a few glorious months the Garner/Regis partnership was on fire and we played some of the best football I've ever seen from a Wycombe side. A truely great time in the club's history. RIP Cyrille, it was a privilege to see playing for my team.
I was fortunate enough to meet Cyrille many times when he was at Wycombe Wanderers and I was a community coach. To quote Big Ron "he was a great footballer but an even better bloke". A privilege to have seen him play and met the man, what an inspiration. RIP Mr Regis.
As mentioned, Cyrille’s goal at St Andrews was a thing of wonder. Think he hung in the air for at least 5 seconds, defying gravity.
I couldn’t believe he’d signed for us when he did. What a privilege to see him in the quarters.
Great times. Just been watching Sky News and Keith Ryan pops up with some insight into Big Cyril.
The one thing that seems to come out time and time again, is that no-one had a bad word to say about him.
In a competitive, aggressive natured game, with super adrenalined/testosteroned up beasts rampaging around, that is an incredible and very unusual thing.
Particularly given the absolute horror he had to endure week in, week out from racists on the terraces and beyond: to never once react with aggression or petulance, but instead prove them all wrong time and time again while retaining absolute dignity, must have required a strength of personality most of us can only imagine.
I remember when Martin O'Neill left at the end of that season there was quite a clamour for a Regis/Garner management team. I always thought he'd have made a great club manager.
Never realised Cyrille also made it onto the front of the NME (pre free comic book era).
https://standupandspit.wordpress.com/2016/07/16/the-human-face-of-football/
Little known fact about Cyrille Regis is that isn't really his name. Mum and dad decided to call him Gilbert and sent his cousin off to the capital to register his birth. It was a two day boat journey along the amazon and by the time cousin got there he had forgotten the name and guessed. Gilbert Regis became Cyrille and the rest is history.
He was supposed to be called Gilbert Cyrille Regis, and his cousin got the names mixed up. But as it was registered as Cyrille, it is his real name.