Big Cyrille (1 Viewer)

Paxman II

Well-Known Member
Shock and disbelief this morning at his passing, just 59. So sad being taken so early.
A true legend of the football pitch and such a game changer on his day.
My thoughts and condolences with his family.
 

NortonSkyBlue

Well-Known Member
So sad, the biggest compliment to Cyrille is he was respected and dare I say liked by football fans from all teams. My favourite memory of him was his opening goal in the quarter final v Sheffield Wednesday i knew then we’d do it. Would be fitting for some of our lapsed fans to make their way to this weeks home game v Swindon to his memory and say thanks!
A great memory, my favorite goal was the winner in the 4-3 against Spurs in injury time at the end of 86. He was the focal point in our great sides during that period and, thanks to Sillet and Curtis who played to his strengths, he found his mojo again and was recalled by England.
Cyrille was respected throughout the football world and I found him to be a very nice man off the pitch, he knew his name meant something but he was humble yet welcoming strangers with a smile.
We had a giant in our midst and those of us who had the fortune to see him in the Sky Blue shirt should be telling our children/grandchildren that he was ours during his peak years.
 

The Great Eastern

Well-Known Member
Brilliant obituaries on BBC 5Live from Pat Murphy & Leroy Rosenior.
Personally, I have many fond memories of Cyrille playing for us and was astonished when he signed for us. There was much speculation going on about the transfer talks between Sir Cyrille and Bobby Gould when we got hammered 0-3 at home by Walsall in a League Cup 2nd leg match after winning the first leg away by the odd goal. Everybody trooped out the ground staring at the ground and muttering that he wouldnt sign for us now after that rubbish....
He signed the next day !!! The rest is history.
R.I.P. Big man. A true Sky Blue hero.
 

skybluebeast

Well-Known Member
RIP Big Cyrille. Sad day for all of us in Sky Blue but also a sad day for football all around. One of the first to play at the top of the game from an ethnic minority he was the beacon of many who's dreamed of following his footpath.
 
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oldskyblue58

CCFC Finance Director
Very sobering and sad news, far too young

A legend, a class act, not just a sky blue hero but a football one too, and a gentleman. Thank you Cyrille for some brilliant memories

Best wishes to his family

RIP Big Man
 
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rob9872

Well-Known Member
Love that photo of him on the offal with Gynn and Benno. Great gallery from whoever put that together.
 

Sub

Well-Known Member
West Brom plan to celebrate the life of Regis
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West Bromwich Albion

More from that West Brom statement now:

The Club has been in constant touch with Cyrille’s family who have asked us to relay this statement on their behalf.

His widow, Julia, said today: “Cyrille and I were soulmates, he was the perfect man for me and we had a wonderful life together.

“He was a beautiful man and a wonderful husband, father, grandfather brother and uncle.

“Losing him has turned my whole world upside down. It is a void that will never be filled.

“I have been moved by the many messages of support and condolences I have received and the kind things people have said about Cyrille as a person and a professional.

“He came into football the hard way and never lost his passion for the game. He was a role model for so many because he always treated everyone he met with kindness and respect.”

The Club will be presenting full tributes shortly and Chairman John Williams said: “This is terribly shocking and upsetting news and our thoughts and condolences are with Cyrille’s family.

“We also know Cyrille’s passing will be felt deeply among all our supporters for whom he was the ultimate hero - a wonderful, exciting centre-forward who remained in close contact with the Club beyond his playing days.

“Everyone will have their precious memories of him as a family man, as a crusader against bigotry - which can never be under-estimated - and as a man who threw considerable energy into a series of worthy causes.

“But for me, I will never forget Cyrille the footballer - a wonderful, wonderful player who had everything and who defenders of the time would have hated facing.

“He will be deeply missed. Rest in peace, Cyrille.”

The Club will be making further announcements about its plans to celebrate the life of one of Albion's all-time greats in due course.
 

thejinkingSakamoto

Active Member
I'm only 20 so I never had the honour and privilege of seeing Cyrille Regis play live- but having watched the highlights of the 87 cup run and other clips that are provided on youtube, I have been able to see what a magnificent footballer he was. Despite my age, I know many others like me appreciate what he did for Coventry City and football itself. He was a true pioneer and football is weaker today because of his passing. RIP big man.
 

ecky

Well-Known Member
A great memory, my favorite goal was the winner in the 4-3 against Spurs in injury time at the end of 86. He was the focal point in our great sides during that period and, thanks to Sillet and Curtis who played to his strengths, he found his mojo again and was recalled by England.
Cyrille was respected throughout the football world and I found him to be a very nice man off the pitch, he knew his name meant something but he was humble yet welcoming strangers with a smile.
We had a giant in our midst and those of us who had the fortune to see him in the Sky Blue shirt should be telling our children/grandchildren that he was ours during his peak years.
That was a great game
 

Covstu

Well-Known Member
Genuinely gutted when I heard this news break. You hear famous people who pass all the time but this one seems to have hit home a lot more than most. What a player he was for the Baggies and us, a true gent and will be desperately missed. RIP and thoughts go out to his family.
 

duffer

Well-Known Member
Really, really sad to hear this. Used to love watching him play, awesome in full flight and could pull the ball down from anywhere even with 6'4" centre halves climbing all over him.

He played a massive part in one of the defining years of my life, 1986/1987, That was the first season I really followed the club religiously, and when I fell in love with the game. Cyrille wasn't prolific, but he was the lynchpin of that team.

So sad he's gone. Not just a great player, but a great man too.
 

Qwerty70

Well-Known Member
The most exciting signing during my time of supporting City. I had sat with my Dad at HR & The Hawthorns during the late 70’s & early 80’s & watched in awe as Cyrille destroyed us.
Typically we signed him & adopted a style of play that didn’t suit the big fella, but then came along John & George. They used him as the hold up man & Benno & the others played off him, nobody could get the ball off him.
He was single most important player in our cup run, he was the absolute key to our style of play
I actually think his best game in a City shirt was the 4-3 win over Spurs. Watch our 4th goal, he takes it on his enormous chest, passes and then meets the cross
We let him go too early, was gutted when he left.
Played for WBA, Coventry, Villa & Wolves & was applauded everywhere he went. You know someone is a great when that happens.

Cyrille Regis, ICON and true Legend.

RIP
 

no_loyalty

Well-Known Member
Awful news 59 is no age a all, RIP Cyrille.

CCFC legend
 

ajsccfc

Well-Known Member
Never knew about this

2h ago 10:49

Johan Cruyff tells a nice story about Cyrille Regis in his autobiography My Turn.
The Dutch legend, then manager of Ajax, wanted to sign Regis to replace Marco van Basten, who was about to leave for Milan. Regis was “a physically strong striker with charisma, who was still at the top of his game,” says Cruyff, but the board messed the deal up. They failed again after Cruyff arranged to sign Rabah Madjer, and Cruyff resigned soon after, largely because of the Regis/Madjer deals.
 

Otis

Well-Known Member
Brilliant obituaries on BBC 5Live from Pat Murphy & Leroy Rosenior.
Personally, I have many fond memories of Cyrille playing for us and was astonished when he signed for us. There was much speculation going on about the transfer talks between Sir Cyrille and Bobby Gould when we got hammered 0-3 at home by Walsall in a League Cup 2nd leg match after winning the first leg away by the odd goal. Everybody trooped out the ground staring at the ground and muttering that he wouldnt sign for us now after that rubbish....
He signed the next day !!! The rest is history.
R.I.P. Big man. A true Sky Blue hero.
Same here. I was totally astonished when we signed him and was jumping up and down the living room like a crazy fool.

Had been sick to death of him whooping our ass and walking all over our defence when he was a Baggie, so was gobsmacked when we got him.

I loved the bloke and still do!
 
W

westcountry_skyblue

Guest
Can’t believe it a hero of mine growing up gave us some great days out especially v Spurs twice in 86/87 and at the quarter final thanks Big Man May you Rest in peace.
Thoughts with family and friends too!!
 

oldskyblue58

CCFC Finance Director
I think a measure of the man is the out pouring of shock, appreciation & sympathy here and the football world in general.

You don't get that unless you leave this world better than when you found it and I don't mean just on the pitch. He made his mark in so many ways. Sad day
 

Calista

Well-Known Member
That photo of him in air heading the ball....What. A. Leap.
And the one of him playing table football with the fans! The two pictures sum him up.

Choking up a bit reading these pages and seeing the photos. I'm very proud that Coventry City helped him achieve his greatest sporting triumph, and that Cyrille's moment of absolute glory belongs to us too.
 

Joy Division

Well-Known Member
Great story from somebody commenting on the Guardian article Cyrille Regis, former West Brom and England striker, dies aged 59

sanjacinto
2h ago
3233
As a young trade journo about 15 years ago I got an invite to a press event at a curry restaurant in Mayfair. It was to publicise Jamaica’s first fixture in London I think. Wouldn’t have bothered going until I saw guest of honour was none other than Cyrille Regis, who I think was working as an agent at the time.

My mate Amos was a mad Coventry fan, who had grown up idolizing big Cyrille; he believed he was the great lost English centre forward, unfairly ignored in favour of lesser technically gifted players like Hateley, Lineker and Dixon. Amos loved the man.

Anyway, I invited my mate out for a pint, keeping the real destination private. He was a bit puzzled when we ended up in a curry house at 6.30, but I managed to keep it under wraps til we got in the place and stood in the buffet line for the nosh. And sure enough, ahead of us in the line was Sir Cyrille.

Amos’s face was a picture when he realised what was happening. And once he’d recovered his composure, he cornered Cyrille and must have buttonholed him for about half an hour, replaying goals, quizzing him on all kinds of Coventry minutiae, including giving Amos (a decent pub league striker) a few tips on centre forward play..

And all the way through, Cyrille - plate of biryani balanced on his knee - patiently and graciously chatted away, pausing only to get 3 Cobras for us to stay refreshed.

He was engaging, funny, interested – which is something when you think how often footballers like that get cornered by sad 40-somethings in the pub boring on about some long forgotten match. He could tell his career and goals meant a lot to Amos and never once glazed over or lost interest - he just clearly enjoyed meeting a fan and chewing the fat.

As we were about to slip off, he saw we were leaving and shouted over with a wink, "Amos - elbows, mate. Elbows..."

I got a text from Amos this morning telling me the news.
He signed it off with 'elbows...'
RIP Cyrille
 

dadgad

Well-Known Member
Great, big-hearted player and a true gent. Very sad news.
A tremendous servant to the club and ambassador to the game in general.
Will be sorely missed throughout football.
RIP Cyril.
 

bezzer

Well-Known Member
Such sad news, I'm in shock. A great footballer and a true Gentleman.

His goal against Sheffield Wednesday in the 87 FA Cup QF summed him up. Great pace and a great finish.

RIP Cyrille. You will be missed.
 
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torchomatic

Well-Known Member
One of the best memories for me was the Spurs game. We were 1-0 down right at the end of the match. Me and me mate went early, walked down the back of the West Terrace and was walking past the corner of the West Terrace and Main Stand that was open for anyone just to walk up. We walked up as the game was still on and suddenly Cyrille got an equaliser, we were ecstatic and running around on the corner of the pitch. Brilliant days.
 

Esoterica

Well-Known Member
My favourite memory is of him scoring in the 6th round at Hillsborough and wheeling away puffing his cheeks and finger pointing to to the sky. What a player and what a bloke. Cyrille, Cyrille, Cyrille.



49 secs

2 things in the build up to that goal I love too: McGrath doing what he did every game and getting absolutely nailed for the team and then the defender who tries to pull Regis back but literally can't get his arms round him!
 

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