Black Country football legend Cyrille Regis has been awarded an MBE in the Queen’s birthday honours list.
See also: The career of ‘Smokin Joe’ Cyrille Regis MBE
The former Albion, Wolves, Villa and England star, now aged 50, said today he was over the moon with the accolade.
“I am surprised and delighted at the award,” he told the Express & Star.
“I know that’s what everyone says but it’s true. It is a good feeling to be recognised in this way,” he added today.
He said he would be celebrating his moment in the spotlight with his typical modesty. “We’ll have a little do here with some pals and then maybe one down in London with all the family. That’s enough fuss for me,” he said.
Cyrille, who now lives in Birmingham, signed as a centre forward with West Bromwich Albion in 1977 and won five England caps during his career. He also spent time with Coventry City, Aston Villa and Wolves.
Baggies’ oldest fan, 89-year-old Vic Stirrup, watched as Cyrille exploded onto the scene and says he is one of the best players the team has ever seen.
“Whatever good he gets he deserves” said Vic, from Smethwick, said today.
“He was brilliant, the fans loved him at the time and they still do, he’s brilliant to watch and an absolute gentleman.”
Mayor of Sandwell Councillor Bob Price also paid tribute to one of the team’s best stars. He said: “The thing about Cyrille is that he is an ambassador for the game. He was brilliant, an icon, and he still is.
“He will happily come and talk to fans, he’ll turn on the Christmas lights and he make you feel like he’s got all the time in the world for you. He’s a gentleman.”
Also named in the list today was Des O’Connor, who received a CBE, comedienne Victoria Wood a CBE and rugby star Lawrence D’Allaglio was made an OBE.
Dozens of local heroes were also honoured, including Khurshid Ahmed, chairman of the British Muslim Forum, who was given a CBE. Wednesbury voluntary worker Tony Salter was given an OBE and Wolverhampton lecturer in deaf studies John Hay was made an MBE.
Cyrille Regis profile:
Regis is best known for his spell at West Bromwich Albion where he scored 112 goals in 302 appearances between 1977 and 1985.
He went on to Coventry City, where he scored 62 goals in 274 games. Highlights included Coventry’s 3-2 1987 FA Cup final win over much-fancied Tottenham Hotspur.
From 1991 to 1994, Regis played 54 games for Aston Villa, scoring 12 times. He then played for Wolves for a year, scoring twice.
He saw out his career at Wycombe Wanderers and Chester City, where he retired in 1996.
Regis frequently encountered racist abuse from crowds but his stunning performances meant he was seranaded with the terrace chant “Nice one, Cyrille”. He also notched five full England caps.
He went on to coach at West Brom before becoming a football agent. He is involved with a number of charities, including Water Aid.
See the Express & Star for a full round-up of local figures included in the honours list
Watch Cyrille’s classic WBA goal against Norwich City.
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48 Comments
One of the best Midlands players never to pull on a Walsall shirt.
Nice one Big C
could not happin to a nicer man..well done from the dingles..a man we all rate..
Nice one Cyrille!!
you’re a star and always will be!!
well deserved cyrille about time,,,drink a drink a drink to cyrille the king the king the king….what a great exciting player to watch,loved hes power and pace…..hope young ish follows suit…PLAYING IN THE PREM THE MOWBRAY WAY,,,IN STYLE OF COURSE,,OOOOOOOOOOOH YES.
A genuinely nice bloke. A gentleman on and off the pitch.
An absolute legend, we worship cyrille
nice one cyrille, still a legend
boing boing
Deserved recognition for a man who has been an outstanding example of a sporting hero who has used his influence positively. A true gentleman. Compare and contrast with so many of today’s overpaid and under-talented so called sportsmen.
Brendon Batson next
Great player, couldn’t happen to a nicer bloke! He should have had more caps but, as with Jeff, Enland did not play to his strengths and kept hitting long balls onto his head, as they do with Crouch now.
We can’t claim him as the inspiration for “Nice one Cyril” though. We did sing it at albion, but the original was about Cyril Knowles of Tottenham, brother of Peter Knowles. I think it was By Chas and Dave and begins “White Heart Lane is the ground for the best team around”
Well done Cyrill, Great player for both sides of the Black country
An absolute GOD!
I had a tear in my eye when I found out he’d been honoured.
Well deserved and great to hear tributes from the dingles too!
nice one cyrille, fully deserved. boing boing.
nice one Cyrille fully deserved.
boing boing.
Nice one Cyrill! Well deserved, a fantastic ambassador for football
nice one cyrille nice one son,well deserved great memories of a great player and gentleman,aye boing boing
Superb..Well deserved.A player with dignity and morals.Feet on the ground goals in the net.
Congratulations Big Man..xx
shudent i be in line for one for my services to the modeling industry aye boing boing
owww what a goal!!! remember that? what a man well deserved…
I’ve come up with a new one.
Nice one Cyrill, nice one son!
great player, great to watch, I know
he played for a few teams but we’ll
claim him as our own, well done.
BOING BOING!
this time last wik i was still in bed with my hangover from our promotion party aye boing boing
Nice one cyrille, My first favourite player age 8
mbe thats all hes getting he should be sir cyril
Nice One Cyril Well deserved!
Personally I would prefer a bacon buttie to any such honour.
That said, this man is immense, above the trashiness so often associated with mega stars.
So my compromise is one hand holding said buttie, one in salute of everyone’s Cyrill.
great servent to west midlands football
albion,coventry,villa & wolves
What a Fan-tastic player, and an Award so graciously deserved
MBE - More Baggies Excellence …
Done the midlands proud.
You can still see the King Regis grafitti on the canal bridge by the Wagon And Horses from the 70’s (must’ve been done by the only Albion fan in Wombourne).
Cyrille Regis - what a player! A great servant to the Baggies and also had a great year down with us at the Wolves. The reception Cyrille got (by Wolves fans) when he played for us (Wolves!) was awsome - speaks volumes for the man.
Well deserved Cyrille!!!
Used to play pool with Big C and Deka Statham in the Marksman West Brom after their training when we used to work at Guest Motors on our dinner hours. Big C you deserve this recognition.
Is Cyrille Regis the one player that can make Wolves and West Brom fans agree? The guy’s a legend.
No. 30. Probably my youngest daughter served you all. She had a spell in there at that time before going to College. I used to hear all about you lot!
Scored some great goals i’ll never forget when he signed for wolves and ron atkinson said he looked like a bruised banana in is wolves kit well earned cyrille the MBE i mean.
31 dave, regis isn’t the only player to make both sides agree, steve bull was the first what a player he was we both agreed on that and what a bargain we got him for we both agreed on that and how stupid you was for letting him go so we both agreed on that!!
but well done cyril regis, you deserve it!
31, Yes, just like the King & the Doog, legends!
I agree with all 31 of the comments. Never saw him play but my grandfather and my dad both talk of him and the goals he scored.
Not just a legend for his awsome ability, but during a time when opposition fans subjected him to some vile racist abuse.
Did his talking on the pitch though!! Well deserved Cyrille.
well done to the legend that is big cyrille,i will always remember the goals against boro,forest,norwich and the great 5-3 man u game.
also the reception he got agaist the dingles in 93
pure class(has any of the england players picked ahead of him got a m.b.e??????????)
One of the Midlands adopted greats!
Fantastic to see what the Black Countries own Cyrille has done, and his recognition is welcomed by all of us who admire what he has done with his life.
He gave us so much poetry on the field, just amazing to watch at his best.
Why only 5 England caps? He, and us, deserved more.
Nice one Cyrille!
Wel done Cyrille, well deserved
He led the way for players from ethnic backgrounds.He took a fair amount of abuse but played as a total professional always giving 110% effort.
Congrats to a Professional Sportsman on and off the field.
what happy memories watching cyrille laurie and brendan play mind the rest of the team wasnt bad lol well done much deserved
THIS AWARD IS SO WELL DESERVED iam sure that football fans every where would all agree cyrile regis is magic is magic is magic…
Good-on-yer Cyrille!
Many congratulations Cyril, not many players are loved by both sides of the Black Country.
well done you deserve it.
well deserved - such fantastic memories
Congratulations Cyrille, you deserve it!
Great Man & what a goal, True Legend