England’s black player Regis dies

LONDON: English football reacted with grief and praise on Monday to the news that former West Bromwich Albion and England forward Cyrille Regis, a trailblazer for black players, had died aged 59.

British media reported Monday that Regis suffered a heart attack on Sunday. Regis played five times for England between 1982 and 1987 was one of the stars of the West Brom team between 1977 and 1984 alongside two other back players, Laurie Cunningham and Brendon Batson. The trio faced frequent racist abuse from opposing fans throughout their careers.

“He was more than just a footballer, he blazed a trail for every black player who followed him, an inspiration to myself and many players of my era. A humble man and a great man,” tweeted Mark Bright, a striker who made his league debut three years after Regis and is now a coach at Premier League side Crystal Palace.