You never lost your cool or were you ever intimidated, Cyrille Regis!

By Stanley Collymore

When the Heavenly Roll is called up yonder you will certainly

be there my Black brother and enduring friend. For although

it’s obviously both sadly and regrettably the end of your

truly amazing existence amongst us here on earth

Cyrille Regis, the methodically appreciative

and, in earnest, a welcoming reception to

warmly and generously celebrate the

full, commonly advantageous and indisputably rewarding life

that you led and iconically through it was an inspiration

force to others during the noteworthy times of the

fifty-nine years you were here among us, and

themselves conjoined with the undeniably

splendid legacy which you the spirited

Cyrille Regis have bequeathed to

us will definitely, I know, and

enduringly so not only here on Earth, your

previous home, but correspondingly too

in Heaven with the Celestial Throng

of Angels, Archangels, and also

God Almighty Himself quite

handsomely, respectably

overwhelmingly, and

naturally fittingly be

entirely rewarded.

© Stanley V. Collymore

14 May 2018.

Author’s Remarks:

On the 14 January 2018 I was both physically and emotionally stunned to learn of the tragically sudden and unexpected death of the legendary and icon Cyrille Regis just shortly before what would have been his 60^th birthday on the 9^th February 2018.

It’s exactly four months now since Cyrille Regis died of a totally unforeseen heart attack, and the traumatic effect and unbeliveability of his death, the sheer suddenness of it the ironic nature of it happening to a man who was always the epitome of fitness and an exemplary healthy lifestyle was then and still is exceedingly hard for me to come to terms with.

And I’m absolutely sure that it doesn’t require a quantum leap of imagination to assume how absolutely devastating this tragic blow was and evidently still is to Cyrille’s widow Julia and his children from his first marriage. And to all of them as well as Cyrille’s closest personal friends and many colleagues, and especially so in the world of football, I extend my deepest sympathies with you and similarly convey my profound and sincerest condolences.

I did pay my tributes to Cyrille at the time of his unfortunate death but I’ve waited until this time to publish the poem I’ve written in commutation of him as I didn’t want to intrude on the grief and sadness of his tragic loss to Julia, Cyrille’s children and everyone else who was particularly close to Cyrille.

Much has been written and said about Cyrille since his passing and among the many glowing tributes that he has justifiably received I would like to add my humble one and say openly, proudly and unapologetically that Cyrille was a man of the greatest stature and what he did not only for football in England but for the dignity, respect and unity of our Black and Afro-Caribbean community in the face of blatant and institutionalized racism is unquantifiable and for which people like myself will enduringly be grateful.

God eternally Bless you Cyrille and as you assume your rightful place among the Heavenly host, we who are still here on earth and worship you for what you did will forever remember you until we too take our place with you in the Celestial Kingdom. Gone and obviously no more with us physically my friend but I assure you Cyrille Regis you’ll never be forgotten.