Darren Moore remembers his mentor and friend Cyrille Regis

Albion’s first-team coach, who enjoyed five successful years at The Hawthorns as a player, was first inspired to get into football as a child after watching the legendary striker on television.

Regis has been a huge part of his life ever since and the pair became friends when Moore started to make a name for himself in the game.

Both Christians, they were members of the same church, and Moore consistently leant on his hero for advice right up until his death in the early hours of Monday morning.

“It was devastating to hear the news,” said Moore. “I’m picturing memories, his face, what he meant to me and what he will always mean to me.

“He was a dear friend and my mentor. Me and Cyrille spoke often about the game.

“I looked up to him and leant on him quite a lot right up to this present day.

“I valued speaking to him every single time because he always left me with something to consider and to move forward with. That is unique.

“My heart goes out to his wife Julia, who is another dear friend of mine, and his immediate family.

“He was a leader of men and people, but also a warm man who everybody could connect to in their own special, unique way.

“If you asked him something you would come out of the conversation with a clearer picture because he was very good at expressing himself.

“He knew how to treat people. He was a wonderful gentleman. I don’t have any words in front of me, I’m just speaking from the heart.”

Born in Birmingham with Jamaican heritage, Moore was first inspired to ditch cricket in favour of football by Albion’s Three Degrees – Regis, Laurie Cunnigham and Brendon Batson.

Several years later, he ended up at the Albion as a centre-half and soon became a cult hero at The Hawthorns thanks to his performances at the back that helped the Baggies win promotion to the Premier League on two occasions.

“I was out on the streets playing cricket with my friends and my dad called me in,” he reminisced. “There was a game on the television and West Bromwich Albion were playing.

“The Three Degrees were massive for the black community. My dad showed me the game and as a youngster I thought the pitch was a stage, with the fans in the stands worshipping the 22 players.

“I turned to my dad having seen Laurie, Brendan and Cyrille on the pitch and said ‘I am going to do that’. That’s what inspired me to become a footballer.”

Moore returned to the Baggies a youth coach following his retirement and has worked his way up the ladder over the past few years until new boss Alan Pardew promoted him to first-team coach.

His affiliation with Albion helped him grow close to Regis, but early in his career, he even had a chance to pit himself against the striker when he was at his final club, Chester.

Although Regis was in his late 30s, Moore still remembers being given a torrid time.

“When I was at Doncaster I played against a 37 or 38-year-old Cyrille Regis,” said Moore. “He played for an hour and they won the game 1-0.

“I was really looking forward to the game because I was going to get the chance to pit myself against one of the iconic legends in the game.

“As a 38-year-old man, he taught me a lesson in the game.

“I walked off the pitch at Chester and said when he was in his prime he must have been absolute havoc to play against.

“He had everything then as a 38-year-old. I remember that game so well.”