Cyrille Regis: Major celebration at West Brom is planned

Plans are already being drawn up on how to honour the legendary striker when Southampton visit on Saturday, February 3.

An announcement is expected at the start of next week, but the celebrations are likely to bear similarities to Astle Day in April 2015, when the club honoured FA Cup-winning striker Jeff Astle.

There is due to be a series of on-field tributes before the game from those who knew Regis best and a salute to the great man that will hopefully do him justice.

As well as this day devoted to Regis, the team is wearing black armbands at Goodison Park this weekend.

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A group of Albion supporters are also planning to unfurl a banner with the words ‘There’s only ONE Cyrille Regis’ at the Everton game.

After he is honoured at The Hawthorns in February, the club will look into ways of leaving a lasting tribute to the famous No.9.

The Regis family and Brendon Batson, the last remaining member of the Three Degrees, are being consulted by the club. Batson found it too difficult to speak to the media on Monday following Regis’s death, but he has now paid tribute to his great friend.

“He wasn’t just a tremendous footballer,” said Batson. “What shines through is when people met him, how humble he was, he had a huge smile.

“Because of his exploits on the football field he had an aura around him, but he was so approachable.

“We knew Cyrille was loved, but listening to some of the tributes, I don’t think even I realised how much he was loved by so many.

“It comes as a great shock to us all, our heartfelt thoughts to his family and children.

“He played the game with a smile on his face. Those who knew him more intimately, he was just a pleasure to be around.

“He affected many people’s lives with his work with the church, he was a fantastic individual, a really lovely guy. We shall miss him terribly.”

Together with Regis and Laurie Cunningham, Batson faced down the racists.

“Things have changed,” said the former full-back. “It’s a much better place in terms of racism thanks to work done not just by players, but by supporters as well.

“We thought it was enough to go out there and try and carry out our profession.

“Those who wanted to hurl abuse at us, we said we’ll see you next week, next month, next year, they weren’t going to drive us away from our chosen profession.”