Les Ferdinand thrilled to help lead Cyrille Regis legacy
Les Ferdinand has always taken inspiration from Cyrille Regis, because he came through the same non-league team as his hero.
Just like Regis, Ferdinand was a striker for London club Hayes before going on to enjoy a successful career at the top of the game that included caps for England.
So when Julia Regis asked him to play a leading role in the launch of her new charity, the Cyrille Regis Legacy Trust, he was only too eager to help.
As director of football at QPR, the last fortnight of the transfer window is one of his busiest times of year, but Ferdinand is passionate about the charity set up in his mentor’s name and helped launched it at The Hawthorns yesterday.
“Everyone talks about him being in the Midlands, but I remember him being in West London and coming out of Hayes,” Ferdinand told the Express & Star.
“He was a real inspiration to me. Cyrille, the late Laurie Cunningham and Brendon Batson were probably the first black players I saw on television and felt I could relate to and thought ‘this is something I could do’.
“Aside from that was the man himself, and his personality, he always had time for other people and when he retired from football he still wanted to give back and was mentoring younger players, not just about football but about life as well.
“To see this programme coming to fruition, for me is everything football and society needs right now. Being in London I see the knife crime going on, young people need help.”
The charity is focused on three areas Julia discussed with Cyrille before his sudden passing in January 2018 – grassroots football, breaking down barriers, and mentoring.
All three are also important to Ferdinand, who started out in non-league and is now a mentor and inspiration himself as one of the few black faces in the football boardroom.
The charity’s first initiative, called ‘Strike A Change’, is working with Wolves, Albion, Villa, Walsall, Birmingham City and Coventry City to help take young people off the streets and inspire them through football.
“Growing up I went to youth centres, learned to play football, cricket, table tennis and snooker,” said Ferdinand. “That’s where you went with your mates.
“Now we’re seeing young boys milling around on the streets looking for something to do, unfortunately they’re getting themselves into fights and they’re turning out to be fatal for families – mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters are losing young lives.
“Being able to come and talk to these young kids and give them some inspiration will turn one or two away from a life on the streets.”
Ferdinand isn’t the only big-hitter involved. John Barnes is also due to give a talk to young people at Villa Park in October as part of the 12-month project.
The players Cyrille mentored are now inspiring the next generation themselves.
“I spoke to Cyrille on many occasions,” revealed Ferdinand. “He was a pretty quiet guy but when he spoke to you, you took in every word he said. He just kept saying ‘keep doing what you’re doing, it’s going to be tough’.
“It was nowhere near as tough for me compared to the abuse he received from the terraces. He paved the way, that in itself was an inspiration.
“John recognises the importance of this going forward, I think we all do. The more people we can get behind it, the better it will be.
“I’ll stay in constant contact with Julia and see whatever ways I can help them, I’m more than willing to do that because I believe it’s an important cause.”
