COVENTRY City will play West Bromwich Albion in a pre-season friendly to celebrate the life of the inspirational Cyrille Regis.
The two clubs will face each other at The Hawthorns on Saturday, July 28 (3pm kick off) for the inaugural Cyrille Regis Memorial Trophy – a commemorative fixture in tribute to the football great.
Cyrille, an inspiration both on and off the pitch, played 238 games and scored 47 goals for the Sky Blues and was part of the FA Cup winning squad in 1987.
Regis moved to Highfield Road from West Bromwich Albion, having scored 112 goals in 302 appearances for the Baggies.
The fixture will be the Sky Blues’ final summer test before the Sky Bet League One season gets underway a week later.
Full ticket details for the game will be announced shortly.
The Observer called for a special memorial service at the cathedral at the time of his death.
Coventry City chief executive Dave Boddy said: “We are delighted to be paying tribute to Cyrille in the inaugural Cyrille Regis Memorial Trophy.
“The impact Cyrille had on the two clubs, football as a whole and wider society cannot be underestimated, and we are sure it will be a special occasion at The Hawthorns.
“Coming a week before the season begins, it will also be a good test for Mark Robins’ side and a chance for our supporters to see the team in action before the season gets underway and pay tribute to Cyrille too.”
West Bromwich Albion head coach Darren Moore said: “It promises to be a great occasion and a pre-season friendly which is a special tribute match.
“It’s a day of celebration for all Midlands football and hopefully The Hawthorns will be packed full of supporters enjoying a game which means a lot to everyone.”
A Coventry City spokesperson said: “There has been close contact with the Regis family over the summer months planning the memorial match.
“And Cyrille’s widow Julia is excited by not only the day itself but also the opportunity it presents to unite the Midlands football community at all levels – from professional first-team ranks to grassroots.”
Julia said: “It’s a real honour.
“I think Cyrille would be slightly embarrassed and amused by the attention but that speaks volumes about who he was, understated.
“In our grief we have taken great comfort by the love everyone has shown and continues to do.
“It promises to be a great day, a fun day, and we’re excited to be a part of it.
“We certainly look forward to more teams from the West Midlands becoming engaged in this and we’d also love to see grassroots teams involved.”
