Robert Dudley Agency

Cyrille Regis MBE – Autobiography – Carlton Books, 2010 – with Chris Green.

This is the inside story of Britain's first black football superstar. Cyrille Regis was a centre forward with power and influence. The power was in his forceful style of play and as a scorer of spectacular goals. His influence was the impact he made upon thousands of black British youngsters who sought to follow in Cyrille's footsteps and the huge contribution he has made to black British culture.

Regis was an icon of his era - the first black British player (alongside his West Brom colleagues, Laurie Cunningham and Brendan Batson) to make waves in top flight English football, to smash the glass ceiling that had held black Britons back in sport. It is a story tinged with fame, celebrity and tragedy. The fame was becoming a popular international footballer; celebrity of being associated with the real Three Degrees - the American soul singing trio; and tragedy of Cyrille losing his close friend and team mate Laurie Cunningham, who died at the age of just 33.

His autobiography - in which Cyrille reveals his own candid version of events for the first time - needs no embellishment. It is simply an inspiring story of a real life, rags to riches football legend - of a young man who overcame obnoxious hatred and ignorance to reach the top of his tree, and who has carried on giving long after hanging up his boots. In November 2008, Regis was duly recognised for his immense contribution to English football when he was awarded an MBE.