Albion legend in shock exit

28 March 2000

Reserve team coach and Albion legend Cyrille Regis has shocked the Club by announcing his decision to leave at what is, to most people, a crucial stage of the season. Cyrille's contract expired at the end of the season anyway, but he has decided to leave now in order to try and further his own career in management. Manager Gary Megson has said that he tried to persuade Cyrille to stay till the end of the season, and asked him to spend a day considering it, but said that his mind was made up and he went through with the sudden departure.

Only last week, Megson appointed Frank Burrows to the coaching staff, but Regis was keen to say that this was not the reason for his departure, and was quoted by the Express and Star saying "There's nothing untoward. I've not fallen out with anyone and I've not been forced to go or anything like that. I've come to the decision by myself and there has been no pressure on me to do this. It's been a tough decision to make but I feel it's the right one from a personal point of view. It's a gamble, but I won't know until I have tried. Gary Megson is in control of the situation and I sincerely hope Albion can remain in the First Division."

Albion, meanwhile, have been busy selling tickets as the demand from fans to get to the remaining games of the season has increased. All of the remaining tickets from their allocation of 1900 for the game at Walsall had gone by today, and sales so far for the home game next Tuesday against Ipswich are suggesting an attendance in excess of 15,000 - which is impressive for an evening game that will be shown live on Sky. The return of Bob Taylor, for whom this will be a home debut, is sure to have helped out here, but from comments elsewhere on this page it seems pretty clear that Albion fans aren't going to face relegation without a fight....

Previous Stories:

  23 March 2000:  Signings are like buses...

  09 March 2000:  Megson's the Man for Albion

  06 March 2000:  Little shown the door after emotional weekend

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