Cyrille Regis, MBE (born 9 February 1958) is a French-born English former footballer. His professional playing career spanned 19 years, where he made 610 league appearances and scored 159 league goals, most prolifically at West Bromwich Albion and Coventry City.

Regis was born in Maripasoula, French Guiana, to Robert and Mathilde Regis. His father moved to England in 1962, with the rest of the family, including Cyrille, following a year later. The family lived initially in the Portobello Road area of London, later moving to Stonebridge. Raised as a Roman Catholic, Regis attended Kensal Rise Primary School and later, Cardinal Hinsley RC Secondary School in Harlesden. At Cardinal Hinsley he participated in athletics, cricket and football, and was called up to represent the Borough of Brent boys football team. He was also offered a trial by Chelsea, but was unable to take advantage due to a hamstring injury. Regis progressed to playing Sunday league football for Ryder Brent Valley. He then moved to Oxford & Kilburn Boys before re-joining Ryder Brent Valley. After leaving school, Regis trained as an electrician, earning a City and Guilds diploma; he continued to practice the trade until his move into professional football. Cyrille is the cousin of John Regis MBE, the former English athlete, who still holds the UK record for the 200 metres.

Laurence Paul "Laurie" Cunningham (8 March 1956 – 15 July 1989) was an England international footballer. When he joined Real Madrid, he became the first English player in the club's history.

He was also the first black player to represent England at any level (under 21), and the first to represent the full England side in a competitive match.

Born in Archway, London, Cunningham started in schoolboy football and was turned down by Arsenal before joining Leyton Orient in 1974. He joined West Bromwich Albion in 1977, where, under manager Johnny Giles, he teamed up with another black player, Cyrille Regis, and the following year (under Ron Atkinson) with Brendon Batson. This was the first time an English team simultaneously fielded three black players, and Atkinson collectively referred to Cunningham, Batson and Regis as 'The Three Degrees' after the legendary U.S. soul singing trio.

West Bromwich Albion became one of the most attractive and exciting English sides in the late 1970s and Cunningham soon attracted attention. He became the first black player to wear an England shirt at any level in England under-21s' friendly against Scotland at Bramall Lane on 27 April 1977, scoring on his debut. He subsequently earned a full England cap, making his debut against Wales in a Home International on 23 May 1979. Although Viv Anderson had made his England debut in a friendly six months previously and thus was the first black player to play for the senior England team, Cunningham was the first black player to play in a competitive England match. In June 1979, Cunningham gained his 2nd and 3rd caps, against Sweden and Austria respectively.

Arthur Wharton (28 October 1865 – 13 December 1930) is widely considered to be the first black professional association football player in the world. Though not the first black player outright - the amateur, and Scotland international player, Andrew Watson predated him - Wharton was the first black professional and the first to play in the Football League.

Wharton was born in Jamestown, Gold Coast (now Accra, Ghana), his father was half-Grenadian and half-Scottish, and his mother was a member of the Fante Ghanaian royalty. He moved to England in 1882, to train as a Methodist missionary, but soon abandoned this in favour of becoming a full-time athlete.

Wharton was an all-round sportsman - in 1886, he set a then world record of 10 seconds for a 100 yard sprint in the AAA championship. He was also a keen cyclist and cricketer, playing for local teams in Yorkshire and Lancashire. However, he is best remembered for his exploits as a footballer; while he was not the first mixed race footballer in the United Kingdom — leading amateurs Robert Walker and Scotland international Andrew Watson predate him — he was the first mixed race footballer to turn professional.