Laurie Cunningham facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Laurie Cunningham

Cunningham (right) playing for Real Madrid in 1981
Personal information
Full name	Laurence Paul Cunningham
Date of birth	(1956-03-08)8 March 1956
Place of birth	Archway, London, England
Date of death	15 July 1989(1989-07-15) (aged 33)
Place of death	Madrid, Spain
Playing position	Left winger
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1974–1977	Orient	75	(15)
1977–1979	West Bromwich Albion	86	(21)
1979–1984	Real Madrid	44	(13)
1983	→ Manchester United (loan)	5	(1)
1983–1984	→ Sporting Gijón (loan)	30	(3)
1984–1985	Marseille	30	(8)
1985–1986	Leicester City	15	(0)
1986–1987	Rayo Vallecano	37	(1)
1987	Charleroi	1	(0)
1988	Wimbledon	6	(1)
1988–1989	Rayo Vallecano	19	(1)
Total		348	(67)
National team
1977–1978	England U21	6	(2)
1978	England B	1	(0)
1979–1980	England	6	(0)
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Laurence Paul Cunningham (born March 8, 1956 – died July 15, 1989) was an amazing English footballer. He was a left winger, known for his speed and skill. Laurie played in England, France, and Spain. He made history by becoming the first British player ever to join the famous Spanish club Real Madrid.

Laurie first signed with Arsenal as a schoolboy in 1970. However, he was released in 1972 because his playing style didn't quite fit their team's tactics. In 1974, he joined Orient, a second-tier team, where he played for three years.

His career really took off when he moved to West Bromwich Albion in 1977. There, he played alongside Cyrille Regis and Brendon Batson. Their coach, Ron Atkinson, called them 'the Three Degrees'. They were only the second group of three black players to play together in England's top football league.

Laurie's fantastic performances at West Bromwich Albion led to his big move to Real Madrid. He stayed there for five years, winning the Spanish league (La Liga) once and the Spanish Cup (Copa del Rey) twice. After playing in France for Marseille, he returned to England with Leicester City in 1985. He then went back to Spain to play for Rayo Vallecano.

In 1988, Laurie joined Wimbledon. As part of their famous "Crazy Gang" team, he helped them win the FA Cup in 1988. This was the last trophy of his career.

Laurie was first called up to the England U21 team in 1977 while playing for West Bromwich Albion. He was the first black footballer to play for an England international team organized by the Football Association. He later played six games for the main England national team between 1979 and 1980, becoming one of the first black players to represent England at that level.

Sadly, while playing for Rayo Vallecano, Laurie Cunningham died in a car crash in Madrid on July 15, 1989. He was only 33 years old.

Laurie Cunningham: A Football Pioneer

Early Life and First Steps in Football

Laurie Cunningham was born in Archway, London. His father was a former horse jockey from Jamaica. Laurie started playing football in school. He tried out for Arsenal but was not chosen. In 1974, he joined Orient, which was his first professional club.

Making History at West Brom

In 1977, Laurie moved to West Bromwich Albion. There, he joined another black player, Cyrille Regis. The next year, Brendon Batson also joined the team. Their manager, Ron Atkinson, called them "The Three Degrees." This was a special moment because it was only the second time an English top-league team had three black players playing together at the same time.

West Bromwich Albion became a very exciting team to watch in the late 1970s. Laurie's amazing skills quickly caught everyone's attention. On April 27, 1977, he became the first black player to wear an England shirt at any level. He played for the England under-21s against Scotland and even scored a goal in his first game!

He later played for the main England team, making his debut against Wales in 1979. He played a total of six games for England.

Life as a Real Madrid Star

In the summer of 1979, Laurie made a huge move. He became the first British player to transfer to the famous Spanish club Real Madrid. Real Madrid paid a lot of money for him, about £950,000. He scored two goals in his very first game for Real Madrid! He helped the team win both the Spanish league and the Spanish Cup in his first season.

Laurie started the 1980–81 season well with Real Madrid. He was called up for England again for a World Cup qualifying game, but he didn't play. In the next game, he came on as a substitute, but England lost. This was his last game for England. Back at Real Madrid, he scored goals in the early rounds of the European Cup. However, he then got injured and needed an operation on a broken toe.

Laurie recovered just in time for the 1981 European Cup Final against Liverpool. Real Madrid lost that game 1–0. During training for the next season, a thigh injury kept him out for most of the year. He only played three league games.

In a UEFA Cup game against 1. FC Kaiserslautern, Laurie scored a goal in Real Madrid's 3–1 win in the first game. But in the second game, he was sent off (sent off the field) just before half-time. Kaiserslautern won 5–0, which was Real Madrid's worst ever loss in a European competition.

Laurie won another Spanish Cup medal when Real Madrid beat Gijón 2–1 in the final. However, it was a tough season for him. For the next season, Real Madrid signed two new foreign players, which meant Laurie spent most of the time on the sidelines. In April 1983, he joined Manchester United on loan, reuniting with his old coach, Ron Atkinson.

After the 1982–83 season, Laurie left Real Madrid. He played for Sporting Gijón and then Marseille in France.

Later Career and FA Cup Glory

Laurie only stayed in France for one season (1984–85) before returning to England to join Leicester City. But he only played half a season because of more injuries. At the end of the 1985–86 season, Laurie went back to Spain to play for Rayo Vallecano in the second division.

In the 1987–88 season, he moved to Charleroi in Belgium, but injuries struck again. In the new year, he was back in England on a short deal with Wimbledon. There, he helped the team, known as the "Crazy Gang," beat the mighty Liverpool in the 1988 FA Cup Final. This was a huge upset victory!

Laurie later returned to Spain and Rayo Vallecano for the 1988–89 season. He scored the goal that helped them get promoted to the top Spanish league, Primera Division.

Sadly, Laurie Cunningham died in a car crash in Madrid on July 15, 1989. He was only 33 years old. He left behind his Spanish wife and their son.

His Legacy and Impact

Laurie Cunningham is remembered as a very important player in football history. In November 2004, he was named one of West Bromwich Albion's 16 greatest players. The club also announced that Laurie would be part of a mural of former players at their stadium, The Hawthorns.

In October 2013, a special blue plaque was put up outside Brisbane Road, a football stadium. In September 2015, another blue plaque was placed on Laurie's childhood home in London. These plaques celebrate important people and places.

In November 2017, a statue of Laurie Cunningham was unveiled in Leyton, near Brisbane Road. It was made by Graham Ibbeson and honors Laurie's time at Leyton Orient. Another statue by Ibbeson was unveiled in West Bromwich in May 2019. This statue celebrates Laurie, Brendon Batson, and Cyrille Regis – "The Three Degrees." The organizers said that these three players "opened the gates to allow black players into football at a time when they were locked out."

A play about Laurie's life, called Getting the Third Degree, was first performed in 2019.

Tributes

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  Statue of Cunningham near Brisbane Road

• 

  Statue of the Three Degrees by Graham Ibbeson, in West Bromwich New Square

• 

  Blue plaque outside Brisbane Road

Honours

Laurie Cunningham won several important trophies during his career:

Real Madrid

• La Liga: 1979–80 (Spanish League)
• Copa del Rey: 1979–80, 1981–82 (Spanish Cup)

Wimbledon

• FA Cup: 1987–88 (English FA Cup)