Laurie Cunningham

Uncommon card · No. 96660

Laurence Paul Cunningham (8 March 1956 – 15 July 1989) was an English professional footballer who played as a winger. He notably played in England, France, and Spain, where he became the first-ever English player to sign for Real Madrid 67 Cunningham had signed a schoolboy contract with Arsenal in 1970, but was released in 1972 as his style of play was deemed incompatible with the Gunners' "give and go" tactics. In 1974, he was picked up by second-tier side Leyton Orient where he remained for three years. But it was following his move to West Bromwich Albion in 1977 that his career really took off. There he played alongside Cyrille Regis and Brendon Batson under coach Ron Atkinson, becoming only the second trio of black players to be fielded in the top flight of English football. They became known as the Three Degrees – a term coined by Atkinson in reference to the American soul group of the same name. His form at the Hawthorns later earned a move to Real Madrid, where he remained for five...

Read on Wikipedia · Image Nationaal Archief, Den Haag, Rijksfotoarchief: Fotocollectie Algemeen Nederlands Fotopersbureau (ANEFO), 1945-1989 - negatiefstroken zwart/wit, nummer toegang 2.24.01.04, bestanddeelnummer 931-7501, CC BY-SA 3.0 nl