Memory Cafés & Talks

The former striker who scored 53 goals from 237 appearances in the Football League in the 1990s, notably for Stoke City and Notts County, spoke to the students about the resilience, the challenges, and the successes of he and his late brother, Cyrille Regis MBE, on their journey from Newman Catholic College to the different Leagues in their footballing careers.

The Regis Memory Café gave students and those accessing the Q&A session via Zoom, the opportunity to ask Dave about his time as a professional footballer, and to tell previously unheard stories of the childhood he and his brother shared growing up in Brent.

Cyrille Regis, MBE (1958 – 2018) was a professional footballer who played as a forward. His professional playing career spanned 19 years, where he made 614 league appearances and scored 158 league goals, most prolifically at West Bromwich Albion and Coventry City. He remains a footballing icon who broke through the bigotry of a different era and encouraged diversity, helping to pave the way for current and future footballers.

After his sad and untimely passing in 2018 his family set up the Cyrille Regis Legacy Trust which serves to honour and remember the life of Cyrille Regis MBE. For more information visit https://www.cyrilleregis.com/

For more information regarding the JRF Inspire to Achieve Heritage project please contact info@jasonrobertsfoundation.org

The event at Bridgestone Arena which was also broadcast online via Zoom was launched with an opening ceremony including a dance performance from Shaq, who delivers dance training sessions for the Foundation, and a group of local youngsters, to a backdrop of the England and South African flags being waved.

Thanks to National Lottery players, the exciting new project will uncover the untold stories of 18 footballers from Brent who paved the way for future sportspeople, and will produce exhibitions, talks, and memory cafes during the term of the project, and beyond.

Young people from Brent will benefit from the Inspire to Achieve project by honing their media, presenting, and production skills and will have the opportunity to meet and interview the former players as part of the collation of their oral histories.

Some of the subjects the brothers discussed included living in Brent, school days, dealing with racism, and ending their footballing careers.

Bite size Vodcasts with highlights from the evening can be accessed via the new CMC website here https://cmc.jasonrobertsfoundation.com/heritage

Former West Brom, Wigan, and Blackburn striker Jason Roberts was interviewed by Jack, and spoke about his journey, his inspirations, and the obstacles he faced, as he forged a successful career as one of Brent’s Football pioneers.

The Inspire to Achieve Project, funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, thanks to Lottery players, gave the UCFB students an opportunity to gain much needed experience as part of their Degree coursework, and be part of creating local stories of sporting heritage for current and future generations.

As well as interviewing Jason directly, they also fielded questions from the audience of students, teachers, and local stakeholders at Capital City Academy, who were all eager to hear from the local sporting personality about his roots, and the changes he has seen in Brent over the years, on his recent return.

Jack Bibb said “I’m a Multimedia Sports Journalism student at UCFB’s Wembley Campus. The opportunity to work with Jason on behalf of the JRF Heritage Project was one that was too good to turn down and it was an insightful experience helping Jason tell the story of his Brent heritage to students from the local community.

UCFB provides lots of great opportunities, such as this one, and I thank the Foundation for being so welcoming also.”

With England’s Lionesses playing in the UEFA Women’s Euros 2022 semi-finals only days away, this all-female Memory Café was the perfect time for the women competing in the day’s football tournament to be inspired by these two players who made such a significant contribution to Women’s football both Nationally and Internationally.

Some amazing questions were put to the former defender and left winger who both played at the highest level in Women’s football from a young age, and with Eartha’s role on the FA Women’s Football Board one of the audience members wanted to know what the FA’s plans are to maintain the momentum of the UEFA Women’s Euros competition and keep the focus on girls entering the sport.

Rachel who played for clubs including Arsenal and Fulham and who won her first England cap and goal at the age of seventeen, was the first professional female player registered in England, revealed that she had first been spotted by the head coach of the male team.

Eartha who joined the women for their training session ahead of the tournament, played for clubs including Chelsea, Everton, and Tottenham Hotspur, and surprised the audience when she spoke about having to work whilst pursuing her career in professional Women’s football, and that she was a sports teacher and Assistant Vice-Principal at the local Crest Academy.

The insightful Q&A session uncovered stories of the resilience young women like Rachel and Eartha had to display when Women’s Football went from grassroots to elite level in what was then a male-dominated sport. The audience appreciated the contribution these two former professional players have made to Women’s football and how they and the current Lionesses have raised the profile of Women in football and have opened the door for future generations to pursue a career playing football professionally.

The day ended with a fun Heritage Quiz with a focus on Brent, and with excited anticipation of the forthcoming Women’s semi-final on the 26^th of July.