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Albion to remember Cunningham in Spain

Albion will pay tribute to Laurie Cunningham prior to Saturday’s pre-season friendly against Villarreal - just two days before the 30th anniversary of his tragic passing.

Albion will pay tribute to Laurie Cunningham prior to Saturday’s pre-season friendly against Villarreal - just two days before the 30th anniversary of his tragic passing.

The entire Baggies squad will wear T-shirts featuring Cunningham during their pre-match warm-up at the Ciudad Deportiva Camilo Cano.

The players will the hand the special T-shirts to travelling Baggies fans to keep as a memento from the game and the occasion. 

The first of the 'Three Degrees' to arrive at Albion, he became the first black player to play for England Under-21s.  

Cunningham joined Albion from Leyton Orient in 1977 and made 114 appearances for the Baggies, scoring 30 goals.

He is remembered at Albion as one of the greatest players to grace The Hawthorns turf.

But as Albion prepare to face the La Liga outfit it is fitting one of the Club’s most famous sons will be remembered on Spanish soil.

Laurie joined Real Madrid for £1million in 1979, becoming the first Englishman to play for the club.

After his time at Real, he returned to England and won an FA Cup winner's medal with Wimbledon in 1988, before joining Rayo Vallecano that summer.

Laurie died in a car crash near Madrid on July 15, 1989, aged just 33.

Cunningham was named one of Albion’s 16 greatest players of all time following a poll of the club’s supporters in 2004.

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