Three Degrees statue falls flat as £38k funding bid raises less than £1,800
A fresh campaign to raise the final £38,000 needed to honour West Bromwich Albion's Three Degrees with a bronze statue has fallen flat.
The statue will look to honour Cyrille Regis, Brendon Batson and Laurie Cunningham who were nicknamed the Three Degrees by West Brom's manager at the time Ron Atkinson.
But the now five-year-long project has hit another stalling point as project bosses' latest efforts to raise the last £38,000 has fallen flat as just £1,765 of the target was raised by 48 supporters of the campaign.
Despite this, organisers have insisted this is not the end of the road for the statue - the £38,000 needed is the final sum to see the statue brought to life, as already £182,000 has been raised.
The man behind the project, Jim Cadman, said he has been in talks with Sandwell Council and the widow of Cyrille Regis.
Mr Cadman said: "We are speaking with Sandwell Council and Cyrille's widow Julia at the moment. We are now in the process of setting up meetings and we are trying to come together to form a plan to move it forward.
"The most enormous amount of effort has gone into it. We are trying now to get the final amount of money. It has been going on for a long time now but this has not put a spanner in the works.
"The Crowdfunder happened when everyone was in mourning over Cyrille and the focus was on the devastating loss of one of Albion's greatest ever players.
"The club have got their own views on the statue but the situation remains that we are still falling short of the money needed.
"We have actually got the statue ready to put together and all the work has been completed. This has not stopped our desire to raise the additional cash.
"There is a site already set [for the statue] in New Square in West Bromwich."
The money hoped to be raised will see the final touches put on the statue – including seeing the whole sculpture having all sections welded together before it can be installed.
The Crowdfunder efforts came as both sculptor Graham Ibbeson and Jim Cadman worked with a team of volunteers to get the project complete.
Lead fundraisers promised tha the 10ft high bronze statue would be a permanent tribute to three players who had made 'an enormous contribution' to the sporting and cultural heritage of the country.
