The late midfielder, who was one third of the club's famous Three Degrees alongside Cyrille Regis and Brendon Batson, was one of the first black men to play an international match for England.

Together with Regis and Batson, he helped smash down racial barriers in British football and blazed a trail for future black players.

A plaque bearing his name has been unveiled today on the wall of his childhood home in Lancaster Road, Stroud Green, London.

It's part of an English Heritage drive to increase the number of black, Asian and minority ethnic nominees because only 33 of the 900 blue plaques are currently dedicated to figures from those backgrounds.

Regis travelled down to London today to pull the cord at the official unveiling.

"It was a massive honour," he said afterwards. "He's a great friend of mine. Laurie was a trailblazer, and an inspiration to a generation of black footballers.

"When people look back on history they look at how someone's helped shape part of this country, and part of their field, and Laurie's done that in terms of being an inspiration, not only for young black footballers, but for all footballers."