Born in Archway, London, he was the son of a former Jamaican race-horse jockey.
Cunningham started in schoolboy football and was turned down by Arsenal before joining Leyton Orient in 1974.
He joined West Bromwich Albion in 1977, where, under manager Johnny Giles, he teamed up with another black player, Cyrille Regis, and the following year (under Ron Atkinson) with Brendon Batson.
This was the second time an English top-flight team simultaneously fielded three black players (the first being Clyde Best, Clive Charles and Ade Coker for West Ham United against Tottenham Hotspur in April 1972) and Atkinson collectively referred to Cunningham, Batson and Regis as "The Three Degrees" after the U.S. soul singing trio.

West Bromwich Albion became one of the most attractive and exciting English sides in the late 1970s and Cunningham soon attracted attention.
He became the second black player to wear an England shirt at any level in the England under-21s' friendly against Scotland at Bramall Lane on 27 April 1977, scoring on his debut.

Whilst a West Bromwich Albion player he played in a benefit match for Len Cantello, that saw a team of white players play against a team of black players.

He subsequently earned a full England cap, making his debut against Wales in a Home International in 1979.
He was to win a total of six caps for England.

In the summer of 1979, he made a historic move as the first British player to transfer to Real Madrid, who paid West Bromwich Albion a fee of £950,000.
He scored twice on his debut and helped Real win the league and cup double.
Despite this club success, Cunningham was overlooked by England manager Ron Greenwood for a place in the England squad for Euro 1980.

Cunningham began the 1980–81 season with Real Madrid well, and was again called up for England (after bitter negotiations with Real Madrid) for the 1982 World Cup Qualifier against Norway, only to be an unused sub as England won 4–0.
In the next qualifier against Romania, he came off the bench but was unable to help England avoid a 2–1 defeat.
This was to be his last England cap.
Back with Real Madrid, his scored goals in the early rounds of the European Cup, but then he succumbed to injury, and required an operation on a broken toe.

Cunningham recovered just in time for the 1981 European Cup Final against Liverpool in Paris, as Real Madrid lost 1–0.
During pre season training for the 1981–82 season, a thigh injury kept Cunningham out of the majority of the season (only three goalless appearances in the league), his only real noteworthy contribution was in the UEFA Cup quarter final tie against 1.
FC Kaiserslautern.

In the first leg, Cunningham scored a goal in Real Madrid's 3–1 win.
In the second leg, however, he was sent off shortly before half time for retaliation, as Kaiserslautern won 5–0 to inflict Real Madrid's worst ever result in European competition.
Prior to this tie, a finally fit Cunningham had been summoned up for England duty again, but this would be the last time he made an England squad.
Cunningham won a second Spanish Cup medal as he played in the final when Real Madrid beat Gijón 2–1, but it was a depressing campaign for him.
For the next season, with Real Madrid signing Johnny Metgod to join Uli Stielike as the two permitted foreigners, Cunningham spent most of the 1982–83 season on the sidelines, until he reunited with Ron Atkinson at Manchester United on loan in April 1983.
He left Real after the 1982–83 season, joining Sporting Gijón and subsequently Marseille.

Cunningham only remained in France for one season in 1984–85, before heading back to England to join Leicester City, although he played only half a season due to further injury.
At the end of the 1985–86 season, Cunningham went back to Spain to play for Rayo Vallecano in the second tier.
He moved to Charleroi in Belgium for the 1987–88 campaign, but was yet again struck down by injury, and in the new year was back in England on a short-term deal with Wimbledon, where he managed to help the Dons beat Liverpool in the 1988 FA Cup Final.

Cunningham later moved bac
Born in Archway, London, he was the son of a former Jamaican race-horse jockey. Cunningham started in schoolboy football and was turned down by Arsenal before joining Leyton Orient in 1974. He joined West Bromwich Albion in 1977, where, under manager Johnny Giles, he teamed up with another black player, Cyrille Regis, and the following year (under Ron Atkinson) with Brendon Batson. This was the second time an English top-flight team simultaneously fielded three black players (the first being Clyde Best, Clive Charles and Ade Coker for West Ham United against Tottenham Hotspur in April 1972) and Atkinson collectively referred to Cunningham, Batson and Regis as "The Three Degrees" after the U.S. soul singing trio.
West Bromwich Albion became one of the most attractive and exciting English sides in the late 1970s and Cunningham soon attracted attention. He became the second black player to wear an England shirt at any level in the England under-21s' friendly against Scotland at Bramall Lane on 27 April 1977, scoring on his debut.
Whilst a West Bromwich Albion player he played in a benefit match for Len Cantello, that saw a team of white players play against a team of black players.
He subsequently earned a full England cap, making his debut against Wales in a Home International in 1979. He was to win a total of six caps for England.
In the summer of 1979, he made a historic move as the first British player to transfer to Real Madrid, who paid West Bromwich Albion a fee of £950,000. He scored twice on his debut and helped Real win the league and cup double. Despite this club success, Cunningham was overlooked by England manager Ron Greenwood for a place in the England squad for Euro 1980.
Cunningham began the 1980–81 season with Real Madrid well, and was again called up for England (after bitter negotiations with Real Madrid) for the 1982 World Cup Qualifier against Norway, only to be an unused sub as England won 4–0. In the next qualifier against Romania, he came off the bench but was unable to help England avoid a 2–1 defeat. This was to be his last England cap. Back with Real Madrid, his scored goals in the early rounds of the European Cup, but then he succumbed to injury, and required an operation on a broken toe.
Cunningham recovered just in time for the 1981 European Cup Final against Liverpool in Paris, as Real Madrid lost 1–0. During pre season training for the 1981–82 season, a thigh injury kept Cunningham out of the majority of the season (only three goalless appearances in the league), his only real noteworthy contribution was in the UEFA Cup quarter final tie against 1. FC Kaiserslautern.
In the first leg, Cunningham scored a goal in Real Madrid's 3–1 win. In the second leg, however, he was sent off shortly before half time for retaliation, as Kaiserslautern won 5–0 to inflict Real Madrid's worst ever result in European competition. Prior to this tie, a finally fit Cunningham had been summoned up for England duty again, but this would be the last time he made an England squad. Cunningham won a second Spanish Cup medal as he played in the final when Real Madrid beat Gijón 2–1, but it was a depressing campaign for him. For the next season, with Real Madrid signing Johnny Metgod to join Uli Stielike as the two permitted foreigners, Cunningham spent most of the 1982–83 season on the sidelines, until he reunited with Ron Atkinson at Manchester United on loan in April 1983. He left Real after the 1982–83 season, joining Sporting Gijón and subsequently Marseille.
Cunningham only remained in France for one season in 1984–85, before heading back to England to join Leicester City, although he played only half a season due to further injury. At the end of the 1985–86 season, Cunningham went back to Spain to play for Rayo Vallecano in the second tier. He moved to Charleroi in Belgium for the 1987–88 campaign, but was yet again struck down by injury, and in the new year was back in England on a short-term deal with Wimbledon, where he managed to help the Dons beat Liverpool in the 1988 FA Cup Final.
Cunningham later moved bac
Laurie Cunningham