Frannie is the sole reason I support Manchester City.
In early 1970, a set of football cards, with a piece of bubble gum included, was doing the rounds.
As seven year-old mad football fans, me and my friends were right into it. One day at school, one of the other lads (R. I. P., Paul) said, upon noticing that there seemed to be a disproportionate number of cards bearing Frannie, "He must be a good player, there are loads of him."
I latched on to the man, and started following City as a result.
A few weeks later, City were away to West Brom, and lost 0-3. It was featured on The Big Match on the Sunday dinner time. Sometime during the commentary, Brian Moore mentioned that the two clubs would be playing each other in the League Cup final soon.
That was it, and City have been my team ever since.
R. I. P., Frannie. You were a character, the like of which we’ll never see again. You still hold the record for most penalties scored in a top-flight season, but your contribution to the rise of Manchester City is much more than just that.
