Francis Lee RIP

[Gray]

The statue is a great tribute but it permanently irks me that the man who scored two goals to win the league against Newcastle, scored the winning goal in the FA Cup final, and then scored the opening goal in the Cup Winners Cup final, has seemingly been forgotten by the club for his role during our second most successful period as a club.

 

[Eccles Blue]

I want to add to all the tributes today by including here an interview I did with Francis back in 2010 (I hope there are no Franny windups in it!). This is one of many interviews I did with him over the decades and I want to include this one today as it was written up as a Q&A style piece with Francis' own words documented. Follow the link to read it…

Francis Lee

It’s going to be an emotional day today as it is the funeral of Francis Lee. I’ll be at the cathedral to pay my respects but I also wanted to mark today by including here an interview I…

gjfootballarchive.com

Thanks for that Gary. A great interview with a great man. He was forthright and showed his class.
I met him once with my then husband, who knew him through friends, and to my eternal shame I don't remember saying a word to him or a word of what they talked about either!! I was just a naïve youngish fan at the time though in my defence. :-)

 

[mexico1970]

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What a servant to the club that man was, sad sad day when he passed.

 

[Gray]

What a servant to the club that man was, sad sad day when he passed.

Bloody too true one of the sweetest left foots you will ever see.

 

[Lovebitesandeveryfing]

Bloody too true one of the sweetest left foots you will ever see.

Tony Coleman wasn't too shabby on his day, either. It was just one hell of an attack.

 

[Bluesince1979]

Maybe even a walkway of shame alongside the urinals in the toilets with stars of the likes of Ged Brannan, Sammy McIlroy, Wilfred Bony etc

Sammy mcillroy. What a ****

 

[youngbob]

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I remember it all too well, sadly.

Before Neil died he used to coach an under-16s Sunday soccer school at a school in Bramhall, Stockport. I got invited along by a close friend about a year before Neil passed away and ended up going to a few sessions. He taught me a lot about football. My friend was close with Neil and his family, especially his wife Carmen.

We drove up to the gates of the school on a Sunday morning in December 2010 and there was a note pinned to it saying Neil was unwell and that the soccer school would be closed for the foreseeable. We had no idea he had cancer until the news came through that he was terminal. Obviously me and my mate were devastated.

So I went to that Leicester away game, with thousands of us wearing the black and red scarves. Of course we were playing Leicester - the universe has its way. I hoped Neil would at least last long enough to see us lift a trophy but sadly he didn't. He was the first person I thought of when Yaya scored against Stoke at Wembley.

It was only after he'd died and I'd grown up a bit that I read Catch a Falling Star. I know him and the club didn't have the best relationship, and I know it was a different era for retired footballers, but I do think he was left on the scrapheap a bit. Sadly because of this I do think he's been a bit forgotten by the club.

 

[BrianW]

Sadly, I think Neil Young was undervalued by the fans and the club even at the time. Why, I will never understand, but it's not unique. He was one of our own and came through from the youth teams. Maybe because we paid nothing for him he was taken for granted.

Anyway, that team that won the League in 1968 were awesome and I rejoice I am old enough to have seen them. And Francis H. Lee was the finishing touch that we needed to complete it.

RIP Frannie.

 

[blue44]

I remember it all too well, sadly.

Before Neil died he used to coach an under-16s Sunday soccer school at a school in Bramhall, Stockport. I got invited along by a close friend about a year before Neil passed away and ended up going to a few sessions. He taught me a lot about football. My friend was close with Neil and his family, especially his wife Carmen.

We drove up to the gates of the school on a Sunday morning in December 2010 and there was a note pinned to it saying Neil was unwell and that the soccer school would be closed for the foreseeable. We had no idea he had cancer until the news came through that he was terminal. Obviously me and my mate were devastated.

So I went to that Leicester away game, with thousands of us wearing the black and red scarves. Of course we were playing Leicester - the universe has its way. I hoped Neil would at least last long enough to see us lift a trophy but sadly he didn't. He was the first person I thought of when Yaya scored against Stoke at Wembley.

It was only after he'd died and I'd grown up a bit that I read Catch a Falling Star. I know him and the club didn't have the best relationship, and I know it was a different era for retired footballers, but I do think he was left on the scrapheap a bit. Sadly because of this I do think he's been a bit forgotten by the club.

Neil was my first City hero,don't know how that came about but I presume,I was 4 in 1969 and it was his goal to win the FA Cup that made him my hero along with my dads praise for him.
The only thing I have stolen in my life was a playing card of Neil in his City kit,must of been 69 or 70, and I was 4 or 5,still remember nicking it in class.

 

[HelloCity]

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