Trevor Francis RIP

[ancoats]

Remember that rare win at that shithole. Had to watch Asa's disallowed goal three times to check my eyes weren't deceiving me. Hartford is in front of the scouse **** centre half. We have been being fucking cheated at the dump for decades.

also did Thompson get sent off for that handball or did they just sub him

 

[Norman kneejerk]

I remember that a building society opened a branch on Wilbraham Road in Chorlton in November 1981 and commemorated the occasion by having Trevor Francis make a personal appearance. Anyone who opened an account got a free photo taken with him, and I saved my dinner money for the day so that I could take advantage of the offer. He was extremely gracious to a nervous kid, so I always thought favourably of his character after that.

He was a truly wonderful player, too. We had some other fairly big names at the time, but the team really was markedly far worse during the third of our fixtures that Trevor missed through injury (plus one suspension after he was sent off at home to Everton). It disgusts me now as much as it did at the time that the utter **** Swales used Trevor Francis to advertise season tickets on Piccadilly Radio only to flog him off for a laughably cheap fee as soon as they stopped being on sale.

Francis's departure signalled the start of City ceasing to act like a proper big club, a stated of affairs that persisted for a distressingly long time. Still, even his spell with us didn't last long, it was a privilege to watch him in that season he spent with us. He was an absolute thoroughbred of a footballer and showed it pretty well whenever he took the field.

Great summary. I thought he always seemed to have time on the ball and made difficult things look very easy. Jaw droppingly brilliant at times. As for his sale and the bungled replacements that really was the last roll of the dice for city that decade and maybe into the 90s.
I always wondered how we could sign someone no doubt helped by the cup finals in 81 but in less than a year decide we couldn't afford his wages, did we not have budgets, cash forecasts etc. Sadly got Swales haul mark all over it.

 

[There is a Light]

RIP

 

[philiph20]

I do remember that game against Wolves in Christmas 81 and his performance that day to send us top of the league, great player and somebody to build the team around but as usual Wiggy screwed up. RIP Trevor.

 

[blue b4 the moon]

RIP the original Tricky Trev.

The Kinky of his time.

Such a shame Swales couldn't actually afford him.

 

[W12]

Was at Stoke for his debut. Best debut ever, two great goals, great player. RIP Trevor

 

[Blue_eyes]

Great player in his day, and seemed a decent guy too.

Quite a distinguished career as well, think I am right in remembering him score in the 1982 world cup?

RIP TF.

 

[Gone for a Burton]

We should've sold the roof, kept Trevor and built a team around him.

The ineptitude of Swales,his lackies and Bernard set the club back 35 years.

Re appointing Malcolm,selling the core of Skips team etc etc.

We had a real opportunity to create sustainable success in 1972 and 1977 and fucked it up through incompetence,vanity and the devastating injury to Colin Bell.

Treasurer the present cos success is a fickle madam !!

 

[blue b4 the moon]

Remember the one time this excited 7 year old got taken to see him play for us.

This happened. And at the far end of the pitch, so I had very little idea what was going on. RIP Trev.

Could have swore it was Kevin Bond he nutted, happened almost right in front of me too.

 

[Oldtraffordblue1]

I was in Italy when a copy of Gazzetta Dello Sport caught my eye in a bar and was trying to make sense of what it was saying, the bar owner kindly translated "Francis to Italy" I thought wtf has Swales done now, hope was snatched away and I felt even more bitter towards Swales and his ego!