Trevor Francis RIP

LYOV3EUGKRAOTF5AHLVXMDJNDU.jpg

best friends, could be brothers
 
petrusha said:
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.
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A truly magnificent player and like you say, a total thoroughbred. Way ahead of his time and a nice guy. RIP Trevor. Never forgotten.
 
I want to pay tribute to Trevor Francis and share some memories of one of my first City heroes.

I'm really sad at the passing of Trevor Francis at the age of 69, as are many people in Football, especially fans and his team mates.

Trevor Francis was a great footballer. A legendary footballer and to all accounts from people who have met him, a lovely, humble, kind, gentleman.

Of course he scored that headed European Cup winning goal for Nottingham Forest against Malmo in 1979. He'd been a brilliant young player at Birmingham and Forest signed him, making him the first million pound footballer (£999,000 from Forest with Brian Clough paying £1!). He was a genuinely great player playing in a great Forest side.

It was a real pleasure and privilege to watch him play for Manchester City.

Brief though it was, but his star shone brightly and he made a huge impression in that one season. As many as 10,000 City fans made the short trip to Stoke to see him score twice on his debut in a 3-1 win.

He lit up Maine Road and beyond in that one injury hit season, and carried an average team to the very top of the First Division.

One of my first heroes, he was a thrill to watch in our beautiful light Blue shirts with the V neck. He was a real star and he was playing for Manchester City. Quick with superb balance and close control and a terrific finisher with either feet, he was a brilliant all round footballer of great technique.

Sadly, injuries limited his appearances to just 26 in the League but he scored 12 goals (29 appearances and 14 goals in all competitions).

That 40 yarder against Wolves just after Christmas 81 that propelled City to the top of the table was s albeit City had played more games than others in a cold snap) . Great player. One of the most talented ever to play for Manchester City.

It was a major disappointment when you got to Maine Road and he wasn't playing due to injury - he took plenty of punishment from defenders and sustained a groin injury. Usually he wore the number 9 shirt but he was not a traditional centre forward. He could certainly head the ball but he had far more to his game. Sharp turns, strength to hold off defenders and close control as he carried the ball at speed with defenders in his wake, he was a terrific player to watch. He had terrific acceleration and played the beautiful game with great style.

I used to try some of those sharp turns myself. Nowhere near as good but the odd one worked and I felt like a star before reality kicked!

Who wasn't gutted when he was sold by Peter Swales to cut costs in the summer of 82 after that season and seeing him scored goals at the World Cup? That after Swales had used Trevor Francis to promote season ticket sales. City were no longer big players.

Francis served Sampdoria, Atalanta, Rangers, QPR and finally Sheffield Wednesday well. I saw him a few times in my Sheffield days turning out for the Owls as his career was coming to an end - often as a very effective impact sub who turned games or found a late winner for them. I wished he was back at City.

The word 'great' is overused, especially in football, but Trevor Francis was a great player. He could have played in any of Manchester City's great sides. Indeed, that level of greatness.

It is said that a bit of us dies when one of our childhood heroes dies. I wasn't lucky enough to meet him but those who have speak with fondness. He was humble and took time to sign autographs and talk to people of all ages. I'm really sad at his premature passing at just 6Very Very sad.He'd lost his beloved wife Helen in recent years and it was devastating for him. He was getting his life back together.

Thoughts and sincere heartfelt condolences to his family and friends. Rest in peace.
 
Stelea said:
2 days after the Boxing Day win at Anfield, Francis scored a goal he described as one of his best v Wolves to put us top of the league in front of 40,000 at MR (we finished 10th!)
I have always been gutted too that there doesn’t seem to be any TV coverage anywhere of his debut at Stoke.
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That was a terrific strike v Wolves.
 
Ignominious said:
I feel very sad (and old) hearing the news of Trevor Francis’ death today. I remember him breaking through into Birmingham City’s first team (in the old division one?) in 1972 as a 16 year old.

He was always a thoroughbred player although a bit injury prone. Delighted when he signed for us and desperately disappointed when he was sold for financial reasons just a season later.

RIP Trevor and thanks for the wonderful memories.
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In his first season for Birmingham, didn't he score 15 in 22 as a 16 year old or something like that? Astounding.
 
Zabbasbeard said:
I want to pay tribute to Trevor Francis and share some memories of one of my first City heroes.

I'm really sad at the passing of Trevor Francis at the age of 69, as are many people in Football, especially fans and his team mates.

Trevor Francis was a great footballer. A legendary footballer and to all accounts from people who have met him, a lovely, humble, kind, gentleman.

Of course he scored that headed European Cup winning goal for Nottingham Forest against Malmo in 1979. He'd been a brilliant young player at Birmingham and Forest signed him, making him the first million pound footballer (£999,000 from Forest with Brian Clough paying £1!). He was a genuinely great player playing in a great Forest side.

It was a real pleasure and privilege to watch him play for Manchester City.

Brief though it was, but his star shone brightly and he made a huge impression in that one season. As many as 10,000 City fans made the short trip to Stoke to see him score twice on his debut in a 3-1 win.

He lit up Maine Road and beyond in that one injury hit season, and carried an average team to the very top of the First Division.

One of my first heroes, he was a thrill to watch in our beautiful light Blue shirts with the V neck. He was a real star and he was playing for Manchester City. Quick with superb balance and close control and a terrific finisher with either feet, he was a brilliant all round footballer of great technique.

Sadly, injuries limited his appearances to just 26 in the League but he scored 12 goals (29 appearances and 14 goals in all competitions).

That 40 yarder against Wolves just after Christmas 81 that propelled City to the top of the table was s albeit City had played more games than others in a cold snap) . Great player. One of the most talented ever to play for Manchester City.

It was a major disappointment when you got to Maine Road and he wasn't playing due to injury - he took plenty of punishment from defenders and sustained a groin injury. Usually he wore the number 9 shirt but he was not a traditional centre forward. He could certainly head the ball but he had far more to his game. Sharp turns, strength to hold off defenders and close control as he carried the ball at speed with defenders in his wake, he was a terrific player to watch. He had terrific acceleration and played the beautiful game with great style.

I used to try some of those sharp turns myself. Nowhere near as good but the odd one worked and I felt like a star before reality kicked!

Who wasn't gutted when he was sold by Peter Swales to cut costs in the summer of 82 after that season and seeing him scored goals at the World Cup? That after Swales had used Trevor Francis to promote season ticket sales. City were no longer big players.

Francis served Sampdoria, Atalanta, Rangers, QPR and finally Sheffield Wednesday well. I saw him a few times in my Sheffield days turning out for the Owls as his career was coming to an end - often as a very effective impact sub who turned games or found a late winner for them. I wished he was back at City.

The word 'great' is overused, especially in football, but Trevor Francis was a great player. He could have played in any of Manchester City's great sides. Indeed, that level of greatness.

It is said that a bit of us dies when one of our childhood heroes dies. I wasn't lucky enough to meet him but those who have speak with fondness. He was humble and took time to sign autographs and talk to people of all ages. I'm really sad at his premature passing at just 6Very Very sad.He'd lost his beloved wife Helen in recent years and it was devastating for him. He was getting his life back together.

Thoughts and sincere heartfelt condolences to his family and friends. Rest in peace.
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Such sad, sad news. Proud that he played for us and when he played for England you knew we had a striker up with the best on the planet. I agree with every word you say. RIP Trevor.
 
RIP Trevor.
Wonderful player who suffered a lot with injury when he should have been in his pomp. I believe the injuries were the legacy of his time at Birmingham when, even though a teenager, they flogged him to death. His slim, youthful frame carried that club on his shoulders.
The president of Sampdoria, answering questions about his frequent absences, said that half of Trevor’s time was worth the whole of anybody else’s.
As others have remarked, it was our zenith under Swales when we went top just after Christmas. It was all downhill thereafter under that charlatan.
Thanks Trevor for some great moments.
 
Last edited:
eyalluvitt said:
LYOV3EUGKRAOTF5AHLVXMDJNDU.jpg

best friends, could be brothers
Click to expand...
Exactly, he always reminded me of Jasper Carrot, I think they were good friends too. Trevor Francis was a great footballer in his day , being worthy of the first £1 Million pound player was debatable then as is the first £100 million pound player now. compared to Pogba mind, he was a steal.

RIP Trevor, you were a class act.
 
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