Trevor Francis has died

[Dec66]

69.

RIP Trevor. A great striker back in the day.

Never had a good word to say about Everton as a pundit, though. Still, nor have I these days.

 

[ianrauk]

Shame to hear. I saw him play a few times. The last time when he was at Sheffield Wednesday.

 

[biggs682]

Wasn't he the first £1 million pound transfer ?

 

[Alex321]

Shame to hear. I saw him play a few times. The last time when he was at Sheffield Wednesday.

I saw him live once, in 1982 when Swansea were in the old first division, and he was playing for Manchester City.

One of the last games I actually saw live, rather than on TV.

 

[cougie uk]

Wasn't he the first £1 million pound transfer ?

That's my first thought about him too.

 

[numbnuts]

There's a lot of people dying

 

[Dec66]

There's a lot of people dying

I thought this, too.

Then I realised that it's not that there's a lot of people dying, but a lot of people who you recognise from your childhood and youth dying.

Very aware of my mortality at present.

 

[ianrauk]

I thought this, too.

Then I realised that it's not that there's a lot of people dying, but a lot of people who you recognise from your childhood and youth dying.

Very aware of my mortality at present.

The internet is the main cause of this feeling. Instant news at your fingertips. Before the net we only got limited news through the papers or limited channels on the TV. Took days if not weeks in some cases for news to filter though of someone's passing.

 

[Donger]

Wasn't he the first £1 million pound transfer ?

Certainly was. I remember it like it was yesterday. During the press conference, Brian Clough told him to "Take your hands out of your pockets young man"! As a lifelong Blues fan, this news came as a real shock. As you get older, you get used to hearing of celebrities and sports people you grew up with passing away, but this one really hit me hard. One of our greatest ever players and a manager who really gave the place a lift when he came back to take the helm.

R.I.P. Trev. "Though you're tired and weary, still journey on 'til you come to your happy abode, where all you love and you're dreaming of will be there at the end of the road".

 

[rogerzilla]

I remember when he transferred for £1m. It was really big news. We can't be far off the first £1bn transfer.

 

[vickster]

There's a lot of people dying

Around 150,000 every day worldwide, can be higher depending on what shoot is going on, natural or man made or both

 

[Bollo]

I saw him play once or twice for City as well when I was a lad. I think he was only at Maine Rd for a season, but always had a special air about him. Very sad.

 

[Slick]

He spent a year at Ibrox during Graham Souness's revolution, so he will be forever remembered up here for that.

Great player.

 

[Accy cyclist]

It sounds sudden and sounds like a heart attack.

A statement released on behalf of his family said: "This has come as a huge shock to everybody. We are all very upset.

"He was a legendary footballer but he was also an extremely nice person."

Francis spent half the year in Spain and the rest in Solihull. He suffered a heart attack 11 years ago and had kept himself fit since with daily power walks.

He had an annual health check through the League Managers' Association and, according to his spokesman, was "enjoying life very much".

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/66287307

Two images stick in my mind of Trevor Francis. The one below as a youngster, in that Birmingham City 'penguin' jersey.

And this one of him with the European Cup on his head.

 

[rogerzilla]

I think it was the Clough era when he signed for Forest. Interesting times compared to today's football.