ENGLAND’s first-ever £1million player Trevor Francis had died aged 69.
The sports star sadly passed away at his apartment near Marbella in Spain.
GettyEngland legend Trevor Francis has sadly passed away[/caption]
Who are Trevor Francis’ children?
Francis leaves behind two children.
Not much is known about Francis’ children, with the late star appearing to keep his personal life out of the spotlight.
Who was Trevor’s wife Helen Francis?
In 2017, Francis was left heartbroken when his beloved wife Helen died.
The couple had been together for 45 years prior to her passing.
In his autobiography, One In A Million, Francis opened up on how life without Helen had been “so difficult”.
Francis said: “It’s so hard because of the deep love I had for Helen and also because I am useless in the house. She did everything for me. I don’t mind admitting that.
“All of a sudden I am living by myself and I suppose I never contemplated this would ever happen. It is a tougher challenge than anything I ever faced in football.”
How did Trevor Francis die?
On July 24, 2023, it was announced that Francis had died at his apartment near Marbella in Spain.
He died after suffering a heart attack, his family confirmed.
A statement said: “Trevor Francis has died at the age of 69. He had a heart attack at his apartment in Spain this morning.
“On behalf of the family, 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.”
Which teams did Trevor Francis play for?
Francis began his career as a schoolboy for Plymouth before he joined Birmingham City.
In 1970, at the age of 16, the footballer made his debut and went on to net an impressive 119 goals in 280 appearances.
Francis became the first British footballer to command a £1million transfer fee when he moved from Birmingham to Forest in 1979 – and he made a lasting impression with the club thanks to his world-famous European Cup-winning goal in 1979.
The rest of Francis’ time with the club was blighted by injury but he still managed to secure a £1.2million fee to move to Man City in 1980.
Francis also made the England squad for the 1982 World Cup where he scored twice in the first group stage.
He later went on to have stints at Italian giants Sampdoria and later Atalanta before moving back to the UK to play for Rangers.
Francis later managed both QPR and Sheffield Wednesday – famously causing Eric Cantona to storm out after a trial for the Owls – before hanging up his boots for good in 1994 after a last managerial role at Crystal Palace.