FORMER England striker Trevor Francis has died aged 69.
Here we look at the career of the iconic striker who became English football’s first player to be sold for £1million in the 70s.
GettyTrevor at the FIFA World Cup in 1982[/caption]
When did Trevor Francis play for Birmingham City?
Trevor started off playing schoolboy football in Plymouth before joining Birmingham City.
He made his debut in 1970, at the age of only 16.
During his time with the club, he scored 119 goals in 280 eye-catching appearances.
How much was Trevor Francis’ transfer to Nottingham Forest?
Francis became the first British footballer to command a £1million transfer fee when he moved from Birmingham to Forest in 1979.
Manager Brian Clough claimed the price tag was £999,999 to make sure the pressure didn’t go to Francis’ head.
it was at Forest that Trevor scored the winning goal in the 1979 European Cup final.
During his time with the club, he scored 28 goals in 70 appearances.
Reflecting on being the first one million pound player in an interview back in 2019, Francis said: “I never realised at the time the significance of it,” he says.
“I smashed, literally smashed, the transfer record. Doubled it. It was just a magical figure – a million pounds. Paris Saint-Germain spent nearly £200m on Neymar, but I don’t think it has the same magical appeal that £1m did. Do I feel proud of being the first £1m player? Absolutely.”
Which other teams did Trevor Francis play for?
After his spell with Forest, Francis was eventually sold to Manchester City in 1981.
He also played for Sampdoria, Atalanta, Rangers, Queens Park Rangers and Sheffield Wednesday before retiring in 1994.
Francis won 52 caps for England scoring 12 goals between 1977 and 1986.
He also featured at the 1982 World Cup in Spain.
How did Trevor Francis die?
On July 24, 2023, it was reported that Trevor passed away at his home in Marbella.
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.”