Trevor Francis, Britain’s first £1 million footballer and a distinguished character in soccer, has handed away on the age of 69 after experiencing a coronary heart assault in Spain in line with a household spokesman introduced on Monday.
An announcement shared on behalf of his household with ITV mentioned: “Trevor Francis has died on the age of 69. He had a coronary heart assault at his condominium in Spain this morning.”
The assertion continued: “On behalf of the household, this has come as an enormous shock to everyone. We’re all very upset. He was a legendary footballer however he was additionally a particularly good particular person.”
Francis made his debut for Birmingham in 1970 on the age of 16.
He was a ahead who joined Nottingham Forest from Birmingham within the report transfer in 1979, scoring the profitable aim within the European Cup last simply months after he joined the membership.
He went on to win 52 caps for England, scoring 12 targets, and later as a supervisor guided Sheffield Wednesday and Birmingham to main home finals, in line with AFP.
Forest shattered the British switch report once they paid £1.15 million for him in 1979, though supervisor Brian Clough famously claimed the price was £999,999 to take strain off the participant.
He headed the winner within the 1-0 victory over Malmo to win the European Cup only a few months later.
Nevertheless, Francis missed the European Cup win over Hamburg a 12 months later resulting from an damage and joined Manchester Metropolis in 1981.
Spells at Sampdoria, the place he received the Coppa Italia, Atalanta, Rangers, and QPR, the place he was player-manager, adopted.
Later, he moved to Sheffield Wednesday in 1990 earlier than he changed Ron Atkinson as supervisor, taking them to the finals of the FA Cup and League Cup in 1993, shedding each instances to Arsenal.
He subsequently managed at Birmingham and Crystal Palace.
Francis spent half a 12 months in Spain and the remaining close to Birmingham. Though he suffered a coronary heart assault 11 years in the past, he stored himself match with every day energy walks.
He had an annual well being test via the League Managers’ Affiliation and, in line with his spokesman, was “having fun with life very a lot” having ultimately gotten over the demise of his spouse Helen who died in 2017 after a battle with most cancers.
Francis’ former Forest team-mate Peter Shilton was among the many first to pay tribute.
The previous England goalkeeper tweeted: “I am completely devastated to listen to about my previous teammate Trevor Francis such an exquisite gentleman a pal and a horrible loss.”
In the meantime, a tweet from Birmingham Metropolis learn: “Trevor will eternally be revered as a large of the membership, the participant everybody needed to see.”
Moreover, Gary Lineker was amongst these sharing their tributes to the legendary striker, with the Match of the Day host tweeting: “Deeply saddened to listen to that Trevor Francis has died. A beautiful footballer and beautiful man. Was a pleasure to work alongside him each on the pitch and on the telly. RIP Trevor.”
Viv Anderson, the primary ever black participant to play for England, posted on Instagram to say: “Simply heard the unbelievable information concerning Trevor Francis, he was such an exquisite particular person and fabulous teammate he shall be sadly missed, my condolences go to his household and pals RIP.”
The official England Twitter account additionally added its personal tribute to Francis’s legacy. They wrote: ‘We’re deeply saddened by the information that Trevor Francis has handed away aged 69.”
Sheffield Wednesday which marked the tip of his profession as a soccer participant earlier than he turned his hand to managerial work, mentioned: “We’re deeply saddened by the passing of Trevor Francis. Our ideas are with Trevor’s household and pals at this extremely troublesome time.”