Trevor Francis, the first British player to be signed for £1m, has died aged 69 from a heart attack, a family spokesman said on Monday.
Francis was signed in February 1979 by Nottingham Forest from Birmingham City in a £1.15m transfer, something hitherto unheard of between English teams.
Three months later, he scored the goal in Forest’s 1–0 victory over Sweden’s Mälmo in the Champions League final.
The Nottingham side would win their second Champions League the following season, as well as the 1979 European Super Cup, before Francis moved to Manchester United in 1981, again for a fee in excess of £1m.
Nottingham Forest is deeply saddened to learn from the passing of two-time European Cup winner, Trevor Francis.
A true Forest legend who will never be forgotten. pic.twitter.com/TRHnjr2Mmr
— Nottingham Forest (@NFFC) July 24, 2023
“Nottingham Forest are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of two-time European champions Trevor Francis,” the club tweeted. “A true Forest legend who will never be forgotten.”
Francis then moved to Italy (Sampdoria and Atalanta), Scotland (Glasgow Rangers) and again to England at Queens Parks Rangers as a player and coach.
He was signed by Sheffield Wednesday as a player in 1990 and also took charge of the team, which he led to the 1993 League Cup and FA Cup Finals, both of which were lost to Arsenal.
He hung up his boots permanently in 1994 and, as a coach, he reached the League Cup final again, in 2001, with Birmingham, where Liverpool won the title.
For the England national team, Trevor Francis played 52 games and scored 12 goals.
Source: Gazetaesportiva
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