TREVOR FRANCIS
THE FORMER NOTTINGHAM FOREST AND ENGLAND STRIKER TALKS TO JOHN LYONS ABOUT HIS INCREDIBLE CAREER...
The million pound man
WHEN Trevor Francis became the first played to be transferred for £1m in English football, he didn’t realise the impact it would have – and still have 40 years later.
It might only be enough to buy Lionel Messi’s little toe now, but back then there was shock, excitement, awe and amazement that a club would be willing to fork out such an outrageous amount for a single player.
Francis was the chosen one, purchased by the legendary Brian Clough to take Nottingham Forest to the next level after their surprise First Division title success in 1978.
The Birmingham prodigy, who had made his debut at the age of 16, had gone on to become an England international and, at 24, was ready to take another leap forward.
And just a few months after joining in February 1979, he repaid a chunk of that monster fee by memorably heading home the winner in the European Cup final against Malmo in Munich.
Yet even that is eclipsed by all the talk of that £1m move.
“I never thought about becoming the first £1m player and I never realised just how important that price tag would be – and still is. I get invites to lots of functions and I’m introduced as the first million pound man.
“I played 52 times for England, won two European Cups, played until I was 39 – 23 years in total – but it never gets a mention,” he chuckles.
“It’s as though the only thing I ever did was sign for £1m. It really was something special.
“The current record transfer fees, high as they are, don’t seem to have the same sexy appeal as £1m!”
Francis admitted that scoring the only goal against Malmo was just what he needed to win over the doubters after his big-money move.
“It had put me under enormous pressure, but that lifted a weight off my shoulders,” he said. “I was there when the team won the quarter-final and semi-final, but I could only play if we got through to the final for some strange ruling.
“I made my debut in Europe, instead of Martin O’Neill, and scored the only goal in the final!
“I was instructed that when (left winger) John Robertson had possession, I had to be in at that back post as nine times out of ten John would drop his shoulder, get past his marker and deliver.
“When the ball was played, I had to make up a lot of ground and I made a good connection with my head. It wasn’t the greatest goal I ever scored, but it was the most important.”
It was part of what ended up being two-and-a-half years of highs and lows under Clough and his assistant Peter Taylor. At times, he had to play on the wing instead of up front and injuries disrupted his rhythm before a £1.2m move to Manchester City in September 1981.
Nonetheless, Francis is fulsome in his praise of Clough.
“When I get a taxi, the driver always asks me ‘what was he like to play for?’. It was an honour to play for him.
“The word legend is used far too often today, but he was a true legend bordering on genius.
“He was so good at what he did. He never got involved too much in the coaching or technical side. He liked to play 4-4-2 and everyone knew exactly what their roles were.
“We worked hard on and off the ball – because we had to. He drilled it into us to work from the front. Along with Peter Taylor, he brought in some very good players, but we all had to contribute to what the team needed.
“You couldn’t get away with anything in 90 minutes. You didn’t want to get on the end of his tongue, it wasn’t pleasant getting a rollicking from him, but he got huge respect from the players. No one can take away from him the success he had at a club like Nottingham Forest – it will never happen again.”
But would Clough be a success if he was starting out today? After all, it now seems to be an era when the multi-millionaire top players rule – and the manag
er is often in their shadows. Francis doesn’t have any doubts.
“I said before and I maintain now that Brian Clough would have adapted,” he explained. “He wouldn’t have conformed to everything, he would still have done it his way.
“He was the type of person that knew how to manage and could manage anything – it didn’t have to be football. He had that ability to be a leader of men, he had an aura, charisma.
“Very few people turned heads like him. If there was a room with 50 people and he walked in, 50 heads would turn. When he was around, you were aware of his presence. Very few people have that type of respect – he did.”
The pacy Francis packed plenty into his own career. In England, he featured for Birmingham, Forest, Man City, QPR and Sheffield Wednesday. He also played in Italy (Sampdoria and Atalanta), Scotland (Rangers) and the USA (Detroit Express).
He, too, believes he would have made a decent fist of it if he was playing today.
“As a player, I would have greatly benefited from the modern-day game,” he said. “For one thing, the playing surfaces don’t compare – they are immaculate now.
“The challenge from behind has been outlawed and, for someone who suffered from injuries, the scientific approach would have greatly helped me. Nowadays there is more emphasis on recovery and giving players rest – we never had that.”
Late Tackle caught up with Francis as he was spreading the word about his autobiography, appropriately titled ‘One in a Million’. He’s written it in conjunction with Birmingham fan Keith Dixon, who is a regular contributor to this magazine.
For those of us who remember him in his playing pomp, it’s hard to believe that Francis has just turned 65. The former QPR, Sheffield Wednesday, Birmingham and Crystal Palace manager believes it’s the perfect time to tell the story of his remarkable career.
“Fourteen months ago, Keith suggested doing a book – and he got me at the right time,” said Francis. “I have been in this position before, I’ve sat down with tape recorders and talked for a few hours, but then knocked it on the head.
“Over the last couple of years, I’ve had a bit more time on my hands and I decided I would give it my best shot. I’m pleased with the outcome.
“Apart from the players I’ve played with, I played under the likes of Sir Alf Ramsey, Don Revie, Ron Greenwood, Bobby Robson, Brian Clough, Ron Atkinson, Jim Smith, John Bond, Graeme Souness - these are some of the most iconic managers in English football.
“I have quite a bit to say and if people aren’t so interested in Trevor Francis, there’s enough other stuff to be interested in!
“We did numerous sessions, over 20 in total, for the book and I was quite particular in how I wanted it to be. I’d like to think that a lot of honesty comes through.”
And Francis also gives an honest verdict on how some of his old clubs are faring. While Manchester City shine, he’s sad to see Birmingham, Nottingham Forest, QPR and Sheffield Wednesday all playing their football in the second tier.
“This time next year, I don’t think I would expect to see any of those teams in the top three or four in the Championsip,” he added. “I was at Hillsborough when Sheffield Wednesday played Nottingham Forest, two of my pals are managing there, Steve Bruce and Martin O’Neill. It was okay, but they have got a big job on their hands.
“It’s no different to Birmingham and QPR. Of those four teams, none of them have suggested to me they would be in the play-offs this season. For all those respective managers, there’s a great deal of work to be done to get those clubs back to where they have been. However, I would love to be proved wrong!”
‘One in a Million – Trevor Francis, The autobiography with Keith Dixon’, published by Pitch Publishing, is out now, price: £19.99 – see p46.