Tributes for true legend of the game
FOOTIE MAVERICK DIES AT 72
GARY Lineker has led tributes to flamboyant football legend Frank Worthington, who has died aged 72.
The BBC pundit said the partyloving former Leicester striker was his “boyhood hero” and called him a “beautiful footballer, a maverick and a wonderful character”.
Elvis fanatic Frank died peacefully in hospital in West Yorkshire after a long battle with Alzheimer’s.
His daughter Kim-malou Worthington posted a Facebook video of Elvis singing My Way and captioned it: “For you dad... your song.” She wrote: “Elvis has left the building... Aka Frank Worthington beloved Dad, Pops, Brother Uncle Husband and World Class player of the Beautiful game. Loving you Forever and a day Dad ...... You will be forever in our hearts.” His widow Carol said: “Frank brought joy to so many people throughout his career and in his private life.
“He will be greatly missed by everyone who loved him so much.”
The much-travelled striker scored 260 goals during an 828game career. But his love of partying and womanising in his pomp led to him also being worshipped off the pitch. Ex-manager Ian Greaves called him the “working man’s George Best”. And Frank admitted he was “no angel”, titling his 1994 autobiography One Hump Or Two. He was once fined for hiding exotic dancers in his hotel wardrobe before a match and told how Hollywood pin-up Raquel Welch tried to kiss him in a nightclub.
Frank was capped eight times by England. But boss Sir Alf Ramsey was unimpressed when he turned up for his Three Lions debut in 1974 wearing cowboy boots, a red silk shirt and a lime velvet jacket.