[Football] Francis Lee - RIP

[Perfidious Albion]

One of the great players at the time that I was getting into football… RIP Franny.

 

[golddene]

Always remember that commentary ‘Look at his face, just look at his face’ immortal ! Such a shame and still relatively young.

 

[BLOCK F]

A great player and character.
A team mate of our own Brian Bromley at Bolton back in the ‘60’s
RIP Franny.

 

[Arthur]

I seem to remember that he made his money after football through a toilet roll business

The Shirehorses classic Ballad of Francis Lee has the immortal line

It’s a profitable caper wholesaling bog paper but it’s landed me deep in the shit.

RIP Little Franny Lee

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

Great player - RIP

 

[mikeyjh]

His windmilling attack on Hunter and the "Interesting, very interesting" clip are 2 of my favourite Rams clips from just before my time, bit of a ledge in Derby despite only playin for a couple of seasons. Dived before diving was trendy.....

 

[Colonel Mustard]

I was at university in Manchester in the late seventies, and had a part-time job at a petrol station not far from Maine Rd. Franny Lee would often call in on a Saturday lunchtime on his way to the match. I won’t pretend we became buddies but he did at least gradually change from a grunt when I’d ask him a vacuous question like "On the way to the match?" Or a distant "Aye" in response to my "It’ll be a tough one today!” to phrases like "Aright lad? when he was paying for his petrol.

Then one day, out of the blue, he asked me, "Don’t you ever get Saturday afternoon off?" Yes, I said, if I want it. "Here you are then," he said and pulled a couple of tickets from his wallet for City vs Liverpool a couple of weeks later. Liverpool won 4-0, I think, but the Kippax was such an amazing experience that I would go to Maine Rd now and then after that. I never became a City fan exactly but I fell in love with the whole experience of going to a match. So in a funny way, I owe my love of the game to Franny Lee. RIP.

 

[HalfaSeatOn]

Show the average City fan a photo of any of them and they'll be scratching their heads

Granted that I only know City fans aged mid 30’s upwards but they certainly know their history. Not sure about their younger generation of fans.

 

[Brovion]

Another legend of my youth goes

Back in the days when the top division was solely composed of British and Irish players there was a joke that Man City had a Chinese striker, because when the Sunday papers used to list the results and scorers under Man City It would say 'Lee One Pen'.

(It was the 70s and I'm just reporting it. Not saying it's funny).

 

[Colonel Mustard]

Another legend of my youth goes

Back in the days when the top division was solely composed of British and Irish players there was a joke that Man City had a Chinese striker, because when the Sunday papers used to list the results and scorers under Man City It would say 'Lee One Pen'.

(It was the 70s and I'm just reporting it. Not saying it's funny).

Oh for heaven’s sake, it’s still funny - no need to apologise!

 

[fly high]

Soccer legend has sadly died.

Reminds me of Keegan and Leed's short ginger thug and their punch up at Wembley.

Francis Lee didn't look like a sportsman but what a bustling and skillful player he was. 79 seems too young nowadays.

 

[fly high]

He was a great player for both Man C and England, highly entertaining to watch. RIP Franny

Let's not forget the little club Derby who he helped to the title, a legend for them too.

 

[Sussexscots]

Very nearly signed for Wolves at one point. The clubs had agreed a fee but the Wolves chairman, supposedly incensed by a dirty tackle from Lee, cancelled the transfer.

 

[Colonel Mustard]

Reminds me of Keegan and Leed's short ginger thug and their punch up at Wembley.

Francis Lee didn't look like a sportsman but what a bustling and skillful player he was. 79 seems too young nowadays.

Yeah, a real handful to play against, and had a tremendous shot on him. Along with his antics and long term loyalty to City you can see why he’s a City legend.