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The two seasons that Francis Lee spent at the Baseball Ground proved to
be a tremendous finale to a glittering career. Dave Mackay paid
Manchester City £100,000 for the burly striker in August 1974, Francis
having already won League, FA Cup, League Cup and European Cup Winners
Cup medals as well as 27 England caps during his seven years at Maine
Road. With County required to contest the majority of their 1974/75
campaign without long term injury victim Roy McFarland, few pundits gave
them any chance of winning the Championship for the second time in four
seasons. However, just as Brian Clough's side had been in 1971/72, the
Rams again proved to be a very hard team to beat. Inspired by the
midfield trio of Bruce Rioch, Archie Gemmill and Henry Newton, they
remained in contention throughout and a nine game unbeaten run at the
end of the season saw them clinch 1st place ahead of Liverpool and
Ipswich Town.
Francis netted a dozen goals in 34 league appearances,
including both strikes in a 2-1 defeat of Sheffield United on October
15th. He also recorded markers in both legs of County's 6-2 aggregate
win against Servette in the UEFA Cup, and also scored goals in both
domestic Cup competitions. Although Francis netted a futher fourteen
goals, including a European Cup brace against Slovan Bratislava, in
1975/76, his sending off against Leeds United at the Baseball Ground on
November 1st still lingers long in the memory of many Rams supporters.
Francis clashed with Norman Hunter, and then attacked the Leeds defender
after both men had been dismissed. A four week suspension followed, but
Lee ended his career on a brighter note - his late two goal salvo
against Ipswich on the last day of the season gave County another 6-2
win and 4th place in the table. In all competitions Francis made 83
appearances (81+ 2) for the Rams and netted 30 goals, and remained a
Baseball Ground favourite long after his retirement. (Mike Cockayne)
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