Francis LEE

When Francis Lee joined City from Bolton Wanderers in October 1967, he was described by Joe Mercer as 'the final piece in the jigsaw'. Seven months later, Mercer's statement rang true as a rebuilt and revitalised City were crowned Champions of the First Division for the first time since 1937. Following a 2-0 win over Wolves on his debut, City went on a run of eleven unbeaten League games, pushing them into a fierce tussle at the top of the Division with the Uniteds of Leeds and Manchester, and the Reds of Liverpool. In 31 League games to the end of that memorable 1967/68 campaign, Lee found the net 16 times with only leading scorer Neil Young getting the better of him. After netting his first goal in a 4-2 win at Fulham seven days after his debut, his most important strike came in the last game of the season at Newcastle.

City's 4-3 win on May 11th (with Lee scoring the Blues' fourth and decisive goal) clinched the title by two points from neighbours United. From his very first appearance, Lee became a huge favourite with the fans at Maine Road. They loved his direct style of play, his fierce competitive spirit and perhaps most of all, his ability to shoot at goal from any angle and from any distance. He began the 1968/69 season the way he'd left off the previous one. His two goals in a 6-1 Charity Shield romp against West Bromwich Albion began a season that saw him top City's scoring charts with 18 goals in all competitions. By the end of that campaign he'd been chosen for England for the first time (a 1-1 draw with Bulgaria at Wembley in November - the first of 27 caps) and had collected another winners' medal. This time he was an FA Cup winner thanks to Neil Young's solitary strike against Leicester. City continued to be one of the country's best sides going into the 1969/70 season.

Once again Lee was a crucial part of a terrific team that powered its way to the finals of both the League and European Cup Winners' Cups. On a terrible Wembley surface against West Bromwich Albion in March in the League Cup (see photo above), many said Lee had his best game ever in a City shirt, helping the Blues to a 2-1 extra-time victory. The following month in a rain-soaked Prater Stadium in Vienna, the Polish Cup holders Gornik Zabrze were beaten 2-1 with Lee's penalty proving the crucial difference. These were indeed halcyon days at Maine Road thanks in no small part to the efforts of Francis Lee who was named as the club's Player of the Year for that 1969/70 season, the first time ever an English side had won a domestic and European trophy in the same season. (Ian Penney - author of The Legends of Manchester City).

City surrendered their League Cup at the first time of asking despite Lee's goal at a wet and windy Second Division Carlisle. The 1970/71 season proved a dreadful one for the Blues on the injury front. Many of the senior players missed huge chunks of the campaign with Lee proving the exception, playing in 52 of City's 55 first team games. Once again he was leading scorer (with 20), the highlight of the season being a hat-trick in a 4-1 win at Old Trafford shortly before Christmas. In the European Cup Winners' Cup, a combination of the aforementioned injuries and Chelsea halted the Blues' progress at the semi-final stage. Franny scored four of City's ten goals in the nine European games played. For the start of the following season, Lee had a new partner playing alongside him up front in the shape of his former Bolton team-mate Wyn Davies. By the time Tottenham were beaten 4-0 on August 28th (in just the fifth League game), the partnership was by now in full swing. Lee had already found the net six times and City were amongst the early pacesetters at the top of the Division.

This was a remarkable ratio and one he'd almost maintain throughout what would eventually be the most prolific of his seven seasons at Maine Road. In a 2-1 defeat at Wolves four days before the Tottenham victory, he scored his third penalty of what would be a record-breaking total (13 in the League) and captained City for the first time. By the time of the return clash with Wolves at Maine Road in January, Lee had taken his total so far to 23 for the season. At the end of that particular game his personal tally had risen to 26 and his inspired hat-trick meant City led the First Division by two points from both Leeds United and Derby County. Regrettably it was a position they failed to hang on to, eventually finishing in fourth place just a solitary point behind Champions Derby County. No one other person could have done more for the Blues' cause that campaign than Lee, by now an experienced England international and the holder of 27 caps. His 35 goals was City's best haul since 1963/64 when Derek Kevan led the way with one more in all competitions. No other City player would score 30 times until Shaun Goater managed it in 2001/2002. (Ian Penney - author of The Legends of Manchester City)

When Malcolm Allison left City during the 1972/73 season it heralded the end of the glory years at Maine Road. After coming so close last time out, City finished in a disappointing 11th place and Lee lost his top scoring position to new signing Rodney Marsh. He'd started the season personally well, perhaps not too surprisingly once again scoring from the penalty spot. This time Aston Villa were the recipients in the Charity Shield clash at Villa Park, a game City won 1-0 dressed in their brand-new 'Miss World' kit. Franny scored 17 goals in all competitions, including league doubles against Norwich (h), Everton (a), Tottenham (a) and Crystal Palace (h) on the last day of the season. The 1973/74 season turned out somewhat surprisingly to be Lee's last as a player with Manchester City although it was by no means the end of his connections with the club. With 18 goals he returned again to the top of the club's scoring charts and played at Wembley in a memorable forward-line alongside Summerbee, Bell, Law and Marsh, even though it proved to be a losing one against Wolves in the League Cup Final. On the way to Wembley he scored a hat-trick in a 4-0 defeat of Walsall and then accompanied Colin Bell on the scoresheet as Plymouth were beaten 2-0 in the second-leg of the semi-final.

These were the days of the miners' strike and 40, 000 City fans roared their heroes to Wembley over the sounds of a constantly buzzing (and hastily installed) generator that powered the Maine Road floodlights. In August 1974 Lee was sold to Brian Clough's Derby County for the startlingly low fee of just £100, 000. Not only were the fans shocked and disappointed by the club's decision but so to was the player himself who promised them they hadn't seen the last of him. True to his word, Lee returned in the white shirt of his new employers some four months later and celebrated by crashing an unstoppable 30-yarder past a diving Joe Corrigan in the City goal. At the end of the season he'd picked up another Championship medal. He retired from playing at the end of the 1975/76 season after taking part in exactly 500 League games. Away from football he concentrated on his business interests as well as his love of horse racing. In 1994, after an overwhelming show of support from City supporters, he returned again to Maine Road, this time as Chairman following the resignation of Peter Swales. With 148 goals in total, only five players have scored more times for the Blues. Francis Lee really was a great player and a true Legend of Manchester City. (Ian Penney - author of The Legends of Manchester City)