Gerry Francis is pictured during Queen Park Ranger's 2-2 draw
with Wolverhampton Wanderers.
|
| Q.P.R.: |
1968-1969 |
Played |
3 |
Scored |
0 |
goals |
(Division 1) |
| |
1969-1970 |
Played |
10 |
Scored |
2 |
goals |
(Division 2) |
| |
1970-1971 |
Played |
36 |
Scored |
5 |
goals |
(Division 2) |
| |
1971-1972 |
Played |
38 |
Scored |
3 |
goals |
(Division 2) |
| |
1972-1973 |
Played |
42 |
Scored |
9 |
goals |
(Division 2) |
| |
1973-1974 |
Played |
40 |
Scored |
8 |
goals |
(Division 1) |
| |
1974-1975 |
Played |
35 |
Scored |
7 |
goals |
(Division 1) |
| |
1975-1976 |
Played |
36 |
Scored |
12 |
goals |
(Division 1) |
| |
1976-1977 |
Played |
11 |
Scored |
3 |
goals |
(Division 1) |
| |
1977-1978 |
Played |
13 |
Scored |
2 |
goals |
(Division 1) |
| |
1978-1979 |
Played |
31 |
Scored |
2 |
goals |
(Division 1) |
| |
| Transferred to Crystal Palace in July 1979 |
| |
|
A superb, marauding midfielder with lots of energy and a powerful shot,
it was anticipated that Gerry Francis would have a glittering England
career ahead of him when brand new coach Don Revie gave the main schemer
in an upwardly-mobile QPR side his debut at the very beginning of
England's quest to reach the 1976 European Championships. Czechoslovakia
were duly thumped 3-0 and Revie's first selection had paid off
handsomely. Francis duly retained his place for England's next game - a
disappointing 0-0 draw in a friendly against Portugal
- before the first of numerous injuries then contrived to keep him away
from the national side for six months, before returning for the 1975
Home Internationals.
He played in the 2-2 draw with Wales; then three
days later scored twice in the famous 5-1 cuffing of Scotland. One of
the goals remains especially well-remembered, as Gerry took a loose ball
towards goal from 30 yards and hammered a swerving shot beyond the
statuesque Stewart Kennedy to put England in firm control. His stint
with England then got more eventful as Revie gave him the captaincy
after just four appearancess, having decided in a rather covert manner
to ditch Alan Ball as both skipper and player (Ball found out from a
journalist) but Francis, who was clearly blameless in the matter, was
not successful in the role thanks to his appalling injury record.
He
wore the armband eight times over the next 12 months (scoring his other
England goal in the Home International cakewalk against Northern
Ireland) but missed two matches through lack of fitness and Revie found
it difficult to make plans for him without knowing his return date. His
12th appearance - the opening qualifier for the 1978 World Cup which
England won 4-1 in Finland - proved to be his last. Francis lost the
captaincy to Kevin Keegan and played barely 25 times for QPR over the
next two seasons, and when he finally got some fitness back at the end
of the decade, Revie had gone and England had moved on. (Matthew Rudd)
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