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Statue of Birmingham City legend Francis unveiled

Statue of Birmingham City legend Francis unveiled

Yahoo3 days ago
A bronze statue of former Birmingham City and England forward Trevor Francis has been unveiled at the club's St Andrews stadium to honour his legacy.
The former striker died of a heart attack at the age of 69 in 2023 and the statue was unveiled on Saturday ahead of the Trevor Francis Memorial pre-season friendly against Nottingham Forest, another of his former clubs.
A friend of the footballer and lifelong Blues supporter, Brummie comedian Jasper Carrott, was at the unveiling.
He said it was "a very emotional day".
Carrott said Francis had been "more than just a footballer", adding he was a fantastic human being and it had been a "privilege" to know him.
Several former teammates who played alongside Francis were also there as club chief executive Jeremy Dale unveiled the statue, created by sculptor Douglas Jennings.
"He wasn't just a footballer, he was our footballer," Dale said.
"Trevor, speaking personally , was my boyhood hero. He was the kind of player who made you fall in love with the beautiful game."
Speaking of Francis in his time as manager of the Blues, he said he gave people "pride, passion and a belief that this club could rise".
Francis made his debut for Birmingham as a 16-year-old and became British football's first £1m player when he left the Blues to join Forest in 1979.
A few weeks later, he scored the winning goal as Forest won the first of their two successive European Cups.
Garry Birtles, who played alongside Francis at Nottingham Forest, described him as "one of the most unassuming people you could ever meet" and "a joy to be with".
Jasper Carrott hosted a sell-out memorial concert in to honour Francis as "a proper send-off" for his friend at the Symphony Hall in Birmingham earlier this year.
Money raised went to the Trevor Francis Foundation, part of the Birmingham City Foundation, to fund two football tournaments for local children.
Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
More on this story
'A proper pre-season game in honour of Trevor's memory' - Clark
'He was so humble and a lovely person' - Birtles on Francis
Forest to face Birmingham in Trevor Francis memorial friendly
Trevor Francis concert to be 'proper send-off'
Related internet links
Birmingham City Football Club
Nottingham Forest Football Club
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