Francis Lee– a personal tribute

Even now, with all the riches at Manchester City’s disposal, I’d rate Francis Lee as one of the very best players to have worn the sky blue shirt.

He played with power, pace and was fearless. He was direct and had a cheeky disposition. He earned and scored loads of penalties because opposition players and match officials feared him in equal measure. He helped the Blues win the League Title, European Cup Winners Cup, FA Cup and League Cup.

He was everything a football fan would want from a player in their team and he’ll always be remembered as part of the Lee, Bell Summerbee trio of legends, who’ll soon be honoured with statues outside the Etihad Stadium. It’s just a shame he didn’t live long enough to see them in place.

When City were at a low ebb, and Chairman Peter Swales was seen as out of his depth at the club, Lee stepped in, with the support of the fans, under the phrase, “Forward with Franny”, to take over the leadership of the club. He’d been a highly successful businessman but didn’t need to get involved. He did, because he cared.

On a visit to his Cheshire home one day, he showed me the plans for an expanded, magnificent Maine Road and he played a significant part in City accepting the offer to move into the stadium being built for the Commonwealth Games, which became the Etihad Stadium. He made mistakes, like the appointment of Alan Ball as manager and he oversaw the short-lived stay of Steve Coppell.

There was a bitter fallout with Colin Bell, who left the club during Lee’s tenure as Chairman, so everything wasn’t perfect, but I believe he did everything from the heart and for what he believed were the right reasons.

I interviewed him many times, I watched him play, I was at the shareholders meetings as he challenged Swales and I was sent to door-step him, outside his home, when the fans wanted him to step down as Chairman. I feel like I saw Francis Lee at his best but also during some of his lowest moments. Just recently, I saw him at the Etihad Stadium. He wasn’t a well man so I simply wished him well but showed him as much respect as I could. He was man who loved life which he lived with a glass of red wine in one hand and a cigar in the other, during those years before his health declined.

I’m proud he played for my club and gave everything he had as a player, businessman and chairman. He wasn’t perfect, none of us are, but I’ll always be grateful for him living life with such zest and to the full. I even enjoyed the moments he disagreed with me, but Francis Lee is the truest of City legends. Thank you Francis, I’ll miss you.