The series of features/articles covering Manchester City in the 1970s continues with a 4,700 word article on the entire 1971-72 season – a hugely significant season though one that’s often neglected. You can read this below. This series of articles and features on Manchester City in the 1970s will run throughout January with indepth articles some days and smaller ‘on this day’ style posts on others. There will be flashbacks to great games, players and more. Every day in January will offer something to enjoy.
Subscribers will get access to everything. If you want to know more on this incredible decade for Manchester City Football Club then why not subscribe and read it all? You could even subscribe for a month and see what you think. The following 4,700 word article is on the 1971-72 season and is available to subscribers below. Enjoy!
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The series of features/articles covering Manchester City in the 1970s continues with a 5,200 word article on the entire 1970-71 season. You can read this below. This series of articles and features on Manchester City in the 1970s will run throughout January with indepth articles some days and smaller ‘on this day’ style posts on others. There will be flashbacks to great games, players and more. Every day in January will offer something to enjoy.
Subscribers will get access to everything. If you want to know more on this incredible decade for Manchester City Football Club then why not subscribe and read it all? You could even subscribe for a month and see what you think. The following 5,200 word article is on the 1970-71 season and is available to subscribers below. Enjoy!
Subscribe to get access – Monthly
Read more of this content when you subscribe today. It costs £3 per month (cancel anytime) to access everything posted since 1 October 2022 or there’s a special annual rate below which gives greater access and works out much cheaper.
Read more of this content when you subscribe today. It costs £3 per month (above) or £20 a year (here) to access everything posted since the site was created in December 2020. This special rate works out about £1.67 a week and gives access to everything posted, including PDFs of 3 of my books.
If you enjoy all the free material on my website and would like to support my research and keep this website going (but don’t want to subscribe) then why not make a one-time donation (or buy me a coffee). All support for my research is valued and welcome. It allows me to keep some free material available for all. Thanks.
Following the unveiling of the Bell, Lee and Summerbee statue earlier this week I’ve decided to re-publish here interviews I did with each player at some point over the last decade or so. These interviews are written in a question and answer style and I hope they help give a flavour of each man. For older fans it’s a chance to remember them in their pomp. Today it’s the turn of Mike Summerbee. I’ve never posted this before on here – It’s an interview I did with him City in April 2005. This was published in the City match programme back then and you can read Mike’s views on his career here as published at the time. Enjoy!
Mike Summerbee was the second player, after Ralph Brand to join Joe Mercer’s City in 1965. Over the following decade he became a major star and played a significant role throughout the Mercer-Allison glory years. Always the entertainer, Mike featured in the classic footballing wartime adventure film “Escape To Victory” and today assists the Club’s commercial activities. Last week author Gary James caught up with him at the Manchester City Experience.
Let’s start with “Escape To Victory”. How did you get involved in the filming of that movie?
It was Bobby Moore who got me involved. We’d known each other since I was 16, and we both had a similar outlook. The makers of the film had got several Ipswich Town players involved, plus Pele and of course Bobby. They needed another familiar British player and Bobby suggested me. He called me and said: “How do you fancy being in a movie with Michael Caine?” And that was it. Within three weeks I was on my way to Budapest for filming. I had no idea at the time that this would become one of those films still being shown and talked about twenty odd years later, but it has become a cult movie with websites dedicated to it. It’s the sort of film that many other people would have wanted to be in. I know for a fact that Rod Stewart wanted to be in it.
Why do you think the film is remembered so affectionately?
I don’t want to give too much away – everyone should come to our special showing and see the movie and hear my reasons then – but the film is like a Boys’ Own adventure. It’s got drama, excitement, and is a traditional film. It doesn’t rely on bad language, sex, or extreme violence, and it really does appeal to everyone. Don’t forget it also contains some great actors – everyone remembers Stallone and Caine but look at the other cast members as well – and then there are some very well known footballers including Pele.
I loved making the film and one of the great aspects for me was that when we came to the football scenes we were told to go out and play the game. John Huston – a great director – wanted it to look as realistic as possible and so we played a real game. Inevitably we had spells concentrating on tackling or shooting but much of the game came from real play. Pele’s wonderful overhead kick goal was natural and was done only once. We didn’t take ages setting up, re-shooting etc. It was done for real and only in one take. John Huston had cameras everywhere and tried to make sure everything that took place on the pitch was filmed from every angle. That makes it so much more real.
You have a speaking part in the film, did you know about that before you accepted?
We were told to let the actors act and they were told to let the footballers play. That way we all did what we were good at. Then when it came to the dressing room scenes Michael Caine said to Huston that it didn’t feel right for only the actors to talk and he said that a couple of us should speak. When it came to half time, I congratulated a couple of players on their play – that was natural not planned – and that stayed in, and then other lines were given to us. It felt strange, but when you watch the film it makes much more sense to have us speaking. I loved making the film and there are so many different aspects to talk about, but we’ll save that for the 5th May event.
Moving back to your playing career, we all know that you came from a footballing family, but did that mean it was something you had to do?
My dad played professionally and so from an early age it seemed natural to play. All boys loved playing back then anyway, so there was nothing strange about that, but I suppose when you are young whatever your father does has a greater importance. My brother was a better player than I, although he stopped playing when my Dad died, and we used to play whenever and wherever we could. I’d get to school as early as possible – not for the lessons, I was a dunce! – but for the kickabout. We’d have a tennis ball and play until we had to go in. I also played cricket, athletics and other sports, but football was my best.
Your progression into professional football seems rapid – you were a key feature of the Swindon team in your teens – were there any setbacks?
I’d had a spell at Bristol City when I was 15, but I was so homesick I had to give up on it. My mother worried about me and suggested I kept out of the game. She knew about the problems and difficulties a footballer could have because of my father’s career, and then the opportunity came with Swindon and everything started going right for me. I joined them at a time when they were ready to give youth a chance and I made my debut at 17.
Was life relatively easy for you then?
The life of a footballer was not as glamorous or financially rewarding as it is today. I loved playing and I loved the camaraderie of it all, but we all had to have other jobs to keep us going outside of the season. I used to end up working for the Corporation cutting grass, painting, oddjobs, and digging graves! It kept you in touch with the fans – both the living and the dead! – and I actually loved all of that time. We didn’t have flash cars or anything then. In fact Ernie Hunt and I had a tandem, and we used to cycle together on our tandem to the ground. It was a great, fun time, and I have very fond memories of it all.
One of the significant angles is that Joe Mercer was interested in signing you from fairly early in your career, were you aware of his interest?
To some extent yes. Joe had played with my father at Aldershot, and then Swindon played Joe’s Aston Villa in a testimonial game. We won and I scored a couple, and Joe even played wing-half for Villa. After that I was told he wanted to sign me for Villa and that he’d made a bid but nothing further happened. I don’t know if it was problems at Villa or what but some time after that Joe moved on, and then in 1965 he got the City job. I was in Torquay and I gave him a call – I thought it was time to make the move and chance my arm a little. Joe said he’d be in touch. Then serious interest came from City and I was off.
Did City mean much to you as a boy?
Because of where I lived I’d travel to Birmingham to watch games and whenever City played Villa I used to enjoy seeing Bobby Johnstone, Ken Barnes, Bert Trautmann and the rest. They were such a great and in many ways glamorous side to watch, and the pale blue shirt – a colour I still don’t believe we’ve managed to recreate properly – was so memorable. No other side could match that colour and City were unique. All of those great memories were in my head and I was desperate to play for City when Joe came here. Although they were in Division Two when I arrived they were a major, major side with a great stadium. I loved Swindon, but City were something else.
Everyone talks about the atmosphere around the place, how did you find it?
Joe lifted the spirits of everybody, that was clear, and Malcolm Allison was so ahead of his time and knew all about psychology. He knew what players needed, and he always knew the best way of getting more out of me was by winding me up. I think I was a consistent player, and at half time in one game we’d had a bit of a bad spell. I’d played well, but one or two players had struggled and we all knew it, but in the dressing room Mal went up to the two players and told them they were doing well and that they just had to keep plugging away. He was boosting their confidence I guess and they certainly were more confident in the second half. When he came to me he said I was playing the worst game ever and that I was letting everybody down! It wound me up so much I had a go back at him, and then when we got on the pitch I pushed and fought for everything to prove how wrong he was and I gave 120% – his trick had worked!
During your first year at City (1965-66) England manager Alf Ramsey came to watch you play, and eventually you became the first City man since Don Revie in 1956 to play for England. Were you aware of the attention?
When Ramsey came to watch me the attention was good and, considering Alf concentrated on his ‘wingless wonders’, it was great for me a winger to be considered. I’d been included in the squad from almost immediately after the World Cup win, then I made my England debut against Scotland at Hampden (February 1968) in front of about 150,000, alongside the likes of Moore & Charlton. I was very nervous but they helped to calm me and at half time both Bobbys told me I was doing well, so that helped. In the end every one of my England appearances came at centre-forward, so I guess the style of play limited my opportunities, but I loved playing for England.
What was Alf Ramsey like as a manager?
He was definitely a ‘player’s manager’. He handled us well, and I believe that he was, in the end, treated appallingly be the FA. He treated us exceptionally well and he was a great man to play for – I don’t believe that England have ever managed to find a permanent manager who can match him. He had the same sort of authority as Joe Mercer, but they were different characters. Joe was wonderful with the media and the public, while Alf was primarily a players’ man. There was one time, we’d lost 2-0 at Katowice (1973) and I’d been on the bench. We were pretty down. Alf knew how low we were but because we were playing in Moscow a couple of days later he told everybody to get to bed early, no drinking or anything.
We all sneaked into Bobby Moore’s room and had a few gins. Sir Alf caught us and we thought he was going to have a go. He said: “I thought I’d told you not to drink! But in the circumstances I’ll have a large gin and tonic please.”
Throughout the Sixties and Seventies, City never seemed to fear any opposition, is that something that came from the players?
Obviously, Joe and Malcolm bred a certain atmosphere which boosted confidence. Whenever we played United we’d get to Trafford at 12.30 simply to soak up the atmosphere and to be ready. Mal would swagger to the Stretford End before the game to tell them how many we’d win by, and we’d go out there and match his score, although we used to encourage him to keep the expectation down a little! For us it didn’t matter whether we played Shankly’s Liverpool, Busby’s United, or any other team because we knew we were more than a match for any of them. Some of these teams possessed better individual players but, particularly at Old Trafford, we were always the better side. We had a great team spirit. People always talk about Lee, Bell and Summerbee like Charlton, Law and Best, but our side wasn’t about three players, it was about the whole team. Oakes, Pardoe, Young…. You know all the players. Unfortunately the 3 player line is a good one for the media to focus on, but for the players it was always about the team. I always think it’s wrong to talk about Lee, Bell, & Summerbee. We were part of a great, strong side and, although the 3 of us were well known, we needed that entire side to bring City success.
Finally, you’ve always been known as an entertainer, and always had a great rapport with fans and the media, presumably this is a very important aspect to your life?
As a player I used to meet the fans as often as possible – we all would. We’d have lunch in the old Social Club all mixed together, we’d attend supporters & Junior Blues meetings; take part in the pantomime every year; and generally be out and about. We also used to get on well with the media. The journalists were always good honest judges back then – people like Frank McGhee and Richard Bott always talked truthfully about your performance. If they said I’d had a bad game, I knew I had. They weren’t out to knock you, or to build you up. They spoke honestly and so I enjoyed talking with them.
Mike Summerbee receiving his OBE from Prince William March 2023
For me football is entertainment and the game itself is sometimes less important than everything that surrounds it. I don’t miss playing, but I do miss the camaraderie we had. I miss the team spirit we had with City, England, and even during the filming of Escape To Victory. It’s the same camaraderie fans feel on the terraces. That’s why I enjoy my involvement with the Club today because it’s all about the fans, the City spirit, and the wonderful life that surrounds the game.
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Following the unveiling of the Bell, Lee and Summerbee statue earlier this week I’ve decided to re-publish here interviews I did with each player at some point over the last decade or so. These interviews are written in a question and answer style and I hope they help give a flavour of each man. For older fans it’s a chance to remember them in their pomp. Today it’s the turn of Francis Lee. I’ve posted this before but it’s always worth doing – It’s an interview I did with him at his home in February 2010. This was published in the City match programme back then and you can read Franny’s views on his career here as published at the time. Enjoy!
In a glittering career Francis won two League Championships, the ECWC, League Cup and the FA Cup.
Francis, let’s begin with your early career at Bolton. Is it true you started on the groundstaff?
That’s right. I set myself a target that I had to get into the first team by the time I was 17 or 18. If I didn’t I was going to go back to college and train as a draughtsman. That was my plan, but I managed to get into the first team at 16 and I made my debut against City (5/11/60). We won 3-1 and I scored a header at 3.15 against Bert Trautmann – I think Bert must have thought he was getting over the hill for me to score a header past him!
I had about a dozen games over two seasons, then in 1962-63 I was top scorer with 12 goals from 23 League games.
You topped the goalscoring charts each season at Bolton from 1962 until you left. You were playing on the wing. Was that your preferred position?
I think my best position was as support striker to a big fella. I only played in that role twice really – at Bolton with Wyn Davies when I scored 23 League goals one season and then at City with Wyn again when I scored 33 League goals in 1971-72. A lot of my career was spent at centre-forward which is a bit of a difficult position to play if you’re only 5ft 7. When I played for England I was support to Geoff Hurst and that suited me. At centre-forward I had my back to the ball but when I was support striker – the free player – that suited me fine. I could pick up the ball going forward and that was great.
At Bolton you scored 106 goals in 210 appearances. A great record, but when you left the club the stories were that you were in dispute. Is that true?
Well, what happened is that we were relegated in 1964 and, despite a near-miss in 1965 when we finished third, it didn’t feel as if we were going forward. My ambition was still to see how far I could develop in the game and in the back of my mind I had the ambition to play for England, but I wasn’t even selected for the under 23s. The story was going around that I was difficult to handle – which is funny because Joe Mercer said that I was the easiest player to handle at one point.
Were you difficult to handle at Bolton?
I was opinionated and ambitious, but not difficult. I think that message was going around because I was on a weekly contract at that time. The club knew that it would be difficult for them to stop me moving on if another club came in. So any player with a reputation for being difficult would not be on anyone else’s shopping list, would they? Bolton offered me a new contract worth something like £150 a week but my wage was only £35. That actually upset me and I said: “if you now think I’m worth £150 a week what about all those years you’ve been underpaying me?” It wasn’t the money that was an issue it was the way they handled it. What they were doing was trying to get me on that contract and then my value would increase if someone came in to buy me. Once they saw how dissatisfied I was with the way they were handling it, they said that it’d be best if we made a clean break, and so I said I’d pack the game in. I had my business by then and so I said: “give me my employment cards and I’ll pack it in.” They thought I was bluffing.
It’d been a decent season – I’d scored 9 goals in 11 games including when we beat the great Liverpool side in the League Cup – but then it ended in September 1967. They gave me my cards and that was it.
Were you absolutely certain you’d pack it all in at that point?
I kept myself fit but I was working on my business. I was driving my lorry around, collecting the waste paper and so on. The business was growing and I felt that if I wasn’t wanted then I’d concentrate on that. It was always my fallback.
I know how stories can get exaggerated over the years, but is it true that in between games you were going around collecting the waste paper?
I used to drive my lorry during the week and even on the Thursday or Friday before a game I’d be collecting waste paper. I used to put on a flat cap and muffler so that nobody would recognise me! In the end I was driving articulated lorries and it was getting to be a very good business. My last pick up was the day before I signed for City! I roped and sheeted about 15 ton of paper and cardboard from a spinning mill in Bolton. Took it to the Sun Paper Mill in Blackburn and when I got back about 5pm I got a call from Joe Mercer. He didn’t give his name at first but I recognised him. “Who is that?” He said: “Tom Jones.” I said: “It doesn’t sound like Tom Jones, sounds more like a man called Mercer!” and he asked: “Where’ve you been?” I told him I’d been playing golf – I couldn’t play the game at all then but I couldn’t tell him what I had been doing!
This is Your Life Joe Mercer 1970 MCFC squad
Did you immediately want to sign for City?
Other teams had shown interest in signing me. Liverpool offered £100,000 I understand but then when I wasn’t playing it affected my price. In later years Shanks often used to grab me and say in that strong Scottish accent: “Son, I should’ve signed ya the night I saw ya!”
City was just right of course. It meant the business could carry on. I don’t know if Bolton had told Joe about my contract or the £150 offer but the first thing he said to me before we talked it through was: “I’ll be honest with you son. We’ve no money. We’re skint!” I said: “It doesn’t matter. I’ll just be delighted to start playing again.” I meant it as well.
I signed for City for £60 a week – remember I’d turned down £150 at Bolton! But it was well worth it. The way the team developed and, of course, when I realised my ambition and played for England.
I left a lot of friends of mine at Bolton – Freddie Hill, Tommy Banks, Roy Hartle, Gordon Taylor – and we had some great times. Those of us who had come through the ranks were poorly paid for the job we were doing at the time, but we enjoyed ourselves. I never had any argument with the players, fans or people at Bolton, it was just those that ran it. I loved my time at Bolton.
When you joined City the Blues were ninth in Division One after losing 5 of the 11 games played. But the side was transformed from the moment you came. Unbeaten in your first 11 League games. Were you the difference?
The team just clicked and I was only part of a good group of players. We had that great run up to Christmas, then a bit of a blip, but in the New Year we just rattled on. It was a terrific period. Mike Summerbee was playing at centre-forward and our culture at the time was to play with five forwards. It was very unusual for the time. The only system we played was that we all played – we had ten players who went up together, and ten who defended together. When we won the League at Newcastle at the end of the season it was wonderful and particularly special because none of us had ever won anything significant. This was our first major success and that’s why the following season the ordeal of playing a European Cup tie was so tough.
Francis Lee after scoring at Newcastle
Was it just inexperience that caused City to lose the Fenerbahce European Cup tie 2-1 on aggregate?
None of us had played in Europe before. Mike Summerbee had only made his England debut against Scotland in February 1968. Colin Bell had played in two England friendlies, but apart from that none of us had any concept of what it could be like in Turkey. Had we played the first leg in Istanbul and the second at Maine Road I think we’d have gone through, but the goalless 1st leg at Maine Road killed us really. We worked hard in Istanbul and it was a creditable result over there but we were out and it was because we were inexperienced. It was a culture shock.
Confidence was at a real low after that game. We’d had a bad run and only had a small squad so we struggled. But that was the way it was. Back then the motivation for all of us was to be in the team and to keep your place.
I think younger readers may be surprised to read that City tried to keep the same eleven players game after game, competition after competition. Would you have enjoyed a squad rotation policy when you played?
The aim of a footballer is to play. Why would anyone want to be rested? If a manager had said to me ten minutes before full time that he wanted to bring me off even though I was playing well, I’d have told him “no way! I’m enjoying myself. This is what you bought me for, now let me do it!” It wouldn’t matter what the manager says I’d want to stay on. That’s what the game is about – enjoyment! Every player wanted to play. None of us wanted to be on the bench.
People talk about the number of games played today but in 1969-70, ignoring friendlies, you played 72 competitive games for England and City. Would squad rotation have helped?
No. Playing is always better than being on the training pitch and I used to love playing, so I tried not to miss a game. It didn’t matter whether it was an England friendly, Anglo-Italian cup or whatever, I wanted to play and represent my club and my country. I think it’s best for all players. Look at Tevez. He’s improved his fitness and form by playing, and I think a lot of players are like that. He needs to play, and that’s what I always wanted.
Some of the other players from the 1969-70 season have talked about Franny’s Grand Slam. Your aim to win four trophies in one season inspired them. What do you remember of that?
Well, we wanted to win every game so it seemed natural to me that we should go for all four. We won the League Cup and Cup Winners’ Cup, so that wasn’t bad. In the FA Cup we ended up suffering a rare defeat at United. We were doing okay in the League then we had a few injuries – Mike, Colin Bell and Neil Young were injured at key times – otherwise I think we would have won three trophies. But the thing about the ‘Grand Slam’ was that it was the ambition of the place. I remember we were going to London on the train and could see Wembley, and I shouted to the lads to take a look because two of our ‘Grand Slam’ games would be played there!
1970 ECWC
Moving forward a couple of years, we missed the title by a point in 1972. Why?
Rodney Marsh has told you himself that his signing affected the 1971-72 season. Malcolm played Rodney and disrupted a team that I’m convinced would have won the League that year. I don’t blame Rodney. There was one game near the end where we should have had a couple of penalties for hand ball but, because this was the season when we got that record number of penalties, they weren’t given. That season our luck changed and everything went against us.
A lot has been made about you ‘diving’ but the factual evidence is that the majority of those penalties were given for things like handball or fouls on other players. Nevertheless, the myths survive. So, big question, did you ever dive?
I couldn’t say that I always stayed on my feet unless I was absolutely knocked down. In those days you used to get some horrendous treatment by the defenders, but I will tell you that the season before those penalties we only had a couple, and before that I think it was one. The reason we got so many in 1971-72 is that they had changed the law, plus we were going for the title so we were putting sides under a lot of pressure and they reacted. I was fouled only 5 times out of the 13 league penalties we got.
When I was attacking I used to play the odds. If a defender was coming towards me I’d carry on, or I’d run towards the defender because there were only three things that could happen – he pulls me down, he gets the ball off me – well done, or I get a cracking shot at goal. So the odds were in my favour. You have to play them.
I think the reason people go on about penalties with me is because I was the one taking them. It didn’t seem to matter what they were given for, the headlines were that I had scored from a penalty. The season after I think we only got one penalty. I would say that for every dubious penalty that was awarded there were another twenty that we should have had.
Francis Lee’s first penalty for City January 1968 v Sheffield United
Was the move to Derby something you really wanted?
By that time my business was substantial so going to Derby was going to cause problems. Derby offered City more than anyone else and that was that. We won the title in my first season – I’d only signed a contract for a year – and they were a very good side, so I stayed with them for another season. The pitch was awful – even Maine Road’s pitch was better – but I felt we could have won the European Cup that second season. We beat Real Madrid 4-1 but I missed the return game because I’d been sent off in the Hunter incident against Leeds. We lost 5-1.
They actually changed the rule after that saying it was unfair to automatically ban a player from a European game after a domestic match when the player had yet to be proved to be guilty. There wasn’t much chance of me being ‘not guilty’ – the footage was there for everyone to see!
People often suggest that City sold you too soon and that had you stayed a couple of seasons longer we might have won the title again. Do you hold this view?
I think if I’d have stayed and Mike Summerbee – remember he was sold a year after me – then I do think we’d have mounted a serious challenge for the title. Mike had plenty to offer and should not have been sold.
You came back to Maine Road and scored for Derby (28/12/74). I was in Platt Lane that day and I remember a surreal moment when City fans cheered your goal. Did that actually happen?
Yes, it did. Then I think they thought: “What have we done, he’s playing for them!”
I enjoyed my football and I loved scoring. I loved that goal. I picked it up with my back to the line, went through two people and on to score the goal. The film shows me smiling because I’d scored what I thought was a good goal. It had nothing to do with City or revenge or anything like that. I think I enjoyed about 95% of every game I ever played. It was fun. A great way to earn a living, so on that day I was happy.
Why did you retire in 1976 only a few weeks after your 32nd birthday?
My business was taking over. I had about 110 people working for me and was travelling all over the country. Had I been playing closer to Bolton then I may have carried on. Derby wanted me to stay on, and I made a promise to Dave Mackay that if I was to play again then I’d do it for him. Tommy Docherty tried to persuade me to join United but I wouldn’t break my promise to Derby.
Your business and horse racing interests grew, but then in 1993 you were back, mounting a takeover of City. Why?
I wasn’t looking to get back into the game at all during those years. I had a successful career and was happy. But City were in a desperate state and I genuinely felt that I could not let a club I cared passionately for struggle like that.
When we finally gained control there were so many issues. So many skeletons coming out of the cupboards. The financial state of the club was appalling. I should have known then that it wouldn’t work!
The biggest problem at the start was having to build the new Kippax Stand –there really wasn’t a workable plan in place before we arrived and yet the stand had to be replaced within months of us arriving. We ended up spending about £16m in the end – even removing the waste from underneath the old terracing cost £1.8m because it was contaminated. I thought then that my luck had changed. Everything we tried to do became an issue and the Kippax was a millstone.
1994-95 the new Kippax takes shape
It’s extraordinary when you think that prior to us, Blackburn and Everton, no one ever put money into a football club. People bought shares but never invested, we did invest.
Off the pitch things did improve significantly, but on the pitch we struggled. What’s your view?
People like John Dunkerley worked very hard during that spell and the training facilities were improved and so on. Then, just when we finished the Kippax, Manchester Council started to talk to me about becoming tenants of the new stadium – now that turned out to be the best thing that happened to City during the decade that followed. We spent a lot of time working with them and talking with various people to make it happen. Full marks must go to the Council for having the foresight and it became very important for City to become anchor tenants. I think I had a lot of bad luck as Chairman and things certainly didn’t work on the pitch, but I do think that was one thing that the club got right.
Finally, thinking of your time as a player, many people claim the 1970 League Cup Final was your greatest City game, do you feel that?
I don’t think of individual games in that way. You have to look at the club during your time there and see what that club won and what you contributed to the overall success of the club, not necessarily individual games.
My role was to make things happen, and if I was making things happen, especially if it was causing some aggravation for the opposition, then I was happy. When you hear the opposition players shouting things like: “don’t let him turn!” that’s a real pat on the back. You know you’re getting to them.
In terms of individual games or goals… I think one of the goals I scored at West Ham (18/11/67) was the best goal I’ve ever scored. I was playing against Bobby Moore and I think I had a fantastic game.
I always think that a top class player should go on to the pitch and have enough confidence in his own ability to know that it is very rare for him to have a bad game. It’s not arrogance or anything, but it is the mark of a top class player. If you go onto the pitch feeling that then more often than not you will have a good game. The next step is to take it up the levels until you walk on to the pitch believing you’ll have a great game and score a couple of goals.
At City most of us developed that confidence and on some days, when the entire team was at that level, we had some tremendous games. There are signs that the current side are heading in that same direction.
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Subscribe to access great content and support Gary’s research
If you’ve enjoyed this piece then why not subscribe and read the rest of the great material on here. At the same time you’ll be supporting my research and writing (I’m not employed by anyone and my research/writing is self-funded). It costs £3 per month (above) or £20 per year (here; access everything posted since December 2020). You’ll also get to read all content posted during your subscription. Thanks.
The unveiling of the Bell, Lee and Summerbee statue yesterday was a really important moment in the history of Manchester City. Understandably, there will be some younger fans who may not know a great deal about these three legendary players and so I’ve decided to re-publish here interviews I did with each player at some point over the last decade or so. These interviews are written in a question and answer style and I hope they help give a flavour of each man. For older fans it’s a chance to remember them in their pomp. I’m going to start with Colin Bell. I’ve posted this a few times but it’s always worth doing – It’s an interview I did with him at his home in January 2005. This was published in the City match programme back then and you can read Colin’s views on his career here as published at the time. Enjoy!
Colin Bell MBE joined the Blues from Bury in March 1966 and went on to become a major trophy winner with the Blues and a star with England. Gary James met up with him at the end of January 2005
Let’s start with your early life, was football everything to you from an early age?
From the moment I was born I wanted to play. Actually, everybody did in those days. Football was all you ever wanted and I always had a ball with me, so I could play anywhere. No one ever pushed me; it was something I just wanted to do. My mother had played ladies football before I was born and so did others in the family, so there must have been a natural instinct for the game. I used to go and watch Sunderland when I could, although it would take about 90 minutes and three buses to get to Roker Park. As a boy my hero was Len Shackleton and then Charlie Hurley.
At the age of 17 (1963) you joined Bury. There were other potentially larger teams interested, so what made you choose Bury?
The move had to be right and I was quite a shy boy in many ways, so I needed to go somewhere where I felt at home. Bury were a homely club and made me feel so welcome. I’d had interest from a few clubs – Newcastle offered me a trial but I heard nothing afterwards! Arsenal were another. I damaged my back shortly before I went down to London from my home in the north-east and that made me a little uncomfortable. Their manager Billy Wright watched the games we played and selected the ones to stay, and then said to those not selected “I hope you join other clubs that are not as good as Arsenal!”
Both Bury and Huddersfield wanted me to sign, so I was totally open with them and agreed I wouldn’t make my mind up until I returned back home and looked at it objectively. The Huddersfield experience went well, but Bury was so much more homely. While I was there I knew I’d sign for Bury, but I wouldn’t tell them. They kept pushing me, and I wanted to say yes, but I felt it was more important to stick to the plan. So when I went home I told both clubs of my decision.
Presumably, you never looked back and felt Bury was the right choice?
Definitely. My instincts were right, however I did still feel homesick. It really hit me for about six weeks or so and I know that if my family had suggested I go home I would have done. I’d have packed it all in because I hated that homesick feeling. I’d have got that wherever I went, and I’m glad I chose Bury because in the end I couldn’t have had a better start to my career. It was a great period once I’d settled and I felt I was so lucky to be paid for playing.
How ambitious were you then? Did you set targets and aims?
I took each day as it came. That’s true of all my career. I never thought about moving from Bury. It never crossed my mind, and I certainly didn’t think about playing for England. I didn’t even know City were watching me until the official approach came. In fact it got to transfer deadline day and suddenly I had both City and Blackpool interested in me and I had to make another choice. This time it was stay at Bury, move to Second Division City, or move to First Division Blackpool.
So what made you pick City, was the Mercer-Allison involvement the deciding factor?
At the time I didn’t know enough about Mercer or Allison to base a decision on, so my decision was based more on league position. City were heading for promotion, while Blackpool were beginning to struggle (they were eventually relegated in 1967), so I thought it would be best to join a club looking forward rather than one heading for struggle.
Was City as homely as Bury?
That’s something that was truly special about City at the time because even though it was a much bigger club, it still had that homely feel. We were all part of the same family. First team players would pop into the laundry room and have a cup of tea with the ladies in there. Sometimes we’d just love being at the ground. I do think football’s lost a lot by having training grounds some distance from the home grounds. We felt part of the Maine Road furniture. It was my second home and most mornings we’d get in early to get into the gym for head tennis. If ever you arrived at the ground and found you’d arrived too late to make up a head tennis team you’d skulk around and plan to get in even earlier the next day.
You mentioned that you were homesick at Bury, how long did it take you to settle at City?
I arrived in March 1966 and it took me the rest of that promotion season to settle. Promotion helped because I was part of the celebrations from the start. The goal I scored at Rotherham guaranteed promotion and afterwards I tasted champagne for the first time. I couldn’t believe how quickly I was part of a winning side. Something major I realised at this time was that at Bury we’d go to away matches with the aim of getting a draw – at best – but with City we went expecting to turn over every side. After a couple of games I felt this same level of expectation and I think that’s why we became so successful. Malcolm stressed our strengths and used to say that he didn’t care how many we concede so long as we win. If ever we won 4-3 he’d never mention the three goals, he’d only mention the four. That was a great way to play and it continued throughout those successful years.
Both Mercer & Allison and most of the other players have often commented on your high level of fitness and your stamina, was this something you were conscious of at the time?
Malcolm Allison at the launch of Gary James’ Football With A Smile: The Authorised Biography of Joe Mercer, OBE in December 1993. Note Francis Lee appearing behind Allison.
I think in games I was just as tired as the rest but I think I had a quick recovery rate and I never ever wanted to give less than the best. I was always determined. At training I never really thought about my own fitness, but I do remember that when Malcolm had us all running hard I’d give a commentary as we were running. I’d be going “Bell overtaking Booky on the inside” and so on and I think that may have been a bit off putting for some of the others.
In 1967-68 City won the Championship by two points over Manchester United with a victory over Newcastle, do you remember much of that day?
It was a great end to end game. I’d never previously won at Newcastle and I know that beforehand I felt quite uncomfortable. The great thing about football during this period was that every team in the League was capable of beating you on their ground, so it didn’t matter whether you were playing the top or the bottom. Also, no side ever gave up, so we knew that Newcastle, who were about tenth, wouldn’t sit back if we took the lead they’d be going for it… and they did! We beat them 4-3 but it could have been 5-4 or 6-5 – we knew we’d score one more than them, but both sides kept attacking, kept playing. At no time did they give up.
Presumably the Old Trafford derby match (March 1968) remains another great memory for you?
We beat United 3-1 and that really set us up, but we’d lost a goal right at the start. I equalised, George Heslop headed a goal, and then late on I was brought down by Francis Burns. As I was being stretchered off Francis Lee scored the penalty. I went to hospital, had my leg put in plaster and then joined the rest of the players at the Fletcher’s Arms in Denton for a celebratory drink!
Before the match Malcolm had stressed the importance of the game. He told us they were beatable and once he’d convinced us of that nothing was going to stop us. I think that helped the other teams as well, because once we started to beat them at Old Trafford – and remember I played 9 League derbies at Old Trafford and only lost the first – they realised they could do the same.
Winning so many trophies – League, FA Cup, ECWC, League Cup – during such a short spell was incredible, but which success brought you most satisfaction?
Each trophy was important but I judge success by consistency and when we won the League in 1968 we proved over 42 games that we were the most consistent side. I have to say I’m also very proud of winning the Central League in 1977-78 because I was fighting to regain fitness and also because the side was a very good one. It was great to play with some very enthusiastic young players.
Of course, each success means a great deal. Winning the ECWC was great, but the 1968 League success was all about consistency. Our journey back from Newcastle after the last game was very memorable. Coming down the A1 was superb. There was a convoy of blue and white all the way back.
Moving on to international football, how did it feel when you first discovered you were in the England squad?
When the letter came through the door I couldn’t believe it. Again, as with my early days, I never thought about anything beyond the next City game. I didn’t think about England, but when the letter arrived it was a major, major honour. In fact every time the letter came – even after 40 odd appearances – I still had the same excitement and same buzz I’d always had. It was the highest honour you could receive.
When I joined the squad I remember sitting in the dressing room and seeing all those players who had won the World Cup only a year earlier. These men had achieved so much and to be sat in the same room and to see my name on the squad list next to theirs was a real highlight. Of course when there were other City players in the squad that helped as well, but it’s also worth remembering that every top division side had players who were either in the international squad or on the fringes, so you knew that you’d achieved something major if you got into Alf Ramsey’s team.
You made your international debut in May 1968 against Sweden, and went to the 1970 World Cup finals. How did you feel about the way your career had developed?
Immensely proud, and looking back it’s incredible how it all developed. Having said that I do feel a little aggrieved that when some people talk of the 1970 quarterfinal against West Germany they talk of the substitution of Bobby Charlton as some sort of turning point. I came on for him and I know that he was absolutely drained. Like me he would try and deliver more, but his age and the heat worked against him. I personally think I should have come on earlier and maybe we’d have kept the score at 2-1, or even increased it. Once I came on we still had a lot of play but they’d got to 2-2 and then unfortunately they scored the winner in extra time. Apparently Brazil were delighted because they were convinced we were the best side in the tournament – they’d beaten us in the group stage but knew they’d been in a real game.
You made 48 England appearances and replaced Bobby Moore as captain for one game in 1972, was this something you had always wanted?
I always believed that there should be eleven captains in a side. By that I mean every player needed to be interested and offer advice. There’s no point hiding, waiting for someone else to make the decisions. Every player needed support at times and everybody needs to give advice in my opinion. Tony Book was City’s great captain and a wonderful leader, but if you watch any of those games you’ll see we all act as a captain should. Actually they used to go on about how loud I was on the pitch and how quiet I was off it.
The England captaincy came against Northern Ireland and it must have been a one-off because Moore remained captain for the next year or so. I’m not certain why I got the nod, but it was a privilege and I do remember Sir Alf Ramsey asking me to take on the role.
Colin Bell, 1972-73
Moving on to your injury in the 1975 Manchester derby, we now know how serious it was, but how did you feel at the time?
I knew it was very bad, and I know that the physio Freddie Griffiths worked hard to try and get things working for me. He and his assistant Roy Bailey really went out of their way to help, but it was a long and difficult recovery. The TV programme Nationwide did a feature on me and I received lots of letters and cards, which helped – the fans were terrific – but it was the blackest moment of my life. I had violent pains in my leg if I sat a certain way, and thanks to my wife and family they managed to keep me sane. When I started walking properly I was so glad. At one point I didn’t think I would walk again, let alone play sport.
I tried a comeback towards the end of 1975-6 but after the fourth game (V Arsenal) I broke down. It was too soon, and for the following 20 months the battle to return dominated everything I did.
Boxing Day 1977 V Newcastle was your memorable return. I know how I and most Blues felt that day, but how did you feel?
There’s always been something about Newcastle. That day I came on as substitute and I could not believe the atmosphere. The whole ground – including the Newcastle fans – stood and applauded and chanted my name. I was at the Halifax Supporters Club a month ago and I mentioned the game and almost every person in the room talked of the day and how emotional they got. There were at least two dozen people in the room who said they were crying when I came on. Grown men admitted it and I was deeply touched. On the day you could feel that emotion. I don’t believe I did anything of note in the game. I was a passenger, but everyone tells me it was great seeing me there and for me it was and will always be my number one game, and my number one memory of playing football.
Finally, I guess that Newcastle game demonstrated how fans truly felt about you?
The fans have been marvellous throughout my life. The last four years they’ve helped to get me honoured as one of the Football League’s 100 legends; the stand has been named after me; and now the MBE. It’s been an amazing four years. I don’t believe there’s any other player anywhere in football who has the same bond with the fans, and I don’t believe any club has fans as loyal as ours. City fans like players who give 100% and so long as you do that, you will always get incredible support. I loved my time as a player, and I am delighted my bond with the fans is as strong – possibly stronger – today than its ever been.
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Subscribe to access great content and support Gary’s research
If you’ve enjoyed this piece then why not subscribe and read the rest of the great material on here. At the same time you’ll be supporting my research and writing (I’m not employed by anyone and my research/writing is self-funded). It costs £3 per month (above) or £20 per year (here; access everything posted since December 2020). You’ll also get to read all content posted during your subscription. Thanks.
Here’s my film of the Bell, Lee & Summerbee light show from before last night’s Manchester City v Leipzig at the Etihad. I normally sit behind the goal but I was in the Colin Bell Stand last night, so it’s a different angle to my normal view of these things.
The light show, like the statue itself, highlights the names of all the players who appeared in City’s 1967-68 season and the FA Cup, League Cup and ECWC triumphs 68-70. I love the fact that City’s statue and tribute remembers them all, even if it inevitably focuses on Colin Bell, Francis Lee and Mike Summerbee.
After the light show the club played the Boys in Blue song and it was great to see that they had used the North West Film Archive’s footage of the recording of the song from March 1972 which featured the players. Sadly, I didn’t manage to record that but you do get the first few seconds at the end of my clip below. Anyway, enjoy the light show:
It was great to be at the Etihad today for the unveiling of the statue celebrating the achievements of England internationals Colin Bell, Francis Lee and Mike Summerbee. The statue recognises the achievements of all those involved in winning the major trophies of 1968 to 1970, including City’s first European trophy of course and many of those former players were here for this wonderful day.
Members of the families of Colin Bell, Francis Lee and Mike Summerbee, together with Mike of course, were present to see the statue this morning. After they’d had their personal time with the statue a celebratory brunch occurred. It included a speech from Ferran Soriano and interviews with the sculptor, club archivist Steph Alder, photographer Kevin Cummins, journalist Chris Bailey and myself. We were asked about the significance of the players and that era.
For me one of the most important aspects is that it recognises all the players who appeared in City’s title success of 1968 and in the trophy successes that followed (FA Cup, League Cup and ECWC). That’s significant and fits with comments that all three men have said over the decades that the successes under Joe Mercer and Malcolm Allison were the work of an entire team. Bell, Lee & Summerbee always praised the others.
I love the statue as it shows the men in movement. Often football statues are standing poses or similar, with no suggestion of movement, but this is a wonderful piece of three men moving forward. It’s a great work.
The statue is located in front of the main entrance in a specially paved area which allows fans who want to take a photo to stand with the three men in motion with the Etihad in the background.
There was inevitably some emotion today as Colin and Francis are no longer with us but I do know that Colin was aware that a statue was on its way and Francis did approve the style and saw representations of it. All families seem happy with this work of art.
For those who want to know more on the statues, there will be a film which will be on City’s channel and on YouTube I’m told soon. In the meantime, go and have a look yourself.
Here’s something the club issues a few days ago on the sculptor:
This installation will be located on the west side of the perimeter and will be unveiled on Tuesday morning ahead of a UEFA Champions League meeting with RB Leipzig later that day, where fans will be invited to visit the permanent tribute to an extraordinary era in the Club’s history.
Speaking of his appointment to the project David Williams-Ellis said:
“It is a great honour to create a work of art for Manchester City Football Club celebrating the diverse, talented players, Bell, Lee and Summerbee.
“It’s been an extraordinary last two years, working on this project that celebrates these players from a great era in Manchester City’s football history.
“I hope that the work will give a sense of history and place to the legions of fans and visitors that come to the football ground from around the world and become an enduring part of Manchester’s cultural landscape.”
David Williams-Ellis – Artist Biography
David Williams-Ellis’ sculptures, worked in clay directly from life, are inspired by the romanticism of Rodin and Bourdelle and are noted for their sense of movement and vitality.
David was classically trained in Florence under drawing teacher, Nerina Simi. From there he went on to be an apprentice wood carver and then joined a community of marble carvers beneath the Carrara Mountains in Pietresanta.
David’s reputation was cemented after his time in Italy. Today, his work is in private and public collections across the globe and can be seen in flagship buildings including Scone Palace in Perthshire, Aberdeen’s Maritime Museum, the IFC Building in Shanghai and Oxford House, Swires, Hong Kong.
Amongst his most notable work includes the D-Day Memorial Sculpture, unveiled on 6th June 2019 above Gold Beach in Normandy to commemorate the 22443 service men and women who fell on D-Day and in the Normandy campaign under British command.
As well as tonight’s European game at the Etihad another major event is happening at the home of Manchester City. The statue celebrating the achievements of England internationals Colin Bell, Francis Lee and Mike Summerbee is being unveiled. I will be there and I know the statue recognises the achievements of all those involved in winning the major trophies of 1968 to 1970, including City’s first European trophy of course.
I’m sure it will be an excellent day. For those who want to know more on the statues, here’s something the club issues a few days ago on the sculptor:
This installation will be located on the west side of the perimeter and will be unveiled on Tuesday morning ahead of a UEFA Champions League meeting with RB Leipzig later that day, where fans will be invited to visit the permanent tribute to an extraordinary era in the Club’s history.
Speaking of his appointment to the project David Williams-Ellis said:
“It is a great honour to create a work of art for Manchester City Football Club celebrating the diverse, talented players, Bell, Lee and Summerbee.
“It’s been an extraordinary last two years, working on this project that celebrates these players from a great era in Manchester City’s football history.
“I hope that the work will give a sense of history and place to the legions of fans and visitors that come to the football ground from around the world and become an enduring part of Manchester’s cultural landscape.”
David Williams-Ellis – Artist Biography
David Williams-Ellis’ sculptures, worked in clay directly from life, are inspired by the romanticism of Rodin and Bourdelle and are noted for their sense of movement and vitality.
David was classically trained in Florence under drawing teacher, Nerina Simi. From there he went on to be an apprentice wood carver and then joined a community of marble carvers beneath the Carrara Mountains in Pietresanta.
David’s reputation was cemented after his time in Italy. Today, his work is in private and public collections across the globe and can be seen in flagship buildings including Scone Palace in Perthshire, Aberdeen’s Maritime Museum, the IFC Building in Shanghai and Oxford House, Swires, Hong Kong.
Amongst his most notable work includes the D-Day Memorial Sculpture, unveiled on 6th June 2019 above Gold Beach in Normandy to commemorate the 22443 service men and women who fell on D-Day and in the Normandy campaign under British command.
WORLD-RENOWNED SCULPTOR REVEALED AS ARTIST BEHIND PERMANENT TRIBUTE TO CITY’S LEGENDARY TRIUMVIRATE
Unveiling confirmed for Tuesday 28 November
World-renowned sculptor David Williams-Ellis chosen following exhaustiveselection process overseen by Club Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak
Tribute will celebrate the legacy of Manchester City’s trophy-laden era of the late1960s and early 1970s Manchester City Football Club is delighted to reveal that world-renowned sculptor David Williams-Ellis is the artist behind a permanent tribute to legendary triumvirate Colin Bell, Francis Lee and Mike Summerbee. A student of eminent octogenarian drawing teacher, Nerina Simi, Williams-Ellis sought out classical training in Florence where his signature style was first established. His sculptures, worked in clay, from life, are inspired by the romanticism of French sculptors Auguste Rodin and Antoine Bourdelle and are noted for their sense of movement and vitality. With exhibitions proudly displayed at Perthshire’s Scone Palace, Aberdeen’s Maritime Museum and the IFC Building in Shanghai, Williams-Ellis is perhaps most famously known for his commission of the Normandy Memorial Trust’s D-Day Sculpture. That monument was unveiled by French President Emmanuel Macron and then-British Prime Minister Theresa May in 2019. Designed and created at his Oxfordshire home studio, Williams-Ellis’s work on this commission has focused on capturing the motion and characteristics of each player and embodying the spirit of their combined 30 years representing Manchester City. This initiative is the latest in a series of tributes to key figures forming the Club’s legacy project, first announced in 2019 and directed by Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak. Modern-day legends Vincent Kompany, Sergio Aguero and David Silva were celebrated upon their respective departures from the Club, with each of their sculptures located on the east side of the stadium, in addition to permanent mosaic artworks featured throughout the City Football Academy.
This installation will be located on the west side of the perimeter and will be unveiled on Tuesday morning ahead of a UEFA Champions League meeting with RB Leipzig later that day, where fans will be invited to visit the permanent tribute to an extraordinary era in the Club’s history.
Speaking of his appointment to the project David Williams-Ellis said:
“It is a great honour to create a work of art for Manchester City Football Club celebrating the diverse, talented players, Bell, Lee and Summerbee.
“It’s been an extraordinary last two years, working on this project that celebrates these players from a great era in Manchester City’s football history.
“I hope that the work will give a sense of history and place to the legions of fans and visitors that come to the football ground from around the world and become an enduring part of Manchester’s cultural landscape.”
David Williams-Ellis – Artist Biography
David Williams-Ellis’ sculptures, worked in clay directly from life, are inspired by the romanticism of Rodin and Bourdelle and are noted for their sense of movement and vitality.
David was classically trained in Florence under drawing teacher, Nerina Simi. From there he went on to be an apprentice wood carver and then joined a community of marble carvers beneath the Carrara Mountains in Pietresanta.
David’s reputation was cemented after his time in Italy. Today, his work is in private and public collections across the globe and can be seen in flagship buildings including Scone Palace in Perthshire, Aberdeen’s Maritime Museum, the IFC Building in Shanghai and Oxford House, Swires, Hong Kong.
Amongst his most notable work includes the D-Day Memorial Sculpture, unveiled on 6th June 2019 above Gold Beach in Normandy to commemorate the 22443 service men and women who fell on D-Day and in the Normandy campaign under British command.
Today was an emotional day but it was also a perfect sendoff for Francis Lee. I was at Manchester Cathedral to pay my respects and it was great hearing the tributes to Francis today, particularly the one from Will Perry and Francis’s son Jonny. They did him proud. Great to see many Blues & former players there, plus Barry ‘look at his face’ Davies. The former players from City included Mike Summerbee of course, Tony Book, Micah Richards, Peter Barnes, Tommy Booth, Asa Hartford, Joe Royle and Alan Oakes. Former physio Roy Bailey was there, as was Fred Eyre, and playing representatives of Bolton and Derby. Colin Bell’s son Jon was also present which was fantastic to see.
One of the things that came across well from Jonny’s eulogy was his dad’s sense of humour. Jonny revealed how Franny often told interviewers fake facts like how he could play the piano to classical concert standard and some of these jokes have made it into obituaries. Brilliant – it also means I now need to go back through my interviews with him to see if I can spot any Franny wind ups!
Franny’s mate John Gildersleeve also revealed how the two of them were travelling back from a holiday in Dubai when Franny (MCFC chairman at the time) received a phone call from BBC Radio Manchester. The interviewer knew that Franny had been out of the country but didn’t know where and asked if he’d been trying to sign a player. Franny said he had and that the Blues were in negotiation to buy a strong relatively unknown defender. He said that he couldn’t say much but he could reveal the player’s name. He then gave the BBC a Dutch sounding version of John Gildersleeve’s name – and according to the tale we heard the BBC fell for it!
The service included Blue Moon played on the cathedral organ (quite emotional) and recordings of What a Wonderful Life (Louis Armstrong) and You Got It (Roy Orbison), plus hymns Dear Lord and Father of Mankind and, of course, Abide With Me. As well as family and friends, City’s Danny Wilson added to the eulogies with an appropriate and appreciated contribution about what Franny meant to City.
In addition to family, friends, colleagues and former players there were many, many fans there paying their respects. I think Francis would’ve loved that.
After the service at the Cathedral there was a private family cremation and other commemorations marking Franny’s life.
Franny was a wonderful player, businessman and man. Today Manchester and the world recognised that.
If you missed reading my interview with Francis from 2010 you can read it below. For those who wonder why Francis was so significant hopefully this will give an indication. This is one of many interviews I did with Francis over the decades and I want to include this one today as it was written up as a Q&A style piece with Francis’ own words documented. I hope it captures the spirit of the legendary Bolton, City, Derby and England player.
IN SEARCH OF THE BLUES – Francis Lee
For today’s feature author Gary James met up with former Bolton, City and England star Francis Lee. In a glittering career Francis won two League Championships, the ECWC, League Cup and the FA Cup.
Francis, let’s begin with your early career at Bolton. Can you explain how that started?
I was a member of the groundstaff and I set myself a target that I had to get into the first team by the time I was 17 or 18 and if I didn’t I was going to go back to college and train as a draughtsman. That was my plan, but I managed to get into the first team at 16 and I made my debut against City (5/11/60). We won 3-1 and I scored a header at 3.15 against Bert Trautmann – I think Bert must have thought he was getting over the hill for me to score a header past him! It was a great day and there were some very good players on both sides – Nat Lofthouse of course. Ken Barnes and Denis Law were playing for City.
I kept my place for about six games and then the following season I had 5 games, then in 1962-63 I was top scorer with 12 goals from 23 League games.
You were playing out on the wing those days and topped the goalscoring charts each season at Bolton from 1962 until you left. Was that your preferred position?
I think my best position was as support striker to a big fella. I only played in that role twice really – at Bolton with Wyn Davies when I scored 23 League goals one season and then at City with Wyn again when I scored 33 League goals in 1971-72. A lot of my career was spent at centre-forward at City and at Derby which is a bit of a difficult position to play if you’re only 5ft 7. When I played for England I was support to Geoff Hurst and that suited me. When I played at centre-forward I had my back to the ball but when I was support striker – the free player – that suited me fine. I could pick up the ball going forward and that was great.
At Bolton you scored 106 goals in 210 appearances. A great record, but when you left the club the stories were that you were in dispute. Is that true?
Well, what happened is that Bolton had got relegated in 1964 and, despite a near-miss in 1965 when we finished third, it didn’t feel as if we were going forward. My ambition was still to see how far I could develop in the game and in the back of my mind I had the ambition to play for England, but I wasn’t even selected for the under 23s. The story was going around that I was difficult to handle – which is funny because Joe Mercer said that I was the easiest player to handle at one point.
At one point I remember asking the manager why I wasn’t earning as much as Wyn Davies who had been brought in to score goals. I was top goalscorer but Wyn was paid more and the manager said: “you’re too young!” but Wyn was only about a year older than me.
Were you difficult to handle at Bolton?
I was opinionated and ambitious, but not difficult. I think that message was going around because I was on a weekly contract at that time and the club knew that it would be difficult for them to stop me moving on if another club came in. So any player with a reputation for being difficult would not be on anyone else’s shopping list, would they? Bolton offered me a new contract worth something like £150 a week but before that I was on £35. That actually upset me more and I said: “if you now think I’m worth £150 a week what about all those years you’ve been underpaying me?” It wasn’t the money that was an issue it was the way they handled it. What they were doing was trying to get me on that contract and then my value would increase if someone came in to buy me. Once they saw how dissatisfied I was with the way they were handling it, they said that it’d be best if we made a clean break, and so I said I’d pack the game in. I had my business by then and so I said: “give me my employment cards and I’ll pack it in.” They thought I was bluffing.
It’d been a decent season so far – I’d scored 9 goals in 11 games including when we beat the great Liverpool side in the League Cup – but then it all stopped in September 1967. They gave me my cards and that was it.
Were you absolutely certain you’d pack it all in at that point?
I kept myself fit but I was working on my business. I was driving my lorry around, collecting the waste paper and so on. The business was growing and I felt that if I wasn’t wanted then I’d concentrate on that. It was always my fallback. It was only a small business really.
I know how stories can get exaggerated over the years, but is it true that in between games you were going around collecting the waste paper?
I used to drive my lorry during the week and even on the Thursday or Friday before a game I’d be collecting waste paper. I used to put on a flat cap and muffler so that nobody would recognise me! In summer I worked long hours and I was earning more in the summer months than I was playing football in Division One. I also played cricket. At one point it looked like I was going to be a footballer and cricketer but the season overlap meant I had to concentrate on football.
In the end I was driving articulated lorries and it was getting to be a very good business. My last job was the day before I signed for City! I roped and sheeted about 15 ton of paper and cardboard from a spinning mill in Bolton. Took it to the Sun Paper Mill in Blackburn and when I got back about 5pm I got a call from Joe Mercer. He didn’t give his name at first but I recognised him and he said: “Where’ve you been?” I told him I’d been playing golf – I couldn’t play the game at all then but I couldn’t tell him what I had been doing! I asked him: “who is that?” He said: “Tom Jones.” I said: “It doesn’t sound like Tom Jones, sounds more like a man called Mercer!”
Did you immediately want to sign for City?
Other teams had shown interest in signing me. Liverpool offered £100,000 I understand but then when I wasn’t playing it affected my price. In later years Shanks often used to grab me and say in that strong Scottish accent: “Son, I should’ve signed ya the night I saw ya!”
City was just right of course. It meant the business could carry on. I don’t know if Bolton had told Joe about my contract or the £150 offer but the first thing he said to me before we talked it through was: “I’ll be honest with you son. We’ve no money. We’re skint!” I said: “It doesn’t matter. I’ll just be delighted to start playing again.”
I signed for City for £60 a week – remember I’d turned down £150 at Bolton – and in the end it was well worth it. The way the team developed and, of course, when I realised my ambition and played for England.
City paid £60,000 – actually they paid £40,000 down and £20,000 on the drip! I was told I should get about 5% of the fee but then the League wouldn’t allow it because I’d left under strained circumstances or something.
I left a lot of friends of mine at Bolton – Freddie Hill, a great friend, Tommy Banks, Roy Hartle, Gordon Taylor – and we had some great times. Those of us who had come through the ranks were poorly paid for the job we were doing at the time, but we enjoyed ourselves. I never had any argument with the players, fans or people at Bolton, it was just those that ran it. I loved my time at Bolton.
When you joined City the Blues were ninth in Division One after losing 5 of the 11 games played. But the side was transformed from the moment you came. Unbeaten in your first 11 League games. Were you the difference?
The team just clicked and I was only part of a good group of players. We had that great run up to Christmas, then a bit of a blip, but in the New Year we just rattled on. It was a terrific period. Mike Summerbee was playing at centre-forward and our culture at the time was to play with five forwards. It was very unusual for the time. The only system we played was that we all played we had ten players who went up together, and ten who defended together. When we won the League at Newcastle at the end of the season it was wonderful and particularly special because none of us had ever won anything significant. This was our first major success and that’s why the following season the ordeal of playing a European Cup tie was so tough.
Was it just inexperience that caused City to lose the Fenerbahce European Cup tie 2-1 on aggregate?
None of us had played in Europe before. Mike Summerbee had only made his England debut against Scotland in February 1968. Colin Bell had played in two England friendlies, but apart from that none of us had any concept of what it could be like in Turkey. Had we played the first leg in Istanbul and the second at Maine Road I think we’d have gone through, but the goalless 1st leg at Maine Road killed us really. We worked hard in Istanbul and it was a creditable result over there but we were out and it was because we were inexperienced. It was a culture shock.
Despite the Fenerbahce setback did it feel as if City could find further success?
No confidence was at a real low after that game. We’d had a bad run and only had a small squad so we struggled. But that was the way it was. Most clubs had small squads but what Shankly used to do at Liverpool was sign a couple of players each season just to ensure that those who were first choice felt the pressure and remained hungry for the game. Back then the motivation for all of us was to be in the team and to keep your place. The money was significantly different if you lost your place – City used to have this thing where we’d get a bonus depending on the size of the attendance as well as goals, wins and so on. That motivated you to ensure you did all you could to entertain as well as win – you wanted the crowds to grow.
Effectively you could double your wage by simply being in the team. That’s a big incentive.
Francis Lee (left) and Mike Summberbee (right) threaten the Fenerbahce goal in City’s first European Cup tie in 1968.
You mentioned about squad size, I think younger readers may be surprised to read that City tried to keep the same eleven players game after game, competition after competition. Would you have enjoyed a squad rotation policy when you played?
The aim of a footballer is to play. Why would anyone want to be rested? If a manager had said to me ten minutes before full time that he wanted to bring me off even though I was playing well, I’d have told him “no way! I’m enjoying myself. This is what you bought me for, now let me do it!” It wouldn’t matter what the manager says I’d want to stay on. That’s what the game is about – enjoyment! Every player wanted to play. None of us wanted to be on the bench.
People talk about the number of games played today but in 1969-70, ignoring domestic friendlies and the Charity Shield, you played 71 competitive games for England and City. Would squad rotation have helped?
No. Playing is always better than being on the training pitch and I used to love playing, so I tried not to miss a game. It didn’t matter whether it was an England friendly, Anglo-Italian cup or whatever, I wanted to play and represent my club and my country. I think it’s best for all players. Look at Tevez. He’s improved his fitness and form by playing, and I think a lot of players are like that. He needs to play, and that’s what I always wanted.
Some of the other players from the 1969-70 season have talked about Franny’s Grand Slam. Your aim to win four trophies in one season inspired them. What do you remember of that?
Well, we wanted to win every game so it seemed natural to me that we should go for all four. We won the League Cup and Cup Winners’ Cup, so that wasn’t bad. In the FA Cup we were odds on to win at Old Trafford because we’d beaten them so many times. We ended up suffering a rare defeat at United, but it was one of those we should really have won based on form and everything. We were doing okay in the League then we had a few injuries – Mike, Colin Bell and Neil Young were injured at key times – otherwise I think we would have won three trophies. But the thing about the ‘Grand Slam’ was that it was the ambition of the place. I remember we were going to London on the train and could see Wembley, and I shouted to the lads to take a look because two of our ‘Grand Slam’ games would be played there!
1971 ECWC v Chelsea. Francis Lee. Photo by Alan Jubb
Moving forward a couple of years, the success started to disappear. There had been the takeover that ultimately led to Peter Swales being Chairman, and of course we missed the title by a point in 1972. What had changed?
Rodney Marsh has told you himself that his signing made a difference. Malcolm played Rodney and disrupted a team that I’m convinced would have won the League that year. Derby won it when they were in Majorca or somewhere! I don’t blame Rodney… that season our luck changed and everything went against us. There was one game near the end where we should have had a couple of penalties for hand ball but because this was the season when we got that record number of penalties they weren’t given.
Thinking about the penalties, a lot has been made about you ‘diving’ but the factual evidence is that the majority of penalties were given for things like handball or fouls on other players. Nevertheless, the myths survive. So, big question, did you ever dive?
I couldn’t say that I always stayed on my feet unless I was absolutely knocked down. In those days you used to get some horrendous treatment by the defenders, but I will tell you that the season before those penalties we only had a couple, and before that I think it was one. The reason we got so many in 1971-72 is that they had changed the law, plus we were going for the title so we were putting sides under a lot of pressure and they reacted. I was fouled only 5 times out of the 13 league penalties we got.
When I was attacking I used to play the odds. If a defender was coming towards me I’d carry on, or I’d run towards the defender because there were only three things that could happen – he pulls me down, he gets the ball of me – well done, or I get a cracking shot at goal. So the odds were in my favour. You have to play them.
I think the reason people go on about penalties with me is because I was the one taking them. It didn’t seem to matter what they were given for, the headlines were that I had scored from a penalty. The season after I think we only got one penalty and by the time I moved to Derby they already had a penalty taker so that was it. I would say that for every dubious penalty that was awarded there were another twenty that we should have had.
Francis Lee’s first penalty for City January 1968 v Sheffield UnitedFrancis Lee scoring penalty v Manchester United 1971-72 season
Was the move to Derby something you really wanted?
No. By that time my business was substantial so going to Derby was going to cause problems. Derby offered City more than anyone else and so I went there. We won the title in my first season – I’d only signed a contract for a year – and they were a very good side, so I stayed with them for another season. The pitch was awful – even Maine Road’s pitch was better – but we could have won the European Cup that second season. We won the first leg of a tie with Real Madrid 4-1 but I missed the return because I’d been sent off in the Hunter incident against Leeds. We lost 5-1.
They actually changed the rule after that saying it was unfair to automatically ban a player from a European game after a domestic match when the player had yet to be proved to be guilty or not guilty. There wasn’t much chance of me being ‘not guilty’ – the footage was there for everyone to see!
There was that memorable game when you came back to Maine Road and scored for Derby at the Platt Lane end of the ground. I was in the stand that day and I remember a surreal moment when City fans cheered your goal. Did that happen or is it just my memory?
Yes, it did happen. Then I think they thought: “What have we done, he’s playing for them!”
I enjoyed my football and I loved scoring so when I scored and the film shows me smiling it was because I’d scored what I thought was a good goal. I picked it up with my back to the line, went through two people and on to score the goal. I loved the goal and it is true that everyone applauded. It had nothing to do with City or revenge or anything like that. I think I enjoyed about 95% of every game I ever played. It was fun. A great way to earn a living, so on that day I was happy.
People often suggest that City sold you too soon and that had you stayed a couple of seasons longer we might have won the title ourselves. Do you hold this view?
I think if I’d have stayed and Mike Summerbee – remember he was sold a year after me – then I do think we’d have mounted a serious challenge for the title. Mike had more to offer.
After two seasons at Derby you retired, but you were still relatively young. Why?
I had about 110 people working for me and my business was taking over. I was travelling all over the country for my business and was trying to fit the football training in as well. I needed to concentrate on the business. Had I been playing in Manchester or Bolton then I may have carried on. I was only 32. Derby wanted me to stay on, and I made a promise to Dave Mackay that if I was to return to football then I’d do it for him. Tommy Docherty tried to persuade me to join United but I’d made that promise and wouldn’t do it.
You developed your business interests and horse racing over the following twenty years, but then suddenly you were back, mounting takeover of City. Why?
I wasn’t really looking to get back into the game at all during those years. I had a good and successful career outside of the game and was happy. But the takeover was one of those things that happened. I should have known that it wouldn’t work. The biggest problem we faced at the start was having to build the new Kippax Stand. We ended up spending about £16m in the end – even removing the waste from underneath the old terracing should have cost only £80,000 but ended up costing about £1.8m. I thought then that I’d always been lucky in life and then suddenly my luck had changed. Everything we tried to do became an issue and the Kippax was a bit of a millstone.
It’s extraordinary when you think that at that time Jack Walker had put some money into Blackburn and Everton had had some money put into it, and we put money into City, but prior to that no one ever put money into a football club. They bought shares but never invested, we did invest. But the financial state of the club was appalling.
It strikes me that off the pitch things did improve significantly, but on the pitch we struggled. What’s your view?
People like John Dunkerley worked very hard during that spell and the training facilities were improved and so on. Then, just when we finished the Kippax Manchester Council started to talk to me about becoming tenants of the new stadium – now that turned out to be the best thing that happened to City during the decade that followed. We spent a lot of time working with them and talking with various people to make it happen. Full marks must go to the Council for having the foresight and it became very important for City to become anchor tenants. I think I had a lot of bad luck as Chairman and things certainly didn’t work on the pitch, but I do think that was one thing that the club got right.
Why did it fail on the field?
I don’t know. Maybe the footballers didn’t enjoy playing as much as they ought to have done. We also had a few problems with managers but I’d better not get into that.
Finally, many people claim the 1970 League Cup Final was your greatest City game, do you feel that?
I don’t view it like that. I don’t think of individual games in that way. My job was to score goals and win games, and so I look at my career and see what goals I’ve scored. You have to look at the club during your time there and see what that club won and what you contributed to the overall success of the club, not necessarily individual games.
My role was to make things happen, and if I was making things happen, especially if it was causing some aggravation for the opposition, then I was happy. When you hear the opposition players shouting things like: “don’t let him turn!” that’s a real pat on the back. You know you’re getting to them.
In terms of individual games or goals… I don’t see it in those terms. In the championship season I think one of the goals I scored at West Ham (18/11/67) was the best goal I’ve ever scored. I was playing against Bobby Moore and I think I had a fantastic game but, because they are trophy winning games in their own right, cup finals tend to be remembered mostly by others.
I always think that a top class player should go on to the pitch and have enough confidence in his own ability to know that it is very rare for him to have a bad game. It’s not arrogance or anything, but it is the mark of a top class player. If you go onto the pitch feeling that then more often than not you will have a good game. The next step is to take it up the levels until you walk on to the pitch believing you’ll have a great game and score a couple of goals. At City most of us developed that confidence and on some days, when the entire team was at that level, we had some tremendous games. That Newcastle title decider was like that.
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