Trevor Francis - Million Pound Man or Myth? [Archive]

Toon Army

07-01-2005, 10:48

Now I may well have dreamed this, but I seem to recall hearing a story that Cloughie refused to shell out the £1m transfer fee for Trev by giving Birmingham 2p change thus technically making his tranfer fee £999,999.99

Does anyone know if there is any truth to this or if I need to see a psychotherapist?

Pisces Iscariot

07-01-2005, 11:17

I've heard the story but I have no idea whether it's true or not. Apparently Cloughie didn't want Francis getting big headed.

kjn6371

07-01-2005, 13:28

If true who was the Million pound man then?, Steve Daley perhaps?

statto

07-01-2005, 20:09

Now I may well have dreamed this, but I seem to recall hearing a story that Cloughie refused to shell out the £1m transfer fee for Trev by giving Birmingham 2p change thus technically making his tranfer fee £999,999.99

Does anyone know if there is any truth to this or if I need to see a psychotherapist?

I'd heard this story, but it was £999,999.00

Tafsir

07-01-2005, 20:23

yeh but the guy was worth every penny at the time

Kai

08-01-2005, 07:05

Now I may well have dreamed this, but I seem to recall hearing a story that Cloughie refused to shell out the £1m transfer fee for Trev by giving Birmingham 2p change thus technically making his tranfer fee £999,999.99

Does anyone know if there is any truth to this or if I need to see a psychotherapist?

Dunno if this is true or not, but your maths needs sorting out! :p

andybhoy

08-01-2005, 07:15

I'm sure there was something like this in the Matt Busby Autobigraphy. He signed a player (can't remember off the top of my head - possibly from Celtic) for £1 under a threshold (like 1000, or 10000 or something), then he tipped the tea lady a quid on the way out.

rawowl

08-01-2005, 09:08

Jimmy Greaves went to AC Milan for £999,999.99 due to a cap on above 1 million pound transfers. Im pretty sure Francis was the first £1 million british transfer.

carlmcg

08-01-2005, 15:09

I know someone who signed for Birmingham a couple of years after the Francis transfer and got 50 grand in a brown bag, nudge nudge wink wink, say no more... So I'd imagine that you will never actually know the REAL price involved.

david080664

11-01-2005, 07:48

Jimmy Greaves went to AC Milan for £999,999.99 due to a cap on above 1 million pound transfers. Im pretty sure Francis was the first £1 million british transfer.

I doubt very much whether anybody paid that much for Jimmy Greaves or any other player in the 1960's

mjb1975

11-01-2005, 09:56

I seem to recall some odd amount though - was it 10% of that, £99,999?

mikeh1982

11-01-2005, 10:30

Sir Bill bought him to spurs from Milan for 99,999.
Te fa claim that Francis was britain's first £1m player, so looks like it could be true, fact it says Britains and not the first makes me think that someone else was first, and another site i found suggested that someone signed for Barca in 73 for £1m

this is quite interesting, tho dont know how truthful
http://www.footballtransfers.info/records/historical.html

david080664

14-01-2005, 04:56

I think it is true that Francis was GBP999,999, I was under the impression that Steve Daly (Wolves to Man City) was the first Briitish 1m player.

Euripedes

15-01-2005, 13:14

I think it is true that Francis was GBP999,999, I was under the impression that Steve Daly (Wolves to Man City) was the first Briitish 1m player.

This was after the Francis transfer - It is widely accepted that Francis (ie Beelzebub) was Britains first £1M pound player.

rawowl

15-01-2005, 13:25

I doubt very much whether anybody paid that much for Jimmy Greaves or any other player in the 1960's

Yep im a numpty :doh: Should really do my research :)