The classy player who broke transfer barrier four decades ago

With football transfer fees going into orbit these days the sad death of England star Trevor Francis this week at the age of 69 is a reminder of how things have changed since the days he became Britain’s first £1 million player four decades ago.

Tributes have poured in for Francis, all of them reflecting that he was not only a superb football talent but also a very nice guy despite his fame. Gary Lineker spoke for many when he observed “he was a wonderful footballer and a lovely man.”

In 1979 Francis was transferred from Birmingham City to Brian Clough’s Nottingham Forest for the record fee which stunned the media and fans alike. The previous record had been half of that sum. The Sunday Times…