Bronze statue of Birmingham City legend Trevor Francis unveiled
Carrott said Francis had been "more than just a footballer", adding he was a fantastic human being and it had been a "privilege" to know him.Several former teammates who played alongside Francis were also there as club chief executive Jeremy Dale unveiled the statue, created by sculptor Douglas Jennings.
"He wasn't just a footballer, he was our footballer," Dale said."Trevor, speaking personally , was my boyhood hero. He was the kind of player who made you fall in love with the beautiful game."Speaking of Francis in his time as manager of the Blues, he said he gave people "pride, passion and a belief that this club could rise".
Francis made his debut for Birmingham as a 16-year-old and became British football's first £1m player when he left the Blues to join Forest in 1979.A few weeks later, he scored the winning goal as Forest won the first of their two successive European Cups.Garry Birtles, who played alongside Francis at Nottingham Forest, described him as "one of the most unassuming people you could ever meet" and "a joy to be with".
Jasper Carrott hosted a sell-out memorial concert in to honour Francis as "a proper send-off" for his friend at the Symphony Hall in Birmingham earlier this year.Money raised went to the Trevor Francis Foundation, part of the Birmingham City Foundation, to fund two football tournaments for local children.
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