- Lee, affectionately known as ‘Franny’, scored 148 goals in 330 appearances for City
- He also played for Bolton and Derby and won 27 caps for England
Former Manchester City striker and chairman Francis Lee has died aged 79.
Lee, who scored 148 goals in 330 appearances for the club before serving as chairman for four years in 1994, died in the early hours of Monday morning after a long battle with cancer.
Described as one of City’s all-time greats, Lee won the First Division, FA Cup, League Cup and European Cup Winners’ Cup during eight years at the club. He also earned 27 England caps.
“Franny passed away in the early hours this morning after a long battle with cancer,” City said in a statement.
“His wife Gill and children Charlotte, Jonny and Nik say he will be greatly missed and would like to thank everyone for their kind words.
Former Man City legend and chairman Francis Lee has died aged 79
Lee was one of City’s most famous players, scoring 148 goals in 300 appearances for the club
“Everyone at Manchester City would like to send their condolences to Francis’ friends and family at this very difficult time.
‘As a sign of respect, the flags around the Etihad Stadium and the City Football Academy will be flown at half-mast.
“There will be more tributes from the club in the coming days.”
Lee started his career at Bolton Wanderers before signing for City in 1967 for a then record fee of £60,000. He later joined Derby County and helped the Rams win the league title in 1975.
He was the club’s top scorer for five consecutive seasons, from 1969/70 to 1973/74, and helped City win a number of trophies.
Lee became a businessman when he retired in 1976 and also dabbled in horse training. He later served as City chairman from 1994 to 1998.
