Gerry Francis (footballer, born 1933)

Last updated

Gerry Francis
Personal information
Date of birth (1933-12-06) 6 December 1933 (age 90)
Place of birth Johannesburg, South Africa
Position(s) Right winger
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
1957–1961 Leeds United 52 (9)
1961–1962 York City 16 (4)
1962-1964 Tonbridge
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Gerry Francis (born 6 December 1933) is a former professional footballer who played as a right winger for Leeds United, York City and Tonbridge Angels. He was the first black footballer to play for Leeds.

Contents

Playing career

Francis, who was a shoe-repairer from South Africa, began his footballing career in England as an amateur with Leeds United before being given a professional contract in July 1957. He made his debut in the 1959–60 season, becoming the first black footballer to play for Leeds. He joined a declining side that was relegated at the end of the 1959–60 season and despite a spectacular goal against Everton in October 1959 and a memorable performance in a 3–2 victory at Lincoln City in December 1960, he struggled to make an impression and was released in October 1961 to join York City where he scored four goals in 16 appearances in the 1961–62 season. [1]

Personal life

In 1962, Francis married a Trinidadian-born bookkeeper. Together they had two children, born in 1968 and 1973. In 1971, Francis and his children migrated to Toronto, Canada. He currently resides with his wife of 57 years, children and two grandchildren.

Playing statistics

ClubLeagueFA CupLeague CupTotal
Apps (goals)Apps (goals)Apps (goals)Apps (goals)
Leeds United46 (9)1 (0)3 (0)50 (9)
York City16 (4)

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Charles</span> Welsh footballer and manager

William John Charles was a Welsh footballer who played as a centre-forward or as a centre-back. Best known for his first stint at Leeds United and Juventus, he was rated by many as the greatest all-round footballer ever to come from Wales. Charles is sometimes considered to be one of the greatest footballers in history.

Anthony Yeboah is a Ghanaian former professional footballer who played as a striker.

Allan John Clarke, nicknamed "Sniffer", is a former professional footballer who played in the Football League for Walsall, Fulham, Leicester City, Leeds United and Barnsley, and won 19 international caps for England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roger Hunt</span> English footballer (1938–2021)

Roger Hunt was an English professional footballer who played as a forward.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Albert Johanneson</span> South African footballer

Albert Louis Johanneson was a South African professional footballer who was one of the first high-profile black men, of any nationality, to play top-flight football in England. He is recognised as being the first person of African heritage to play in the FA Cup final, in 1965 for Leeds United.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lloyd Sam</span> Ghanaian international footballer (born 1984)

Lloyd Ekow Sam is a former Ghanaian international footballer who played as a winger. Since 2023, he has been a match analyst for MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. He previously served as the color commentator for MLS club Charlotte FC. As a player, he was comfortable playing on either side of the pitch. Born in England to Ghanaian parents, Sam represented England internationally once at U20 level; however, he represented Ghana at the senior level.

Thomas Younger was a Scottish footballer who played as a goalkeeper for Hibernian, Liverpool, Falkirk, Leeds United, Stoke City and the Scotland national team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cliff Jones (Welsh footballer)</span> Welsh footballer (born 1935)

Clifford William Jones is a Welsh former footballer. During his career, he played as a winger and was capped 59 times for Wales national team. He was also a crucial member of Tottenham Hotspur's 1960–61 double-winning side.

Donald Patrick Weston was an English professional footballer who played as a centre forward for many football teams during the 1950s and 1960s.

Noel Peyton is an Irish former professional footballer who played as an inside left for Shamrock Rovers, Leeds United and York City, and for the Republic of Ireland national football team.

Neil Fox MBE is an English former professional rugby league footballer and player-coach who played in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, and coached in the 1970s and 1980s.

George Edward Francis was an English professional footballer, best remembered for his two spells as a centre forward in the Football League with Brentford. He is a member of the Brentford Hall of Fame and is synonymous with Jim Towers – their close friendship and strike partnership saw the pair dubbed 'The Terrible Twins'.

Ronald McDonald Sinclair is a Scottish former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper.

Frederick Ian Allison Lawson is an English former professional footballer who played for Burnley, Leeds United, Crystal Palace and Port Vale in the 1950s and 1960s. He scored 34 goals in 99 league games in a 12-year career in the English Football League. He won the First Division title with Burnley in 1959–60, and won the Second Division title with Leeds United in 1963–64.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roy Francis (rugby)</span> Welsh RL coach and former GB & Wales international rugby league footballer

Roy Francis was a Welsh rugby union, and professional rugby league footballer and coach of the mid 20th century. He was the first Black British professional coach in any sport. Francis was also a highly accomplished player, scoring 229 tries in his 356 career games, chiefly as a wing. A Great Britain and Wales national representative three-quarter back, he played for English clubs Wigan, Barrow, Dewsbury, Warrington and Hull F.C. Francis then became a coach with Hull F.C. Renowned for his innovative coaching methods, he was regarded as a visionary, leading Hull to title success before going on to win the Challenge Cup with Leeds. He then broke further ground by moving on to coach in Australia with the North Sydney Bears before another brief stint at Leeds, and then Bradford Northern.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Albert Firth</span> English rugby league footballer

Albert Firth, also known by the nickname of "Budgie", was an English professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1950s and 1960s. He played at representative level for Yorkshire, and at club level for Stanley Rangers ARLFC, Wakefield Trinity, York and Leeds, as a prop, or second-row, i.e. number 8 or 10, or, 11 or 12, during the era of contested scrums.

John Aloysius Paton was a Scottish professional football player, manager, coach, scout and later a professional snooker referee. He began his career in Scotland with Celtic and played in the Football League for Chelsea, Brentford and Watford. Paton later managed Watford and Arsenal 'A'.

Anthony Norman Collins was an English football player, manager and scout, who played as a left winger. He managed Rochdale between 1960 and 1967, becoming the first black manager in the Football League and leading them to the 1962 Football League Cup Final, their only major final appearance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charlie Taylor (footballer, born 1993)</span> English footballer

Charles James Taylor is an English professional footballer who plays as a left back for Premier League club Burnley. He is a former England U19 international.

Jack David Harrison is an English professional footballer who plays as a winger for Premier League club Everton, on loan from EFL Championship club Leeds United.

References

  1. "Leeds United F.C. History". Leeds United F.C. History. Retrieved 16 January 2017.