George Francis (footballer) facts for kids
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | George Edward Francis | ||
| Date of birth | 4 February 1934 | ||
| Place of birth | Acton, England | ||
| Date of death | 22 October 2014 (aged 80) | ||
| Place of death | Slough, England | ||
| Position(s) | Centre forward | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1949–1955 | Brentford | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1955–1961 | Brentford | 228 | (110) |
| 1961 | Queens Park Rangers | 2 | (1) |
| 1961–1962 | Brentford | 32 | (14) |
| 1962–1964 | Gillingham | 51 | (19) |
| 1964–1965 | Hastings United | ||
| Hillingdon Borough | |||
| Stevenage Town | |||
| Total | 398 | (144) | |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
George Edward Francis (born 4 February 1934 – died 22 October 2014) was an English professional footballer. He played as a centre forward and is best known for his time with Brentford. George is part of the Brentford Hall of Fame. He was very close friends with fellow player Jim Towers. Their strong teamwork on the field earned them the nickname 'The Terrible Twins'.
Contents
George Francis's Football Journey
Starting Out in Football
George Francis began playing football as a schoolboy. He played for a team from the Odeon cinema in his hometown of Acton. He often played against Jim Towers, who was on the team from the local Gaumont cinema. Later, these two friends would play together as professionals for Brentford. George also played for the Acton, Brentford & Chiswick schools' team.
Playing for Brentford
George joined the junior team at Second Division club Brentford in 1949. He chose Brentford over an offer from Blackburn Rovers. He moved up to the youth team. In January 1953, he signed his first professional contract.
He made his first team debut in 1955. This was in a Third Division South game against Walsall on 19 February. George had an amazing start, scoring a late goal to make the game a 2–2 draw. He played two more games that season and scored another goal.
During the 1955–56 season, George played more often. He made 18 appearances and scored eight goals. This is when his strong partnership with Jim Towers really began. In the 1956–57 season, he became a regular player. He scored 24 goals in 44 games.
His best season was in 1959–60. He played in every game and scored 31 goals in 48 appearances. A special moment was scoring a hat-trick (three goals in one game). This happened in a 4–2 win against their rivals Queens Park Rangers at their home ground, Loftus Road.
After the 1960–61 season, George and Jim Towers left Brentford. George had scored 121 goals in 243 games over six years for the first team at Griffin Park.
Short Time at Queens Park Rangers
In May 1961, George Francis and Jim Towers both joined Third Division club Queens Park Rangers. George didn't stay long at this club. He scored three goals in three games before leaving in October 1961.
Back to Brentford
George returned to Brentford in October 1961. He quickly got his place back in the team. He scored 14 league goals, but it wasn't enough to stop Brentford from moving down to the Fourth Division. He left the club at the end of that season. He had played 37 games and scored 15 goals during his short return.
Across both his times at Brentford, George Francis played 280 games and scored 136 goals. He was the fourth fastest player to score 50 goals for the club. In March 2014, he was added to the Brentford Hall of Fame.
Time at Gillingham
In August 1962, George signed for Fourth Division club Gillingham. He scored 12 goals in 35 league games during the 1962–63 season. However, Gillingham just missed out on promotion, finishing fifth. Five months into the season, his old friend Jim Towers also joined Gillingham.
George played 16 games and scored seven goals during the 1963–64 season. He scored the winning goal against Newport County on the last day of the season. This win helped Gillingham become the champions of the Fourth Division. He left the club after this season. He had scored 21 goals in 58 games for Gillingham.
Playing in Non-League Football
After leaving Gillingham, George Francis played for teams outside the main professional leagues. He finished his career with spells at Southern League clubs like Hastings United, Hillingdon Borough, and Stevenage Town.
George Francis's Life Outside Football
George Francis completed his National Service (military duty) in Germany. He served alongside Jim Towers in the Royal Irish Fusiliers. After he stopped playing football, George became a black cab driver in London. He also held a season ticket to watch games at Stamford Bridge stadium. George Francis passed away on 22 October 2014, at Wexham Park Hospital in Slough, after an illness. He was 80 years old.
Career Statistics
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Brentford | 1954–55 | Third Division South | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | 3 | 2 | |
| 1955–56 | Third Division South | 17 | 7 | 1 | 1 | — | 18 | 8 | ||
| 1956–57 | Third Division South | 41 | 23 | 3 | 1 | — | 44 | 24 | ||
| 1957–58 | Third Division South | 45 | 22 | 1 | 0 | — | 46 | 22 | ||
| 1958–59 | Third Division | 45 | 22 | 4 | 2 | — | 49 | 24 | ||
| 1959–60 | Third Division | 46 | 26 | 2 | 5 | — | 48 | 31 | ||
| 1960–61 | Third Division | 31 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 35 | 10 | |
| Total | 228 | 110 | 13 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 243 | 121 | ||
| Queens Park Rangers | 1961–62 | Third Division | 2 | 1 | — | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | |
| Brentford | 1961–62 | Third Division | 32 | 14 | 5 | 1 | — | 37 | 15 | |
| Total | 260 | 124 | 18 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 280 | 136 | ||
| Gillingham | 1962–63 | Fourth Division | 35 | 12 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 39 | 13 |
| 1963–64 | Fourth Division | 16 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 19 | 8 | |
| Total | 51 | 19 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 58 | 21 | ||
| Career total | 311 | 143 | 21 | 13 | 6 | 3 | 338 | 159 | ||
Awards and Achievements
Gillingham
- Football League Fourth Division: 1963–64 (Champions)
Individual Awards
- Brentford Hall of Fame
