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Francis Lee: Biography, Facts and Career

Who is Francis Lee? An evergreen, sourced profile: biography, key facts and career.

By the Pop Culture Files editorial team4 min read✓ Fact-checked
Francis Lee
Panini via Wikimedia Commons · Public domain

Francis Henry Lee (29 April 1944 – 2 October 2023), also known as Franny Lee, was an English professional footballer and businessman. He was also later the chairman and main shareholder of Manchester City, as well as briefly a racehorse trainer and amateur cricket player. A striker, he played for Bolton Wanderers, Manchester City, Derby County and the England national team. Noted for his speed and determination, he scored more than 200 goals in his career, in which he won League Championship medals with Manchester City and Derby. In 2010, he was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame. Lee holds the English record for the greatest number of penalties scored in a season, a feat that earned him the nickname "Lee 1 (Pen)", because that was the way his name often seemed to appear on the list of goal scorers for City in the match results listings of the Sunday papers. This led to accusations of diving. One such accusation, by Leeds United's Norman Hunter, led to an on-pitch fight. In 1966, Lee founded F. H. Lee Ltd, a firm that recycled paper to manufacture products such as kitchen roll and toilet paper. It operated until 2003 and made him a millionaire. In 1994, Lee became the major shareholder and chairman of Manchester City, but stepped down four years later.

Quick facts about Francis Lee

  • Full name: Francis Lee
  • Born: 1944-04-29
  • Nationality: United Kingdom
  • Known as: Athlete
  • Wikidata ID: Q657352

Profile compiled from public Wikipedia and Wikidata data. Details can change over time.

Frequently asked questions

Who is Francis Lee?

Francis Henry Lee (29 April 1944 – 2 October 2023), also known as Franny Lee, was an English professional footballer and businessman.

What nationality is Francis Lee?

Francis Lee is United Kingdom.

When was Francis Lee born?

Francis Lee was born on 1944-04-29.

Sources

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