Lee was awarded a CBE in 2016 for his contributions to charity and football.

Francis Lee, a former England and Manchester City striker, passed away at the age of 79.

Throughout his eight-year tenure with City, Lee scored 148 goals in 330 games, helping the team win several awards, including the 1968 First Division championship.

Lee, who began his professional career at Bolton Wanderers, moved from City to Derby County and assisted the Rams in capturing their second league championship in 1975.

He also played for England on 27 occasions and scored 10 goals.

Francis Lee, a former Manchester City player and chairman, passed away at the age of 79, the club said in a statement, calling him “a club legend in every sense” and one of City’s “all-time greats.”

Lee lost his battle with cancer on Monday morning, according to the club.

Lee also won the European Cup Winners’ Cup, the FA Cup, the League Cup, and the Charity Shield thrice while playing for City.

After a series of profitable business initiatives, he returned to the club in 1994 as chairman and served in that capacity for four years.

The rest of the statement said, “Francis’ wife Gill and children Charlotte, Jonny, and Nik say he will be sorely missed and would like to thank everyone for their kind words.”

“Everyone at Manchester City would like to offer their sympathies to Francis’ friends and family during this extremely trying period.

Flags at half-mast are flying around the City Football Academy and Etihad Stadium out of respect.

In the upcoming days, the club will pay more tributes.

Lee, who was born in Westhoughton, Lancashire, began his playing career with Bolton in 1959, when he made his debut as a 16-year-old.

Before joining City for a then-club-record £60,000 transfer price, he went on to score 106 goals in 210 appearances over the course of eight seasons.

“We are all shocked to hear of Francis Lee, a former striker, passing away at Bolton Wanderers. In this trying time, everyone at the club is thinking of Francis’ family, friends, and loved ones, according to a Bolton statement.

Lee joined Derby in 1974 after his illustrious tenure at City, where he scored 30 goals in two seasons before announcing his retirement.

We were shocked to find that Francis Lee, the 1974–1975 champion, had passed away. Our hearts go out to his family, friends, and everyone who knew him, read a statement from Derby.

At one point during his time with the Rams, Lee got into a fight with Leeds defender Norman Hunter, which resulted in the two of them being ejected from the field and being escorted off.

The video was shown on Match of the Day and is often shared on social media; it has amassed hundreds of millions of views on sites like YouTube and TikTok.

Lee remarked, “It’s a good thing I didn’t get in the dressing room afterwards.

“I could have recently been released on parole. You know it wasn’t acting, either. He punched me, split my lip with a gold ring, and patted me on the shoulder.

After retiring, Lee began a series of business enterprises. He first worked in the wastepaper and haulage industries before moving on to produce toilet paper, kitchen paper, handkerchiefs, cooking foil, and cling film. Eventually, he supplied the majority of the UK’s main shops.

His firm, F.H. Lee, combined with Hazelwood Foods in 1985, and the multi-million pound enterprise was sold in 2000.

Due to his commercial success, Lee returned to City as chairman in 1994, but the tenure was mainly unsuccessful, and he left the club in 1998 as it was about to be relegated to the third division.

Lee was awarded a CBE by the Duke of Cambridge in 2016 for his contributions to charity and athletics.

‘A gentleman with a great sense of humour’

On social media, friends, past football players, and analysts have offered Lee heartfelt condolences.

Paul Dickov, a former City striker, expressed his sadness at Francis Lee’s loss. a classy, well-mannered football fan with a wonderful sense of humor.

“His unwavering devotion to the team was the key factor in convincing me to join Man City, and I will always be thankful. Love and sympathy to all of his family and friends. Goodbye, Mr. Chairman.

Ricky Hatton, a City supporter and former world boxing champion, expressed his sadness over Francis (Franny) Lee’s loss. What a legendary football player and person overall.