The inside story of football's first millionaire - Francis Lee's autobiography

A classic blood and thunder encounter, between Derby and Leeds United, saw the Rams running out 3-2 winners, but it’s the punch-up between Francis Lee and Norman Hunter early in the second half, with the score at 2-1, that is still regularly aired on You Tube.

Or should I say punch-ups? After the initial fracas which saw both sent off by referee Derek Nippard and Lee needing stitches after his lip was cut by Hunter’s gold ring, the footballing pugilists then went toe to toe again on their way back to the dressing room, Lee throwing jabs and hooks more akin to Alan Minter than Alan Ball.

But it’s testament to the late Lee’s (he sadly died of lung cancer in 2023) colourful life and career that this incident doesn’t turn up until page 244 in his excellent, newly released autobiography Triumphs, Treachery and Toilet Rolls.

Lee, a prolific ‘winner’ of penalty kicks in the 60s and 70s, once dubbed by a wag in the crowd at Old Trafford as “The greatest diver since Jacques Cousteau”, was far more than just a footballer; a devoted family man, alongside his footballing career he ran a successful business waste paper and toilet roll empire that would have given Sir Alan Sugar a run for his money, and he was also a successful racehorse trainer, both over the jumps and on the flat.

He later returned to Manchester City, the club where as a player he won extensive silverware, as chairman, overseeing the origins of City’s groundbreaking move away from Maine Road before effectively being ousted in boardroom coup as City dropped to the third tier of English football for the first time in their history.

And he was chosen in arguably the greatest ever England squad, that which went to the Mexico World Cup in 1970. This era included topping the pop charts, and the book gives his insight into the eventful, yet ultimately unsuccessful, attempt by Sir Alf Ramsey’s men to retain the Jules Rimet trophy.

Bobby Moore’s arrest in Colombia, Gordon Banks alleged food poisoning on the eve of England’s quarter-final showdown with bitter rivals West Germany at Leon, where they surrendered a 2-0 lead with 20 minutes left to exit 3-2 after extra time, are all included. The game which ended Sir Bobby Charlton’s international career, potentially started Sir Alf Ramsey’s exit narrative less than four years later and apparently influenced the result of the UK General Election less than a week later.

Written alongside acclaimed Fleet Street scribe Bill Bradshaw Triumphs, Treachery and Toilet Rolls is a fascinating read from cover to cover, a unique insight into the life of one of English football’s most iconic figures.

Despite his natural footballing talent, it shows how Lee was a traditional all-rounder with his business acumen and smart thinking helping to turn him into English football’s first millionaire.

Triumphs, Treachery and Toilet Rolls, written by Francis Lee with Bill Bradshaw, is published by Pitch, RRP £25 from all good bookshops or available online at www.pitchpublishing.co.uk