Football: Blues v Villa - Trev bets it'll be a Blue heaven.Byline: GRAHAM HILL Parameter not given Error... ''Template needs its first parameter as beg[in], mid[dle], or end. Parameter not given Error... TREVOR Francis Trevor John Francis (born April 19, 1954 in Boxhill, Plymouth, England), was a noted footballer and England's first £1 million player. He has also been a football manager. Francis is now working as a pundit with Sky Sports. is backing Blues to finish above Aston Villa this season - and has put his money where his mouth is. The former Blues boss, sacked from St Andrew's two years ago this week, believes Steve Bruce's men have what it takes to maintain their current supremacy SUPREMACY. Sovereign dominion, authority, and preeminence; the highest state. In the United States, the supremacy resides in the people, and is exercises by their constitutional representatives, the president and congress. Vide Sovereignty. over the Villa Park Villa Park, village (1990 pop. 22,253), Du Page co., NE Ill.; inc. 1914. It is a residential suburb W of Chicago. team. And Francis is so confident he is right that he has had a bet with former Villa striker Andy Gray. Merits 'Blues would love to finish above Villa again this season and if they win this game the gap between the sides increases still further,' said Francis. 'I've had a little bet with Andy Gray that Blues will finish above Villa this season. 'He's gone for Villa. We got together when I came to St Andrew's to do the Fulham match for Sky. 'Before the game, we were discussing the merits of the two sides and he believes that Villa will do well. But I dis- agreed and so we had the bet. He's very confident, but if Blues win again then my bet looks even safer! 'But, for the Blues supporters, the highlight of last season was doing the double over Villa and that will be uppermost in the fans' minds again. And Blues have made a better start so far.' Francis has fond memories of his clashes with Villa as a player - and not just with Blues. It was 1969 when Francis leaped to fame as a 16-year-old boy wonder when he scored four goals on his full debut against Bolton. And he never looked back after that, but the Villa games remain vivid in his memory. 'I remember playing against Villa in a match when Andy Gray had to drop back and play as a defender,' said Francis. 'He ended up bringing me down and conceding a penalty. To this day, he maintains it wasn't a foul. But I scored in front of the Villa fans who were in the Railway End.' Francis takes equal satisfaction from a visit to Villa Park in 1989 with QPR QPR Queens Park Rangers (football club) QPR Quarterly Progress Report QPR Quadrature Partial Response QPR Quarterly Performance Review QPR Question, Persuade, Refer (suicide prevention program) . He scored a hat-trick that day and silenced the Holte End. 'I was pleased because I was 35 - almost twice as old as I was when I got my goals against Bolton,' recalled Francis. 'I can't think of anyone else who's scored three goals in the top division at that age. Boring 'So it was very satisfying to do it at Villa Park when I was being given a hard time by the Holte End because of my time at Blues. 'I still get stick every time I go back, even when I'm working with Sky. 'I was there a couple of years ago for a match against Arsenal and they were singing 'Trevor Francis is a ******'. The game was very boring so at one point I looked out of the box, turned to the fans and yawned. They thought it was funny and it raised a laugh.' CAPTION(S): BETTING MAN... former Blues favourite Trevor Francis fancies them to outshine out·shine v. out·shone , out·shin·ing, out·shines v.tr. 1. a. To shine brighter than. b. To be more beautiful, splendid, or flamboyant than. 2. Villa |
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