Trevor Francis said losing his beloved wife to breast 癌 was 'toughest challenge' he ever 直面するd: £1m football legend 明らかにする／漏らすd his loneliness when his childhood sweetheart died after 43 years of marriage

• e-mail

Football 広大な／多数の／重要な Trevor Francis will be remembered by most for his incredible 技術 on the pitch ? but he credited his enormous success to his late wife Helen.

In modern times 最高の，を越す players at the pinnacle of their careers are often linked to a different women every week.

But when Trevor and Helen ? a hairdresser - got married in 1974 it was forever and the start of a blissful union that would last 43 years.

She had 逮捕（する）d his heart when they met as 十代の少年少女s in Spain and he rang everyone with her 指名する in the phone 調書をとる／予約する to find her again.?

In the end it was only the 悲劇 of the breast 癌 that took her life in 2017 that saw them parted.

And her death broke the heart of the Nottingham Forest legend, whose unparalleled abilities made him the 首相 League's モミs t £1million player.

Speaking in 2019, he told the Mail: 'It's so hard because of the 深い love I had for Helen and also because I am useless in the house. She did everything for me. I don't mind admitting that.

Trevor Francis with his wife Helen and the European Cup at Munich airport the morning after Forest had beaten Malmo 1-0 in the European Cup Final at the Olympic Stadium in Munich, May 31, 1979

First class travel for England striker Trevor Francis with his wife Helen …を伴ってd by Jimmy Hill in 巨大な jet

Trevor Francis with wife Helen and family outside their house looking so happy and in love

TV Pundit Trevor Francis looks on during the Barclays 首相 League match between Aston 郊外住宅 and Sunderland

'All of a sudden I am living by myself and I suppose I never 熟視する／熟考するd this would ever happen. It is a tougher challenge than anything I ever 直面するd on a football field.'

'I didn't think Helen and I would ever stop. She was my best friend and I couldn't have done any of what I did without her.

'We were married 43 years. You know, every day is difficult. I do get やめる lonely. But I am trying to adapt. I have to.'

It had been love at first sight for Trevor after he met her when he had been just 18 in Marbella.

But the former Birmingham City 星／主役にする lost her number when he returned home to the UK.

He could not get her out of his 長，率いる and knew she was from Llanelli and a hairdresser so （機の）カム up with a 計画（する） to find her.

Trevor said: 'I decided to call them all. I 推定するd there would be four or five in the town.

'There were more than 30.

Trevor Francis And Wife Helen Try The New Holdsworth Bikes and seemed to be fans in 1979

Trevor Francis with his wife Helen in their home at Balsall ありふれた 支援する on April 7 in 1977

Trevor Francis and his wife Helen celebrate 持つ／拘留するing the European Cup at the party after Forest had beaten Malmo 1-0

'In pre-season at Birmingham I would go to a phone kiosk and put my 2p in and call them all one by one.

'It was: 'Excuse me do you have a Helen working for you?'.

'Then: 'Sorry we don't know that nam e'.

'Move on. Another one. Same answer. Move on. Then, after 15 試みる／企てるs, I 設立する her.

'That was the start of our 関係. We were inseparable from that moment on.'

But things became more difficult for her when they went to Forest and Trevor became the million-続けざまに猛撃する-man.

He 解任するd people started becoming jealous of her and would 令状 to them asking for money.

Trevor said: 'People were very envious of her. The way she was dressed. Her looks. The wife of the first million-続けざまに猛撃する footballer.

Former Birmingham City footballer Trevor Francis with his wife, Helen, and Nottingham Forest 経営者／支配人 Brian Clough at the City Ground Nottingham after becoming Britain's most expensive player

星／主役にする striker Francis 調印するd for £1million for Brian Clough's Nottingham Forest in February 1979

Francis 提起する／ポーズをとるs with his wife Helen after moving to Nottingham Forest from Birmingham City

'Then the begging letters started from all over the countr y asking for money. Then the fur coat she wore attracted letters from the animal 権利s people. Then others would say she was spending her husband's money on 着せる／賦与するs. She was young, only 25. It was hard.

'But as she got その上の into football she 常習的な to it. She （機の）カム to just about every game I played. She used to get requests for interviews from fashion magazines and stuff but she always said no. She just 手配中の，お尋ね者 to support me.

'She had 広大な／多数の／重要な family values. Family always （機の）カム first. Our two boys she idolised but there was only one No 1 and that was me. She made sure I knew that.'

After Helen's death 尊敬の印s from everyone who had met her were paid in her honour.

Comedian Jasper Carrott said:?'Helen was a remarkable lady.

'In the last few years, her courage and fighting spirit was beyond belief.

'I have known Helen for over 40 years and the loss is heart-wrenching.'