Brentford Football Club is very sad to report the death of legendary forward George Francis, aged 80.

George died yesterday, Wednesday October 22, at Wexham Park Hospital in Slough, after a long fight with bowel cancer.

He is the second highest goalscorer in the Club’s history, behind former strike partner Jim Towers.

Francis joined the club as a junior with Towers, signing professional forms in January 1953.

The Acton-born forward would have to wait until February 19 1955 to make his First Team debut, which came in a Division Three (South) match against Walsall.

Francis made a dream start to his Bees career, scoring a late equaliser in a 2-2 draw.

He would play 18 matches the following season, scoring eight goals, in which his partnership with Towers started to blossom over the rest of the decade.

Towers and Francis would become known as the ‘Terrible Twins’, with their partnership yielding over 250 goals between them.

His best season came in 1959/60, when he scored 31 goals in 48 games league and cup games, featuring as an ever-present.

Francis and Towers were both sold to Queens Park Rangers in the summer of 1961 for £8,000, which came as a shock to most Brentford supporters.

He returned to Griffin Park in October 1961 after making only two appearances for Rangers, but was sold to Gillingham on the eve of the 1962/63 season, where he won a Fourth Division Championship medal in 1964.

Overall, he made 260 league appearances for Brentford, scoring 124 goals.

Francis was inducted into the Brentford FC Hall of Fame in March this year at the Club’s home game with Bradford City.

Brentford FC sends its deepest condolences George’s family and friends at this time.