Even now, with run-of-the-mill transfers including more zeros than a UK Eurovision scorecard, the move made by Trevor Francis 40 years ago has a captivating quality.

Francis scored the winning goal in a European Cup final, won a Super Cup, a Coppa Italia and League Cups north and south of the border, earning 52 England caps. But, as Francis recognises himself, he will forever be remembered as the first £1million player. 

‘Whenever I go to a sporting occasion,’ he says, ‘that is how I’m always introduced.’ Francis moved from Birmingham to Nottingham Forest on February 9, 1979, and although Brian Clough tries to claim otherwise, broke the British record as a seven-figure fee.

Trevor Francis (left) became the Britain’s first million pound player when Nottingham Forest boss Brian Clough (right) brought him to the club from Birmingham City in February 1979

Clough famously insisted to the media he had only paid £999,999 to bring Francis to the club

Clough famously insisted he only paid £999,999 – a symbolic success over Birmingham’s demands. But Francis can separate the myth from reality. ‘Brian was very clever with the media,’ he told the Guardian. ‘He used to make headlines, and wasn’t bothered whether they were true or not.

‘Birmingham insisted that the fee had to be a million pounds and nothing less, which eliminated many possible prospective buyers.’ 

Colin Barrett, who played full-back in that Forest side, shared a similar experience with Sportsmail last year. ‘At the end of the season Clough said, “We’ll sign you. But I’m not paying the fee.” The fee was £30,000, so he paid £29,000. That was his little victory.’ 

In any case as far as Francis was concerned, taxes and additional fees took the price to around £1.15m, which more than doubled the previous high of Middlesbrough’s David Mills going to West Bromwich Albion for £516,000. 

Francis dives to head past Malmo keeper Jan Moller in the European Cup final in May 1979

Francis and Nottingham Forest captain John McGovern hold up the European Cup after the win

Liverpool had received a similar amount for selling Kevin Keegan to Hamburg in summer 1977. So the Francis transfer was staggering, even before the romance of One Million made it eternally appreciated.

Francis was Birmingham’s poster boy. He had made his debut at 16 and scored 119 goals in 280 league appearances in eight years but never lifted silverware.

That desire ate away at him over the seasons and he repeatedly asked to leave. Birmingham turned down six transfer requests in total. 

‘I’ve not won a thing and without being unkind to the club it doesn’t look as if we’re going to win anything in the future,’ he said at the time.

But Jim Smith’s arrival as manager in 1978 shifted Birmingham’s resistance. He made a promise to Francis that if the team were not challenging for honours after Christmas he would enable a move. By February Smith’s side had only eight points and he stayed true to his word.

Birmingham accepted the bid from Forest, with Coventry the only other club offering the required amount. Liverpool were priced out.

Coventry chairman Jimmy Hill proposed a joint-ownership scheme with Detroit Express, the American team he controlled. Francis had earned about £50,000 for a 22-game loan spell with Detroit in the summer or 1978.

But even before meeting with Clough and Peter Taylor he knew his decision. So Clough’s unique methods of persuasion were in fact inconsequential.

‘I was rather nervous at the thought of negotiating my transfer with him but when I got there, he was playing squash with Garry Birtles and kept me waiting for an hour,’ Francis relays in 150 BC: Cloughie the Inside Stories, by Dave Armitage. 

Clough kept Francis waiting for an hour to discuss his deal as he was playing a game of squash

Standing on a balcony at County Hall, looking out at the River Trent, Francis shows the trophy

‘It was his way of playing the whole thing down.’ When the talks did take place they took five hours but everyone emerged satisfied. 

Taylor said: ‘We can afford to pay prices like this because of good management in the past. We believe Trevor is the most exciting player in the country at this moment. If we mess this up we may as well emigrate.’ 

Francis has spoken of Taylor’s comic role in the partnership. He has said: ‘No-one should underestimate the part that Taylor played. The two of them were a tremendous double act playing one off against the other.’ 

Francis phoned Coventry manager Gordon Milne to inform him of his intentions, feeling it right he should know first, but then had to wait for his Forest debut. He was ineligible for the League Cup final against Southampton in March, and also the European Cup quarter-final against Grasshoppers.

In the meantime he had to make use pouring the teas. After beating Southampton 3-2 at Wembley, Clough made the revelation. ‘Good job that I took it for the joke it was,’ Francis has said. ‘And actually got to realise that it was a compliment.

Francis and wife Helen on the day he moved to join Forest where he soon showed his qualities

‘The gaffer mischievously told the gathering of reporters that not only did he have a very good side, but a £1m tea boy as well.

‘It sounded like he was cutting me down to size, but that wasn’t really the case at all. He was making the point that no matter what a player cost, the club came first and I totally went along with that.

‘All the players got used to pouring the tea for everyone if they weren’t in the side. It didn’t matter whether it was Peter Shilton, myself or anyone. Brian was very strong on creating a very happy and harmonious dressing room.’ 

Francis showed his worth on the pitch the night of May 30 in Munich. John Robertson delivered a deep cross and Francis sprinted to head the ball into the roof of the net. 

Footage of the goal that gave Forest their first European Cup was used in the opening titles to Match of the Day and a giant photograph of Francis stooping to connect was placed on display in the reception area of the City Ground. 

In the 1979 European Cup final, it was Francis’ headed goal that secured the win over Malmo

That summer he headed out to America again to play for Detroit in the same league as Johan Cruyff and on his return it became clear that night in Germany would be his finest in a Forest shirt.

He was in the side which lost the 1980 League Cup final to Wolves and missed the European Cup final against Hamburg due to an injury to his Achilles tendon.

He scored 28 league goals in 70 games for Forest before moving to Manchester City, Sampdoria, Atlanta, Rangers, Wollongong City, QPR, and Sheffield Wednesday.

But he will always have his place as Britain’s first million pound man.