Trevor Francis leaves Birmingham City

Trevor Francis has left Birmingham City by mutual consent, ending more than five years as manager of the club he first joined as a teenager.

His departure was confirmed on 15 October, days after Blues were beaten 6-0 by Manchester City in the League Cup, a result that left the club's supporters stunned.

A Blues legend

Francis is one of the most famous names in the club's history. He made his debut for Blues as a 16-year-old in 1970 and quickly became a star, scoring goals at a remarkable rate.

In 1979 he joined Nottingham Forest, becoming Britain's first £1 million footballer. He scored the winning goal for Forest in the European Cup final that year, and went on to play for Manchester City, Sampdoria in Italy and Rangers, as well as winning more than 50 caps for England.

Five years in charge

Francis returned to St Andrew's as manager in 1996, and led the club to the brink of the Premiership several times. Blues reached the First Division play-offs in three successive seasons, but lost in the semi-finals each time.

Last season he took the club to the League Cup final, where they lost to Liverpool on penalties in Cardiff after beating three Premiership sides along the way. That run gave Blues fans some of their best days for years.

Why he has gone

This season has started poorly. Blues are in mid-table in the First Division, well short of the promotion challenge that the club's owners, David Gold and David Sullivan, expected.

The 6-0 defeat at Manchester City was one of the heaviest in the club's recent history, and increased the pressure on Francis. The board and the manager have agreed that it is time for a change.

Caretakers in charge

Mick Mills, the former Ipswich Town and England captain, and Jim Barron will take charge of the team while the club looks for a new manager.

The owners are expected to look for an experienced manager who can lead the club to promotion. Several names have already been linked with the job.

Tributes

Many supporters have paid tribute to Francis for his contribution to the club, both as a player and as a manager. While some felt it was time for a change, few would deny the part he has played in the club's history.

Francis is expected to return to management, and there has been speculation that he could soon be offered another job.

For Blues, the task now is to find the right person to finally take the club back into the top flight, a goal that has eluded them since 1986.