I never understood the vitriol and abuse he got (and still gets). His main mistake for me was getting off the bus on the way to (was it) Devon when his wife was about to birth .. Oi Francis!!!! . you're a professional footballer, leave deliveries to postmen and midwives
He only gets vitriol and abuse because he isn't very good. That's something I don't really understand with Football fans. Llera is the one player I could never hold patience with!
Francis was a victim of our Boo Boys. There is a sad section of our crown who tag onto a player , brand him as crap and never change their minds. Sure , his passing was off at times but he was never as bad as some of the miserable gits in our crowd would make out ( The same people who would disgracefully boo Robinson and Kishichev at the end of their Charlton careers ) . Good luck to him
Francis was a victim of our Boo Boys. There is a sad section of our crown who tag onto a player , brand him as crap and never change their minds. Sure , his passing was off at times but he was never as bad as some of the miserable gits in our crown would make out ( The same people who would disgracefully boo Robinson and Kishichev at the end of their Charlton careers ) . Good luck to him
Francis was a victim of our Boo Boys. There is a sad section of our crown who tag onto a player , brand him as crap and never change their minds. Sure , his passing was off at times but he was never as bad as some of the miserable gits in our crowd would make out ( The same people who would disgracefully boo Robinson and Kishichev at the end of their Charlton careers ) . Good luck to him
Utter rubbish, fans dont select a player just so they can have a pop at someone ! Francis had enough chances but was bilge when he played for us! Good luck to him if he's got his boots on the correct feet at Bournemouth!
Francis was a victim of our Boo Boys. There is a sad section of our crown who tag onto a player , brand him as crap and never change their minds. Sure , his passing was off at times but he was never as bad as some of the miserable gits in our crowd would make out ( The same people who would disgracefully boo Robinson and Kishichev at the end of their Charlton careers ) . Good luck to him
not to mention Curbishley .. how the F*** could anyone boo and jeer at St Llewellyn ?
True but by God, he deserved it. He was awful for most of the time for us. I remember one game, possibly against Tranmere, when he gave the ball away every single time, including a pass to the Tranmere centre forward who ran through and scored.
That said, if he has moved into a new environment and is now settled and playing well, good luck to him. Frankly, if I was living in Sandbanks or somewhere nearby, I'd be happy too!
I recall several games before Parky got the boot in which despite his superior height, Francis was regularly out-jumped by opposing forwards in our 18-yard box. He cost us.
Francis was a victim of our Boo Boys. There is a sad section of our crown who tag onto a player , brand him as crap and never change their minds. Sure , his passing was off at times but he was never as bad as some of the miserable gits in our crowd would make out ( The same people who would disgracefully boo Robinson and Kishichev at the end of their Charlton careers ) . Good luck to him
Utter rubbish, fans dont select a player just so they can have a pop at someone ! Francis had enough chances but was bilge when he played for us! Good luck to him if he's got his boots on the correct feet at Bournemouth!
It certainly feels like they do and in not alone in thinking that. If it was just Francis then i wouldn't say anything but there have been many players ( some very good) who have been on the end of some ridiculous criticism.
I don't agree with booing players when they come on and all that sort of stuff, but when a player is consistently shit, especially when it's such basic stuff, fans have every right to become upset/angry/annoyed/dismayed. When enough fans get that feeling then the unrest can be heard. These fans then get labelled 'boo boys' which is unfair. I'll admit it does the player no favours but football fans act in a instinctive way. Fair play to SF as it seems he's doing alright at Bournemouth but I'm fairly confident Harriott will lead him a dogs life on 3rd August and it will be enjoyable to watch!
I'm not a boo boy. I can't stand it when so-called 'fans' spend 90 mins abusing their players. It does nobody any good. I try to see the best in all of our players, as long as they're putting in the effort.
Francis was a victim of our Boo Boys. There is a sad section of our crown who tag onto a player , brand him as crap and never change their minds. Sure , his passing was off at times but he was never as bad as some of the miserable gits in our crowd would make out ( The same people who would disgracefully boo Robinson and Kishichev at the end of their Charlton careers ) . Good luck to him
Utter rubbish, fans dont select a player just so they can have a pop at someone ! Francis had enough chances but was bilge when he played for us! Good luck to him if he's got his boots on the correct feet at Bournemouth!
It certainly feels like they do and in not alone in thinking that. If it was just Francis then i wouldn't say anything but there have been many players ( some very good) who have been on the end of some ridiculous criticism.
Fair point Beds - i have to say that the treatment meeted out to David Mooney was disgraceful and shameful! Like u I've seen enough rubbish at CAFC in nearly 40 years at the Valley but Francis was one of the worst I've seen. Impatience is endemic in football at all levels, but that said and done, in the main i think we have some very patient fans!
A lot of teams targeted Francis in the knowledge that he'd make a mistake and sooner or later he obliged.
Bear in mind also that he played in one of the worst Charlton teams in history - one that was bereft of confidence all over the park and also that with Chris Solly injured for most of his last season that there was no one who Parky could slot in at RB for a few games. Compare last season when Ben Hamer had a few poor matches, CP benched him for a couple of weeks giving him a mid-season break and then when he brought him back he was as good as new. Parky didn't have that luxury.
Cherries: Francis takes positives out of Real Madrid match
Thursday 25th July 2013 By Neil Perrett
DEFENDER Simon Francis believes Cherries’ Real Madrid experience was ideal preparation for the season ahead in the Championship.
Francis (pictured) was one of five players to line up against the Spanish giants for 84 minutes during Sunday’s high-profile friendly at Dean Court.
And despite being on the receiving end of a 6-0 defeat, Francis said Cherries would “take the positives” after Los Blancos had treated the crowd to a masterclass.
The 28-year-old told the Daily Echo: “All you can really hope going into the game is that they don’t score too many goals.
“They got one and then two more on the stroke of half-time. The aim then is to try to keep a clean sheet in the second half and to try not to embarrass ourselves.
“But it is hard to do that when you are playing a world class team with world class players.
“I don’t think any of us walked off the pitch thinking we had been embarrassed but a team like that are going to punish you for any kind of mistake because they are that good.
“It was a great experience for everyone involved and some of our play was really good.
“I thought we almost matched them for the first 20 to 25 minutes. It is not every day you get a chance to play Real Madrid and we have.”
Francis added: “If you were to ask any of the lads who they would want to play in their career, they would say the best teams in the world.
“We were a bit downbeat after losing 6-0, as you would be against any team, but it was Real Madrid and it still hasn’t really sunk in that I am saying that!
“The lads got a lot out of the game and it was a pleasure to be out there against such good players.
“I thought they handled themselves brilliantly and, as the manager said after the game, their attitude was spot on and it is that kind of attitude that gets you far in the game.”
Comments
You don't win promotion as a major player from league 1 (we know how tough it is) by being useless.
Aren't cha glad your full backs not Simon Francis?
Aren't cha?
Francis had enough chances but was bilge when he played for us! Good luck to him if he's got his boots on the correct feet at Bournemouth!
That said, if he has moved into a new environment and is now settled and playing well, good luck to him. Frankly, if I was living in Sandbanks or somewhere nearby, I'd be happy too!
But Francis was seriously pony.
not so sure about the ticket prices though
Like u I've seen enough rubbish at CAFC in nearly 40 years at the Valley but Francis was one of the worst I've seen.
Impatience is endemic in football at all levels, but that said and done, in the main i think we have some very patient fans!
He was good for Southend before us and good for Bournemouth after us.
So he's not pony and not stealing a living he was just poor, for whatever reason, when he was at Charlton.
It makes or breaks a player.
Bear in mind also that he played in one of the worst Charlton teams in history - one that was bereft of confidence all over the park and also that with Chris Solly injured for most of his last season that there was no one who Parky could slot in at RB for a few games. Compare last season when Ben Hamer had a few poor matches, CP benched him for a couple of weeks giving him a mid-season break and then when he brought him back he was as good as new. Parky didn't have that luxury.
Still think Harriott is going to tear him a new one on day one.
Thursday 25th July 2013 By Neil Perrett
DEFENDER Simon Francis believes Cherries’ Real Madrid experience was ideal preparation for the season ahead in the Championship.
Francis (pictured) was one of five players to line up against the Spanish giants for 84 minutes during Sunday’s high-profile friendly at Dean Court.
And despite being on the receiving end of a 6-0 defeat, Francis said Cherries would “take the positives” after Los Blancos had treated the crowd to a masterclass.
The 28-year-old told the Daily Echo: “All you can really hope going into the game is that they don’t score too many goals.
“They got one and then two more on the stroke of half-time. The aim then is to try to keep a clean sheet in the second half and to try not to embarrass ourselves.
“But it is hard to do that when you are playing a world class team with world class players.
“I don’t think any of us walked off the pitch thinking we had been embarrassed but a team like that are going to punish you for any kind of mistake because they are that good.
“It was a great experience for everyone involved and some of our play was really good.
“I thought we almost matched them for the first 20 to 25 minutes. It is not every day you get a chance to play Real Madrid and we have.”
Francis added: “If you were to ask any of the lads who they would want to play in their career, they would say the best teams in the world.
“We were a bit downbeat after losing 6-0, as you would be against any team, but it was Real Madrid and it still hasn’t really sunk in that I am saying that!
“The lads got a lot out of the game and it was a pleasure to be out there against such good players.
“I thought they handled themselves brilliantly and, as the manager said after the game, their attitude was spot on and it is that kind of attitude that gets you far in the game.”