Editing Trevor Francis (section)

===Sheffield Wednesday===
After the departure of [[Ron Atkinson]], Francis took over as manager of Sheffield Wednesday with popular support from club and supporters. He guided Wednesday to third-place finish in 1992.<ref>{{cite web | last1=Whaling | first1=James | last2=Lloyd | first2=Howard | title=Trevor Francis dies aged 69 | website=WalesOnline | date=24 July 2023 | url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/uk-news/trevor-francis-dies-aged-69-27384407 | access-date=24 July 2023}}</ref> The following year, Wednesday reached the [[1993 FA Cup Final|FA Cup]] and [[1993 Football League Cup Final|League Cup finals]], losing both to [[Arsenal F.C.|Arsenal]], the former after a replay.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/sport/football/news/sheffield-wednesday-arsenal-fa-cup-18281115 |title=How Arsenal wrecked Sheffield Wednesday's fourth visit to Wembley in quick succession in 1993 |first=Dom |last=Howson |website=Yorkshire Live |date=20 May 2020 |access-date=30 July 2023}}</ref> In 1994, Francis finally retired as a player, shortly before his 40th birthday.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/66287307 |title=Trevor Francis: Ex-England player and Britain's first £1m footballer dies aged 69 |website=BBC Sport |date=24 July 2023 |access-date=30 July 2023}}</ref> He was dismissed as manager a year later after Wednesday finished 13th in the Premiership.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/sport/football/sheffield-wednesday/sheffield-wednesday-never-recovered-since-1995-sacking-of-trevor-francis-2857365 |title=Sheffield Wednesday never recovered since 1995 sacking of Trevor Francis |first=Leon |last=Wobschall |newspaper=The Yorkshire Post |date=19 May 2020 |access-date=30 July 2023}}</ref>

In February 1992, Francis brought former French international [[Eric Cantona]] back from a poor discipline enforced hiatus in his career by inviting him for a trial at Sheffield Wednesday. However, as the snowy conditions meant that he could only evaluate Cantona on [[AstroTurf]], Francis requested an extension to the trial to see whether Cantona could play on grass.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mightyleeds.co.uk/players/cantona2.htm |title=Players: Eric Cantona Part 2 – Ooh, aah, cantona! |website=The Mighty Mighty Whites: The Definitive History of Leeds United |access-date=24 July 2018}}</ref> An outraged Cantona walked out on The Owls and was signed (without a trial) by [[Leeds United]], inspiring first them and then Manchester United to success. In a 2012 interview Francis said that he had agreed to take Cantona on as a favour to Francis' former agent, Dennis Roach, and [[Michel Platini]], who he knew from his time playing in Italy, when they approached him about taking on Cantona, and that it was intended as an opportunity for Cantona to put himself in the "shop window": Wednesday had only recently been promoted back to the top flight, with most of the squad still being on Second Division-level wages, and the club could not afford to sign him.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/sport/football/leeds-united/exclusive-francis-sets-the-record-straight-on-why-sheffield-wednesday-did-not-sign-cantona-1-4470843 |title=Exclusive: Francis sets the record straight on why Sheffield Wednesday did not sign Cantona |last=Hercock |first=Richard |date=21 April 2012 |newspaper=The Yorkshire Post |access-date=3 November 2018}}</ref>