Manchester City are set to unveil a tribute to club icons Mike Summerbee, Colin Bell and Francis Lee. The tribute will be unveiled next Tuesday morning before City’s UEFA Champions League match against RB Leipzig.
Coming soon: City Forever 🩵 pic.twitter.com/iy815PxhSq
— Manchester City (@ManCity) November 23, 2023
City chairman Khaldoon Al-Mubarak announced the tribute to the iconic trio in May 2022. He said: “I think remembering Colin Bell, Francis Lee, and Mike Summerbee is very important. This Club has a great history. These are players that have contributed immensely to this Club. They’ve earned the right to be appreciated forever, eternally with statues.”
The City chairman revealed following the club’s treble success that the statue would honour their contribution to the club. He said it was part of honouring the club’s great history. He added: “It’s represented with Francis, Colin and Mike and having them together in a magnificent piece of art, is the least we can do for what they’ve done. Leaving that everlasting legacy – always there to remember what Manchester City has; it has an incredible history.”
Sculptor David William-Ellis was announced via mancity.com as the artist behind the tribute. Speaking on the honour he said: “It is a great honour to create a work of art for Manchester City Football Club celebrating the diverse, talented players, Bell, Lee and Summerbee. It’s been an extraordinary last two years, working on this project that celebrates these players from a great era in Manchester City’s football history.”
We’re delighted to reveal that world-renowned sculptor David Williams-Ellis is the artist behind a permanent tribute to legendary triumvirate Colin Bell, Francis Lee and Mike Summerbee 🙌
— Manchester City (@ManCity) November 23, 2023
The tribute which will be unveiled on Tuesday follows on from similar tributes to Sergio Aguero, Vincent Kompany and David Silva. The Etihad Stadium will feature tributes to multiple successful eras and players in the club’s history.
David William-Ellis’s piece will be a fitting tribute to three players who have left a wonderful and lasting legacy at Manchester City.
