Image source, H&H Classics Image caption, The Mark 2 Ford Cortina once belonged to England World Cup footballer and former Manchester City chairman, Francis Lee

Angela Ferguson

BBC News, Manchester

A Ford Cortina once owned by England and Manchester City striker Francis Lee is up for auction.

The Ford Cortina 1600E was one of 30 loaned by Ford to the defending world champions from the England team for the duration of the World Cup in Mexico in 1970.

It has "Chosen for England" on its bodywork, which also features the England football team emblem and the British and Mexican flags.

Classic car dealer TJ Dolan, who went to a garage in Salford to see the car, said: "It's dead rare for me to open a garage door and go wow, what is that?"

Image source, Ford Image caption, An advert featuring the 1970 England World Cup squad with the cars

The car is being auctioned later by car and motorcycle auctioneers, H&H Classics from one of its bases at the Imperial War Museum in Duxford.

A listing on the H&H Classics website stated it had been loaned to Francis Lee for the duration of the tournament before being purchased for a discount by him for his wife.

The car, which has the registration GWC 2H, was later bought and restored by Ken Gratrix, the nephew of 1960s Manchester City player Roy Gratrix.

TJ Dolan, who runs Dolans Classics in Macclesfield, told BBC Radio Manchester the car was in "superb condition" and looked like it had just "come out of the factory".

Image source, PA Media Image caption, Former Manchester City and England striker, Francis Lee died in 2023 at the age of 79

The Mark 2 Cortina has a guide price of between PS50-60,000.

Paul Cheetham from H&H Classics said there had been a lot of interest in the vehicle.

Lee, who died in 2023, went on to be chairman of Manchester City and was awarded an OBE for his services to charity and football in 2016.