Former Huddersfield, Leicester and Bolton striker Frank Worthington has passed away at the age of 72 following a long battle with illness.
Worthington died peacefully in hospital on Monday evening following a long illness, his family announced in a statement to the PA news agency.
#Breaking Former Huddersfield, Leicester and Bolton striker Frank Worthington has died at the age of 72 following a long illness, his family have announced in a statement to the PA news agency. pic.twitter.com/xwsr5wgklS
— PA Dugout (@PAdugout) March 23, 2021
Worthington's wife Carol paid tribute to her husband: "Frank brought joy to so many people throughout his career and in his private life.
"He will be greatly missed by everyone who loved him so much."
Worthington won eight England caps and represented over 20 clubs in a long playing career that began with Huddersfield in 1966.
He went on to make more than 200 appearances for Leicester City and played for clubs including Bolton, Birmingham City, Southampton, Leeds and Sunderland.
He also had a spell as player-manager of Tranmere Rovers.
Arguably his most memorable goal came in a Bolton shirt against Ipswich.
Worthington won the Golden Boot award in 1978/79 when he scored 24 goals for Bolton to finish leading scorer ahead of Kenny Dalglish and Frank Stapleton.
He had been a target for Liverpool in the early 70s but a proposed move to Anfield collapsed because he failed his medical as a result of high blood pressure.
Worthington played in 22 consecutive Football League seasons from 1966, scoring 266 goals in 882 appearances in all competitions.
He also had loan spells as a player in America with Philadelphia in 1979 and Tampa Bay two years later.
The former England striker also had a spell with Galway United in the late 80s towards the end of his career.
Worthington's daughter, Kim Malou, announced on Facebook in 2016 that he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, but he issued a statement the following day denying that he had the condition.
