Frank Barson
| File:Barson.jpg | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Frank Barson | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder [1] | ||
Frank Barson (10 April 1891—September 13, 1968) was an English footballer. He was born in Grimesthorpe,Barson was one of the most feared players of his era[2] and had a reputation as a "hard man" of English football.[3]
Club Career
Barnsley
In 1909 he signed for local outfit Cammell Laird FC and it was two years later in July 1911 that he began his professional career with Barnsley.[4] It was whilst at Oakwell that his notorious temper first became evident, before he could start his first game for the Tykes he had to serve a two month suspension following an ugly brawl against a few Birmingham City players in a pre season friendly![4][5] After a very public fall out with the Barnsley directors over travelling expenses he joined Aston Villa in October 1919.
Aston Villa
He joined Villa for a fee of £2,850. In October 1919, he made his debut in a 4-1 win at Middlesbrough.[5] He played in Villa's 1920 FA Cup win and one his only cap for England at his time with the club. Frank handed in a transfer request at the end of his Villa career after falling out with the club chairman.[4] He went onto make 108 appearances scoring 10 goals.[1] He was later Youth team coach and First team coach for Aston Villa.[1]
Manchester United
In 1922, he was transferred to Manchester United for a fee of £5,000 [1]. He spent an injury plagued six years at Old Trafford and after making 140 League appearances and scoring 4 goals for the Red Devils he joined Watford in May 1928.[4]
Watford and Hartlepool
Exactly a year after being at Watford he accepted the post of player coach at Hartlepool United, but within five months (October 1929) he signed amateur forms for Wigan Borough.
Wigan Borough
In 1930/31 season Wigan signed Barson. He became a professional for the club in July 1930 in what was Borough’s last full season as a Football League club. Frank was the club’s highest paid player and in an ultimately unsuccessful effort to stabilise the club’s terrible finances.[4] He was 39 at the time and at the end of his career but he appeared 19 times in a Wigan shirt. His last appearance was against Accrington Stanley on Boxing Day 1930 when he got sent off in the 83rd minute.[6]
International career
In 1920 Barson had England trials and it was whilst at Villa Park that he made his one and only international appearance for England at Highbury on 15th March 1920 against Wales in a game the Welsh won 2-1.[1][4][6]
Playing Honours
Aston Villa 
Coaching Career
In May 1932 he became the player manager of Rhyl where he remained until his contract was terminated in March 1935.[4] Within three months he re surfaced as the manager of Stourbridge but an offer to return to Aston Villa as youth coach in July 1935 meant he gave up the job as soon as a replacement was found. Three months after his appointment as youth coach he became the senior coach and head trainer at Villa Park until the outbreak of the Second World War.[1] He became the trainer at Swansea Town from June 1947 until February 1954 and he finished his career at in May 1956 after previously spending almost two seasons as the trainer at Lye Town.[5][6]
Personal Life
He was married to Frances Evelyn Betton in 1915, and died at Winsom Green, Birmingham, at the age of 77.[1]
Perhaps the greatest of all the great characters in my album - he played with and against me - was the one and only Frank Barson. Frank was a Sheffielder, a truly great footballer and personality and a card. He was never ashamed of numbering amongst his friends the notorious Fowler brothers, who were hanged for murder.
Related Links
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Frank Barson". Aston Villa database.
- ^ "Barson". Rednews.
{{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|1=(help) - ^ "50 greatest hard men of football". The times.
{{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|1=(help) - ^ a b c d e f g "Frank Barson". ye olde tree and crown.
{{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|1=(help) - ^ a b c d "Hardest man in football". H&V.
{{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|1=(help) - ^ a b c "Wigan Borough Page". Wigan Borough.