Frank Barson
Encyclopedia
Frank Barson was an English
footballer from Grimesthorpe who played for several English football clubs including Barnsley
, Manchester United
, Aston Villa
and Watford
. He had a reputation for aggressive play, and is regarded as one of the "hard men" of English football.
He began his career working as a blacksmith and playing for amateur clubs Albion FC and Cammell Laird's, before joining Barnsley Football Club in 1911.
He transferred to Aston Villa in 1919, with whom he won the FA Cup
in 1920, and to Manchester United in 1922, with a transfer fee of £5000.
On one occasion Barson's hard tackling resulted in a seven month ban; after a game, he often needed a police escort to protect him from angry opposition fans.
players in a pre-season friendly. On one occasion Barson had to be smuggled out of Goodison Park
to avoid a large crowd who had gathered outside the ground to discuss with him his behaviour in an FA Cup tie with Everton
. After a very public fall out with the Barnsley directors over travelling expenses, he joined Aston Villa
in October 1919.
Barson joined Villa for a fee of £2,850 - "more than the average Sheffield worker earned in a year", according to a Sheffield newspaper - after persuasion from George Ramsay, who was rebuilding Villa after the First World War. In October 1919, he made his debut in a 4–1 win at Middlesbrough.
Barson played a large part in the Villa team during his three seasons at the club, but it is his run-ins with authority for which he is best known.
He maintained a business in Sheffield and refused to move to Birmingham despite Villa's insistence that he should do so. His living arrangements caused further controversy on the opening day of the 1920–21
season and he was suspended by the Villa board for fourteen days but Barson still refused to move. In fact, he was appointed captain in succession to Andy Ducat
, although it is not known whether he merely decided he wanted the job and nobody dared argue with him. He celebrated his first game as captain by scoring a header from thirty yards out against Sheffield United
.
One story about Frank Barson concerned the 1920 FA Cup Final
, when he was warned about his behaviour by referee Jack Howcroft in the dressing room before the match started. "The first wrong move you make Barson, off you go" he was told. Villa went on to win the FA Cup, Barson's only club honour in his career. His FA Cup winners medal has been sold twice and fetched £6,000. He also went onto win one cap for England at his time with the club.
The beginning of the end to his time at Villa came following a match against Liverpool. Barson invited a friend of his to wait in the dressing room while he got changed, and this drew a rebuke from a director, a seven day suspension was the result and Barson handed in a transfer request. With Tommy Ball
proving an adequate replacement, the board agreed to his request. During his time with Villa, Barson made 108 appearances, scoring 10 goals.
He was later Youth team coach and First team coach for Aston Villa.
for a fee of £5,000. He spent an injury-plagued six years at Old Trafford, making 140 League appearances and scoring four goals for the club. While Barson's United appearances were punctuated by injury, when he did play he was known for his on-field leadership, being selected as captain and helping United to win promotion at the end of 1924–25
. For gaining promotion he was given a pub in Manchester. At the time he was regarded as a hero, but Barson was so sick of such attention that on the opening night of his pub he gave the business to his head waiter. He then joined Watford in May 1928.
side Watford signed Barson on a free transfer three days after the end of 1927–28
season. His signing was considered a coup for the club, as Barson's availability had caused "20 managers to lounge round outside the defender's house."
In his debut at Crystal Palace
Barson was cautioned early on in the game. Watford player Joe Davison was later sent off in that game with the referee reportedly saying "Off you go, Barson". In late September Barson was sent off in a home game against Fulham
. After entangling legs with Fulham's Temple, Barson was adjudged to have kicked out at him, although both Watford and Fulham players argued that it had not happened. Although a petition of 5,000 signatures arguing Barson's unfair treatment was presented to the FA by Watford's mayor, Barson was suspended for six months. Watford's chairman, John Kilby, spoke out against the decision, citing that a player had recently been suspended for three months for striking a referee. Barson's case was argued for in local and national newspapers, but the revelation that the petition had been burnt at the FA headquarters caused the affair to die down. The suspension stopped Barson from participating in the remainder of the season, and he was released from his contract.
Although his Watford career was brief, Barson did recommend two Manchester United players to Fred Pagnam
, the Watford manager. Both Tommy Barnett
and Frank McPherson
would go on to have successful careers at Vicarage Road
. Barnett later called Barson "the best skipper I was to ever play under" and stated how he used to sweat off excess beer with exercises before the game.
, but within five months (October 1929) he signed amateur forms for Wigan Borough
. He became a professional for Wigan in July 1930 in what was Borough’s last full season as a Football League club. Barson was the club’s highest paid player and in an ultimately unsuccessful effort to stabilise the club’s terrible finances he was off-loaded to Rhyl Athletic
in June 1931. 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.
Barson was regarded as a "hard man" of English football. The Times
notes that "On frequent occasions Barson was escorted out of grounds by policemen to protect him from groups of angry opposition fans."
Opposing crowds loathed him, forcing Barson to publicly defend himself on the grounds that he had been "brought up to play hard and saw nothing wrong with an honest to goodness shoulder charge." One violent challenge in a match against Fulham resulted in a seven month ban.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
footballer from Grimesthorpe who played for several English football clubs including Barnsley
Barnsley F.C.
Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's...
, Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
, Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
and Watford
Watford F.C.
Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
. He had a reputation for aggressive play, and is regarded as one of the "hard men" of English football.
He began his career working as a blacksmith and playing for amateur clubs Albion FC and Cammell Laird's, before joining Barnsley Football Club in 1911.
He transferred to Aston Villa in 1919, with whom he won the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
in 1920, and to Manchester United in 1922, with a transfer fee of £5000.
On one occasion Barson's hard tackling resulted in a seven month ban; after a game, he often needed a police escort to protect him from angry opposition fans.
Personal life
Barson was born in Grimesthorpe and began his career as a blacksmith. He was married to Frances Evelyn Betton in 1915, and died on 13 September 1968 at Winson Green, Birmingham, at the age of 77.Barnsley
In 1909 Barson signed for Cammell Laird FC; two years later in July 1911 he began his professional career with Barnsley. 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 with some Birmingham CityBirmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
players in a pre-season friendly. On one occasion Barson had to be smuggled out of Goodison Park
Goodison Park
Goodison Park is a football stadium located in Walton, Liverpool, England. The stadium has been home to Everton F.C. since its completion in 1892 and is one of the world's first purpose-built football grounds...
to avoid a large crowd who had gathered outside the ground to discuss with him his behaviour in an FA Cup tie with Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
. After a very public fall out with the Barnsley directors over travelling expenses, he joined Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
in October 1919.
Aston Villa
Barson played a large part in the Villa team during his three seasons at the club, but it is his run-ins with authority for which he is best known.
He maintained a business in Sheffield and refused to move to Birmingham despite Villa's insistence that he should do so. His living arrangements caused further controversy on the opening day of the 1920–21
1920-21 in English football
The 1920–21 season was the 46th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:The Football League Third Division is introduced, expanding the League's operational radius south of Birmingham...
season and he was suspended by the Villa board for fourteen days but Barson still refused to move. In fact, he was appointed captain in succession to Andy Ducat
Andy Ducat
Andrew Ducat was an England and Surrey cricketer and an England footballer, being one of an elite group to have represented their country in both sports.-Cricket career:...
, although it is not known whether he merely decided he wanted the job and nobody dared argue with him. He celebrated his first game as captain by scoring a header from thirty yards out against Sheffield United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
.
One story about Frank Barson concerned the 1920 FA Cup Final
1920 FA Cup Final
The 1920 FA Cup Final, the first since the end of the First World War, was contested by Aston Villa and Huddersfield at Stamford Bridge. Aston Villa won 1–0, with the goal coming in extra time from Billy Kirton, to clinch the trophy for a record sixth time....
, when he was warned about his behaviour by referee Jack Howcroft in the dressing room before the match started. "The first wrong move you make Barson, off you go" he was told. Villa went on to win the FA Cup, Barson's only club honour in his career. His FA Cup winners medal has been sold twice and fetched £6,000. He also went onto win one cap for England at his time with the club.
The beginning of the end to his time at Villa came following a match against Liverpool. Barson invited a friend of his to wait in the dressing room while he got changed, and this drew a rebuke from a director, a seven day suspension was the result and Barson handed in a transfer request. With Tommy Ball
Tommy Ball
Thomas Edgar "Tommy" Ball was an English footballer who played at centre-half for Aston Villa...
proving an adequate replacement, the board agreed to his request. During his time with Villa, Barson made 108 appearances, scoring 10 goals.
He was later Youth team coach and First team coach for Aston Villa.
Manchester United
In 1922, he was transferred to Manchester UnitedManchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
for a fee of £5,000. He spent an injury-plagued six years at Old Trafford, making 140 League appearances and scoring four goals for the club. While Barson's United appearances were punctuated by injury, when he did play he was known for his on-field leadership, being selected as captain and helping United to win promotion at the end of 1924–25
1924-25 in English football
The 1924–25 season was the 50th season of competitive football in England.-Honours:Notes = Number in parentheses is the times that club has won that honour...
. For gaining promotion he was given a pub in Manchester. At the time he was regarded as a hero, but Barson was so sick of such attention that on the opening night of his pub he gave the business to his head waiter. He then joined Watford in May 1928.
Watford
Division Three SouthFootball League Third Division South
The Football League Third Division South was a level of English professional football which ran in parallel to Third Division North from 1921 to 1958....
side Watford signed Barson on a free transfer three days after the end of 1927–28
1927-28 in English football
The 1927–28 season was the 53rd season of competitive football in England.-Events:This was the season in which Dixie Dean scored an astounding 60 goals in 39 league appearances for Everton – 58.8% of their seasons total .-Honours:...
season. His signing was considered a coup for the club, as Barson's availability had caused "20 managers to lounge round outside the defender's house."
In his debut at Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
Barson was cautioned early on in the game. Watford player Joe Davison was later sent off in that game with the referee reportedly saying "Off you go, Barson". In late September Barson was sent off in a home game against Fulham
Fulham F.C.
Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
. After entangling legs with Fulham's Temple, Barson was adjudged to have kicked out at him, although both Watford and Fulham players argued that it had not happened. Although a petition of 5,000 signatures arguing Barson's unfair treatment was presented to the FA by Watford's mayor, Barson was suspended for six months. Watford's chairman, John Kilby, spoke out against the decision, citing that a player had recently been suspended for three months for striking a referee. Barson's case was argued for in local and national newspapers, but the revelation that the petition had been burnt at the FA headquarters caused the affair to die down. The suspension stopped Barson from participating in the remainder of the season, and he was released from his contract.
Although his Watford career was brief, Barson did recommend two Manchester United players to Fred Pagnam
Fred Pagnam
Frederick "Fred" Pagnam was an English footballer and manager.Pagnam was born in Poulton-le-Fylde, Lancashire, and started at Blackpool Wednesday before having spells at Huddersfield Town and Southport Central. He joined Blackpool in 1913 and after a season there moved to Liverpool in 1914...
, the Watford manager. Both Tommy Barnett
Tommy Barnett (footballer)
Thomas Andrew "Tommy" Barnett , was an English professional association footballer, who played as an inside forward. During his career he was contracted to Manchester United, but never played for them. He is best remembered for his time at Watford, where he played 395 Football League games, scoring...
and Frank McPherson
Frank McPherson
Francis Comber "Frank" McPherson was an English football player. His favoured position was forward.McPherson was born in Barrow-in-Furness. He joined Barrow in the 1920–21 season and helped the team to win the Lancashire Combination title that season...
would go on to have successful careers at Vicarage Road
Vicarage Road
Vicarage Road, a stadium in Watford, Hertfordshire, England, is the home of the football club Watford and their tenants, the Saracens rugby union club. An all-seater stadium, its current capacity is 17,477.-History:...
. Barnett later called Barson "the best skipper I was to ever play under" and stated how he used to sweat off excess beer with exercises before the game.
Final years
Exactly a year after being at Watford he accepted the post of player coach at Hartlepool UnitedHartlepool United F.C.
Hartlepool United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Hartlepool that currently play in League One. The team won promotion to League One in the 2006–07 season...
, but within five months (October 1929) he signed amateur forms for Wigan Borough
Wigan Borough F.C.
Wigan Borough Football Club was an English football club from the town of Wigan, Lancashire. It was a fourth attempt at establishing football in Wigan, their forerunners Wigan County, Wigan United and Wigan Town all having fallen into liquidation previously....
. He became a professional for Wigan in July 1930 in what was Borough’s last full season as a Football League club. Barson was the club’s highest paid player and in an ultimately unsuccessful effort to stabilise the club’s terrible finances he was off-loaded to Rhyl Athletic
Rhyl F.C.
Rhyl Football Club is a Welsh football club, playing in the Cymru Alliance.The club was founded in 1882 and the team plays its home matches at Belle Vue, Rhyl, which can accommodate 3,000 spectators.- History :Few clubs in the Welsh Premier League have as distinguished a past as Rhyl's...
in June 1931. 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
Accrington Stanley F.C.
Accrington Stanley is an English association football club from Accrington in Lancashire, in the North West of England, who play in Football League Two, the fourth-highest division in the English football league system....
on Boxing Day 1930 when he got sent off in the 83rd minute.
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 on 15 March 1920 against Wales at Highbury. Wales won the game 2–1.| Date | Opponents | Competition | Venue | Score | Result | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 March 1920 |  Wales |
Home Championship | Highbury Arsenal Stadium Arsenal Stadium was a football stadium in Highbury, North London, which was the home ground of Arsenal Football Club between 6 September 1913 and 7 May 2006... |
1–2 | Lose | 21,100 |
Discipline
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
notes that "On frequent occasions Barson was escorted out of grounds by policemen to protect him from groups of angry opposition fans."
Opposing crowds loathed him, forcing Barson to publicly defend himself on the grounds that he had been "brought up to play hard and saw nothing wrong with an honest to goodness shoulder charge." One violent challenge in a match against Fulham resulted in a seven month ban.