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Page Last Updated 14 July 2013
 
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Frank Becton

Preston North End FC, Liverpool FC

 2 appearances, 2 debut goals

P 2 W 2 D 0 L 0 F 13: A 0
100% successful
1895-97

disciplined: none
captaincies: none
minutes played: 180
Frank Becton

Profile
Full name Francis Becton
Born 28 October 1873 in Preston, Lancashire [registered as Francis Bectif, Preston, December 1873].

Notes

 Becton is said to be born on 11th May 1873 which is incorrect. No entry for that date of birth exists at the General Record Office. In the 1891 Census, a Frank Becton (born abt 1874) appears with his parents Martin and Margaret. This traces to the birth certificate of a Francis BECTIF - listed in the last quarter of the 1873. GRO index. Illiteracy probably explains this anomaly. His actual date of birth was 28 October 1873. - Paul Plowman (Swindon Town FC Historian).

Census Notes

According to the 1881 census, Francis is the third of six children to Irish parents, Martin and Margaret. They live at 3 Old Lodge Street in Preston. His father is a general labourer.

According to the 1891 census, 17 year-old Francis is now one of seven children living at home at 44 Croft Street, Preston. Now a loomer at the cotton mill.

According to the 1901 census, Frank is now married to Maria, with a single daughter, Clara (born in Heeley, Derbyshire), living at 50 Croft Street. Frank is a Cotton Weaver.
Married to Maria Richardson [registered in September 1897].
Died 6 November 1909 in Villiers Street, Preston, Lancashire, aged 36 years 9 days [registered in Preston, November 1909]. Becton died of consumption of the bowels.
Height/Weight not known

Source

Douglas Lammings' An English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990], LFC History & FindMyPast.com

Club Career
Club(s) Played junior football in Preston before joining Fishwick Ramblers FC in 1889. Becton joined Preston North End FC in 1891. Made 87 league appearances and scored 37 goals. He joined Liverpool FC in March 1895 for £100, making  seventy league appearances and scoring 38 goals. Onto Sheffield United FC in October 1898 for eleven league appearances and three goals. Bedminster FC in 1899, but he returned to Deepdale for another season in September 1900 for another 26 league appearances and nine goals. Becton signed for Swindon Town FC on 23 August 1901 and made 41 Southern League appearances and scored nine goals. He moved onto Nelson FC, Ashton Town FC on 15 September 1903 and finally, New Brighton Tower FC.  He retired in 1905 due to ill-health.
Club honours Football League Division Two winners 1895-96;
Individual honours Football League (two appearances)
Distinctions None

Source

Douglas Lammings' An English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990].

England Career
Player number One of four who became 218th players (221) to appear for England.
Position(s) Inside-right/left
First match No. 53, 9 March 1895, England 9 Ireland 0, a British Championship match at Derbyshire County Cricket Ground, Nottingham Road, Derby, aged 21 years 132 days.
Last match No. 60, 29 March 1897, England 4 Wales 0, a British Championship match at Bramall Lane, Little Sheffield, Sheffield, aged 23 years 152 days.
Major tournaments British Championship 1894-95, 1896-97;
Team honours British Championship winner 1894-95;
Individual honours None
Distinctions None

Beyond England
One of the best-travelled pre-1914 players and retired due to ill-health. After retiring, returned to the cotton mills - An English Football Internationalists' Who's Who. Douglas Lamming (1990). Hatton Press, p.30.

 

Frank Becton - Career Statistics
Squads Apps Comp.
Apps		 Mins. Goals Goals Av.min Comp.
Goals		 Capt. Disc.
2 2 2 0 2 90 min 2 none none
Due to the fact that many matches rarely stuck to exactly ninety minutes long, allowing time for injuries, errors and substitutions.  The minutes here given can only ever be a guideline and cannot therefore be accurate, only an approximation.

 

Frank Becton - Match Record - All Matches - By Type of Match
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts % W/L
Home - British Championship 2 2 0 0 13 0 +13 0 2 6.50 0.00 100.0 +2
All 2 2 0 0 13 0 +13 0 2 6.50 0.00 100.0 +2

 

Frank Becton - Match Record - Tournament Matches
British Championship Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
BC 1894-95 1 1 0 0 9 0 +9 0 1 9.00 0.00 100.0 +1
BC 1896-97 1 1 0 0 4 0 +4 0 1 4.00 0.00 100.0 +1
BC All 2 2 0 0 13 0 +13 0 2 6.50 0.00 100.0 +2
All Competition
Type P W D L F A GD FTS CS FAv AAv Pts% W/L
BC 2 2 0 0 13 0 +13 0 2 6.50 0.00 100.0 +2
All 2 2 0 0 13 0 +13 0 2 6.50 0.00 100.0 +2

 

Frank Becton - Match History
 Club: Preston North End F.C. - 1 full cap

Coach: F.A. International Select Committee - 2 full capsx

Age 21
1 53 9 March 1895 - England 9 Ireland 0, County Ground, Derby BC HW Start 15, 60 ir
 Club: Liverpool F.C. - 1 full cap  
Age 23
2 60 29 March 1897 - England 4 Wales 0, Bramall Lane, Sheffield BC HW Start il

Notes

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CG