|
|
|
Frank
Worthington |
Leicester City FC
8 appearances, 2 goals
P 8 W 3 D
4 L 1 F 10: A 7
*(actual F x: A x)
63% successful
1974
disciplined: none
captain: none
minutes played: 522 |
|
 |
|
Timeline |
| |
Frank Stewart Worthington |
(*Actual
for and against are the goals scored
while the player was on the field.) |
|
Birth |
Tuesday, 23 November 1948, in Shelf, Halifax, West
Riding of Yorkshire
[registered in Calder, December 1948]. |
|
first marriage |
to Brigitta K. Egermalm
[registered in Leicester, March 1973]. They lived in a luxury home
in Scraptoft Lane in Leicester until 1976 |
|
second marriage |
to Carol Dwyer
[registered in Halifax, December 1986]. Daughter of Noel
Dwyer, international goalkeeper. |
|
Death |
Monday, 22 March 2021 in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire,
aged 72 years 119 days. |
|
Source |
Douglas Lammings' An
English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990] &
 |
|
Biographies |
One
Hump or Two? The Frank Worthington Story - Ian Worthington with Steve
Wells and Nick Cooper (ACL & Polar Publishing, 21 November 1994)
Contains a flicker-vision card box. |
| |
'Frankie Wortho' was a
cult figure whose career began in 1966 and took in eleven clubs in all.
Huddersfield, Leicester, Bolton and Birmingham benefited most from his
individualistic skills and flamboyant style. I have not seen the
flicker-vision novelty - it should show a wonder goal he once scored for
Bolton, but who knows what it might illustrate with Frank around.
- A Football Compendium, Peter J. Seddon (1999). |
|
Playing Career |
|
Club(s) |
Played
schools football in West Yorkshire before Worthington joined Huddersfield Town AFC
as an apprentice in 1963 from Ripponden AFC, turning professional in November 1966,
the following year he was being watched by Birmingham City FC and in 1968,
even peaked Arsenal FC's interest, and in 1970, he was being watched by
Tottenham Hotspur FC.
However, following Town's relegation, Worthington was looking to join a
First Division club. On 28 June 1972, he failed a medical at Anfield ahead of a proposed £150,000 to Liverpool FC.
Instead, he joined
Leicester City FC on 21 August 1972 for an initial £80,000.
In August 1976, Tottenham Hotspur FC renewed their interest in signing
Worthington. He spent the 1977
summer in the NASL with Dallas Tornado. After he was placed on the
transfer list on 21 July 1977, he joined Bolton Wanderers FC ahead of
Bristol City FC on 28 September 1977
on a loan deal, before the transfer was made permanent on 22 October, for £90,000. He spent the 1978 summer in the NASL with Philadephia Fury... |
"SOCCER STRIKER HITS A CRACKER
"Soccer star Frank Worthington told a
court yesterday of the day he smashed a window at his estranged wife's
home. The Bolton Wanderers and former England striker said he called at
the house to collect clothing for his three-year-old daughter. His Swedish
wife Birgitta would not let him in. 'I banged on the door and the window
broke. It was an accident,' he told magistrates at Leigh, Lancs.
Worthington, 29, of Edgworth, near Bolton, admitted damaging the window
and was fined £10." - The Daily Mirror, Thursday, 13 July 1976 |
|
|
....and the 1979
summer with Tampa Bay Rowdies. After being transfer-listed by
Wanderers, on 26 November 1979, Worthington joined Birmingham City FC in a £150,000 deal.
Worthington spent the 1980 summer in Sweden, with Mjällby AI. Tampa Bay Rowdies, of the NASL, then spent £100,000 taking Worthington to United States
on 7 March 1981. However, the deal was a 'loophole' as the Football
League had prevented the loans to the NASL the previous season.
Worthington returned to City with £55,000 of the fee unpaid, as per
contract agreement.
Then, on 3 March 1982, Leeds United AFC used Bryon Stevenson to bring him
to Elland Road. On 1 December 1982, Worthington travelled north to
Sunderland AFC in a £50,000 deal. The following summer, 17 June
1983, he had
joined Southampton FC in a £25,000 transfer deal. At the end of the
1983-84 season, Worthington was given a free transfer and he moved along the south coast and
signed on 21 May 1984 with Brighton & Hove Albion FC. He had been
expected to sign for Wolverhampton Wanderers FC on 21 December 1984, before being appointed the
player-manager at Tranmere Rovers FC on 9 July 1985. Joined Preston North
End FC on 20 February 1987 and Stockport County FC in November of that year.
He ended his league career in April 1988 with his club at the foot of the
Football League.
During the 1988 summer, he played for Cape Town
Spurs, in South Africa, before returning the following season to assist
Chorley FC, Stalybridge Celtic FC, Galway United FC, Weymouth FC,
Radcliffe Borough FC, Guiseley FC and to Hinkley Atheltic FC and Camaes Bay
FC in 1990. |
League honours
717+40 appearances, 234 goals
four red cards
TOP GOALSCORER 1978-79 |
Huddersfield Town AFC 1967-21 166+five appearances,
41 goals
debut (division two): 11 February 1967
Huddersfield Town AFC 1 Crystal Palace FC 1.
Leicester City FC
1972-77 209+one appearances, 72 goals
debut: 23 August 1972 Manchester
United FC 1 Leicester City FC 1 .
Bolton Wanderers FC 1977 loan 1977-79 permanent
81+3 appearances, 35 goals
debut (division two): 1 October 1977 Bolton
Wanderers FC 1
Stoke City FC 1.
Birmingham City FC 1979-82 71+four
appearances, 29 goals
debut (division two): 1 December 1979 Birmingham
City FC 1 Leicester City FC 2.
Leeds United AFC 1982
32 appearances, fourteen goals
debut: 10 March 1982 Leeds United AFC 0
Manchester City FC 1.
Sunderland AFC 1982-83
eighteen+one appearances, two goals
debut: 4 December 1982 Sunderland
AFC 2
Ipswich Town FC 3.
Southampton FC 1983-84 34
appearances, four goals
debut: 27 August 1983 Nottingham Forest FC 0
Southampton FC 1.
Brighton & Hove Albion FC 1984-85
27+four appearances, seven goals
debut (division two): 25 August 1984
Carlisle United FC 0 Brighton & Hove Albion FC 3.
Tranmere
Rovers FC 1985-87 51+eight appearances, 21 goals
debut
(division four): 17 August 1985 Orient Athletic FC 3 Tranmere Rovers FC 1.
Preston North End FC 1987 ten+thirteen appearances, three
goals
debut (division three): (sub) 15 August 1987 Preston North End FC
0 Chesterfield FC 1.
Stockport County FC 1987-88
eighteen+one appearances, six goals
debut (division four): 27 November
1987 Stockport County FC 1 Colchester United FC 1.
final (division
four): 22 April 1988 Stockport County FC 1 Crewe Alexandra FC 1. |
|
Club honours |
Football League Division Two winners 1969-70 (42 apps,
18), 1977-78
(34+1,
11),
third place 1979-80 17+2,
4)
FA Cup best semi-finalist 1973-74 (7,
2);1983-84
(6);
Football League runners-up 1983-84 (34,
4) |
|
Individual honours |
Football League (one appearance, 1973);
Daily Mirror Footballer
of the Month September 1978;
PFA
Division Four Team of the Year 1985-86; |
|
Distinctions |
Brother of David (Halifax Town FC, Barrow FC, Grimsby Town FC,
Southend United FC 1962-1976) and Bob (Halifax Town FC,
Middlesbrough FC, Notts County FC, Southend United FC & Hartlepool United
FC, 1964-75); Uncle of Gary (Darlington FC, Wrexham AFC,
Wigan Athletic AFC, Exeter City FC and Doncaster Rovers FC, 1988-94) |
|
Height/Weight |
6'
0", 12st.
0lbs [1975]. |
|
Source |
Douglas Lammings' An English
Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990] & ENFA. |
|
Management
Career |
|
Club(s) |
Worthington was appointed the player-manager at Tranmere Rovers FC on 9 July
1985, until 12 February 1987, when he was sacked as a cost-cutting measure. He returned to his
hometown club of Halifax Town FC for the 1991-92 season to act as a
player-coach. |
|
Club honours |
League best: 19th Division Four 1985-86; |
|
England Career |
|
Player number |
898th
player to appear for England. |
|
Position(s) |
Forward |
|
First match |
No. 480, 15 May 1974, England 1 Northern
Ireland 0, a British Championship match at Wembley Stadium, Wembley,
London, substitute (55), aged
25 years 173 days. |
|
Last match |
No. 487, 20 November 1974, England 0 Portugal
0, a European Championship qualification match at Wembley Stadium,
Wembley, London, substitute (70), aged
25 years 362 days. |
|
Major tournaments |
British Championship 1973-74; |
|
Team honours |
British Championship shared 1973-74; |
|
Individual honours |
England U23 (two appearances) |
|
Distinctions |
Worthington was the fiftieth substitute used by England |
|
Beyond England |
no additional information. -
An English Football Internationalists' Who's Who.
Douglas Lamming (1990). Hatton Press, p.277/278.
Diagnosed with Alzheimer's
Disease in March 2016, although Frank denied this a day later. |
|
The Numbers |
| Squads |
Apps |
comp. apps |
Starts |
Sub on |
unused |
minutes |
 | goals ave.min |
comp. goals |
Capt. |
Disc. |
|
|
8 |
4 |
6 |
▲2
▼3 |
|
522 |
2 |
261
min |
0 |
none |
none |
|
minutes are an approximation, due to the fact that many matches rarely stick to exactly ninety minutes long, allowing time for injuries and errors. |
|
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
GD |
FTS
|
CS |
FAv |
AAv |
Pts% |
W/L |
|
8 |
3 |
4 |
1 |
10 |
7 |
+3 |
2 |
4 |
1.25 |
0.875 |
62.5 |
+2 |
Venue Record
|
Venue |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
GD |
FTS
|
CS |
FAv |
AAv |
Pts% |
W/L |
|
Home |
4 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
6 |
2 |
+4 |
1 |
3 |
1.50 |
0.50 |
75.0 |
+2 |
|
Away |
4 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
4 |
5 |
-1 |
1 |
1 |
1.00 |
1.25 |
50.0 |
=0 |
Shirt Record
|
Colour |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
GD |
FTS
|
CS |
FAv |
AAv |
Pts% |
W/L |
|
White |
6 |
2 |
3 |
1 |
8 |
6 |
+2 |
2 |
3 |
1.333 |
1.00 |
58.3 |
+1 |
|
Red |
2 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
+1 |
0 |
1 |
1.00 |
0.50 |
75.0 |
+1 |
Competition Record
|
Competition |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
GD |
FTS |
CS |
FAv |
AAv |
Pts% |
W/L |
|
ECP
|
2 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
+3 |
1 |
2 |
1.50 |
0.00 |
75.0 |
+1 |
|
ECF |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
=0 |
0 |
0 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
=0 |
|
European Championship |
2 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
+3 |
1 |
2 |
1.50 |
0.00 |
75.0 |
+1 |
|
British Championship |
2 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
-1 |
1 |
1 |
1.00 |
0.50 |
50.0 |
=0 |
| Friendly |
4 |
1 |
3 |
0 |
6 |
5 |
+1 |
0 |
1 |
1.50 |
1.25 |
62.5 |
+1 |
Tournament Record
|
European Championship Preliminary Competition |
|
Type |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
GD |
FTS |
CS |
FAv |
AAv |
Pts% |
W/L |
|
ECP 1974-76 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
+3 |
1 |
2 |
1.50 |
0.00 |
75.0 |
+1 |
|
ECP
All |
2 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
+3 |
1 |
2 |
1.50 |
0.00 |
75.0 |
+1 |
|
British Championship Tournament |
|
Type |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
GD |
FTS |
CS |
FAv |
AAv |
Pts% |
W/L |
|
BC 1973-74 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
-1 |
1 |
1 |
1.00 |
0.50 |
50.0 |
=0 |
|
BC
All |
2 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
-1 |
1 |
1 |
1.00 |
0.50 |
50.0 |
=0 |
|
All Competition |
|
Type |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
GD |
FTS |
CS |
FAv |
AAv |
Pts% |
W/L |
|
EC |
2 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
+3 |
1 |
2 |
1.50 |
0.00 |
75.0 |
+1 |
|
BC |
2 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
-1 |
1 |
1 |
1.00 |
0.50 |
50.0 |
=0 |
|
4 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
2 |
+2 |
2 |
3 |
1.00 |
0.50 |
62.5 |
+1 |
Match History
|
Club: Leicester
City F.C. - 8 full appearances (522
min) |
manager:
Sir Alf Ramsey - no full
appearancesx
|
|
|
Age 23 |
|
1 |
u23 |
4 June 1972 - Poland 0 England 3,
Stadion Dziesięciolecia,
Warszawa |
tour |
AW |
Start |
10 |
|
2 |
u23 |
7 June 1972 - USSR 0 England 0,
Kiev Central Stadium, Kyiv |
AD |
Start ▼75 |
10 |
|
|
manager:
Joe Mercer - six full appearances
(440 min)x
|
|
|
manager:
Don Revie - two full appearances
(82 min)x
|
Notes
____________________
CG
|
|
England
Football Online