Frank Barson
Frank Barson (10 April 1891 – 13 August 1968) 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.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 10 April 1891 | ||
| Place of birth | Grimesthorpe, Sheffield, England | ||
| Date of death | 13 September 1968 (aged 77) | ||
| Place of death | Winson Green, Birmingham, England | ||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Half back | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Firshill Council | |||
| Grimesthorpe schools | |||
| Albion FC | |||
| Cammell Laird's | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1911–1919 | Barnsley | 91 | (0) |
| 1919–1922 | Aston Villa | 92 | (10) |
| 1922–1928 | Manchester United | 140 | (4) |
| 1928–1929 | Watford | 10 | (1) |
| 1929–1930 | Hartlepool United | 9 | (2) |
| 1930–1931 | Wigan Borough | 19 | (0) |
| 1932–1935 | Rhyl Athletic | ? | (?) |
| International career | |||
| 1920 | England | 1 | (0) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 1932–1935 | Rhyl Athletic | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
The third of six children, Barson was born in Sheffield in 1891 to William and Agnes Barson and 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 £5,000.
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.