Fraser Franks
Fraser George Franks (born 22 November 1990) is an English former professional footballer who played as a defender in the Football League for AFC Wimbledon, Luton Town, Stevenage and Newport County.
| Franks captaining England C in 2014 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Fraser George Franks[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 22 November 1990[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Hammersmith, England | ||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)[2] | ||
| Position(s) | Defender | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1999–2007 | Chelsea | ||
| 2007–2009 | Brentford | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2009–2010 | Brentford | 0 | (0) |
| 2009–2010 | → Basingstoke Town (loan) | 13 | (2) |
| 2010–2012 | AFC Wimbledon | 28 | (2) |
| 2011 | → Hayes & Yeading United (loan) | 7 | (0) |
| 2012 | → Newport County (loan) | 1 | (0) |
| 2012–2014 | Welling United | 60 | (4) |
| 2014–2015 | Luton Town | 30 | (0) |
| 2015–2018 | Stevenage | 109 | (7) |
| 2018–2019 | Newport County | 25 | (3) |
| Total | 273 | (18) | |
| International career | |||
| 2013–2014 | England C | 5 | (1) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Career edit
Brentford edit
Born in Hammersmith, Greater London,[1] Franks began his career in the youth system at Chelsea at the age of 9.[3][4] He then joined Brentford as an apprentice in 2007,[5] and was named as a substitute against Swansea City in a League Cup fixture on 12 August 2008.[6] Franks was again an unused substitute for a 2–1 FA Cup defeat away to Barrow on 28 November.[7] He signed his first professional contract in the summer of 2009,[8] though he remained as an unused substitute for the majority of 2009–10 and failed to make an appearance.[9]
In September 2009, after struggling to feature for Brentford, Franks joined Conference South club Basingstoke Town on an initial one-month loan, which was later extended until January 2010.[10] He debuted on 19 September in a 2–1 victory away to Braintree Town and scored his first goal on 24 October in a 2–1 victory at home to Weymouth.[11] Franks' second goal came on 14 November in a 3–2 defeat away to Maidenhead United and completed the loan spell with two goals from 18 appearances.[11] He was not offered a new contract by Brentford and was released by the club in May 2010.[12]
AFC Wimbledon edit
On 29 July 2010, Franks signed a one-year contract with Conference Premier club AFC Wimbledon.[13] He debuted as an 81st-minute substitute in a 2–1 victory away to Kettering Town on 4 September and scored his first goals in a 3–0 victory at home to Cambridge United on 29 September.[14] Franks went on to make 28 appearances in 2010–11,[14] though he suffered a cruciate knee ligament injury in a 2–1 defeat away to Grimsby Town on 5 March 2011.[15] He required an operation that ruled him out of action for six months, causing him to miss the 2011 Conference Premier play-off final victory over Luton Town,[16] and the beginning of AFC Wimbledon's first season in the Football League.[15] Despite this, Franks had made enough appearances to trigger a one-year extension clause in his contract, keeping him at the club until the end of 2011–12.[17]
In September 2011, Franks returned from injury and was loaned to Conference Premier club Hayes & Yeading United to gain match fitness.[18] He debuted on 24 September in a 3–2 defeat at home to Gateshead, finishing the loan spell with seven appearances, but turned down the offer to extend the loan for a further month.[14][19] Franks made his return to the AFC Wimbledon starting lineup away to Swindon Town on 8 November in a Football League Trophy tie, the match finishing 1–1 after extra time.[20] He scored the team's only penalty in the 3–1 penalty shoot-out defeat.[20] On 22 March 2012, Franks joined Conference Premier club Newport County on a one-month loan to play regular first-team football.[21] He made his debut and only appearance for the club two days later in a 2–0 defeat away to Lincoln City.[14] The remainder of his loan spell was hampered by injury.[22] After making only five appearances for AFC Wimbledon in 2011–12,[23] Franks was released by the club in May 2012.[24]
Welling United edit
On 19 June 2012, Franks signed for Conference South club Welling United.[25][26] After signing, Welling manager Jamie Day claimed Franks had turned down offers from higher leagues to be guaranteed regular first-team football.[25] He debuted on the opening day of 2012–13 in a 1–1 draw at home to Bath City and scored his first goal in the following match, a 3–2 victory over Chelmsford City.[27] Franks finished the season with 43 appearances and four goals,[27] as Welling won the Conference South title and therefore promotion into the Conference Premier.[28] He was named in the Conference South Team of the Year and signed a new one-year contract shortly afterwards.[29][30] Franks made his first appearance of 2013–14 on the opening day of the season in a 2–1 defeat away to Wrexham and went on to make 29 appearances for Welling during the first half of the season.[14]
Luton Town edit
On 17 January 2014, Franks signed for Conference Premier leaders Luton Town for an undisclosed fee after the club activated a release clause in his contract.[31] Due to bad weather postponing the club's matches throughout much of the rest of January, Franks did not make his debut until 11 February against Macclesfield Town, which finished as a 2–1 victory and was named as man of the match by The Luton News.[32] He made 18 appearances for Luton in the second half of 2013–14,[27] as the club won the Conference Premier title and therefore promotion into League Two.[33] Franks made his first appearance of 2014–15 on 12 August 2014 in a 2–1 defeat at home to Swindon Town in the League Cup first round.[34] He struggled to force his way into the first-team, making just 17 appearances,[34] as Luton finished eighth in League Two,[35] having missed an opportunity to make an impression in the first-team in the absence of first-choice central defenders Luke Wilkinson and Steve McNulty through suspension.[36] After the end of the season, Franks informed the club that he felt his future lay elsewhere and was transfer-listed by manager John Still,[37] before his contract was cancelled a year early by mutual consent on 15 July 2015.[38]
Stevenage edit
On 17 July 2015, Franks signed for Luton's near-neighbours Stevenage.[39] He debuted on the opening day of 2015–16 in a 2–0 defeat at home to Notts County and scored his first goal in a 2–0 victory at home to Hartlepool United on 22 August.[40] Franks finished the season with 42 appearances and three goals,[40] as Stevenage finished 18th in League Two.[41] He was named Season Ticket Holders Player of the Year, BoroChat Player of the Year and Players' Player of the Year at the club's end-of-season presentation night.[42] Franks spent three seasons at Stevenage, making 120 appearances for the club, scoring eight goals.[43]
Newport County edit
Franks re-signed for fellow League Two club Newport County on 18 June 2018 on a two-year contract.[44] He made his debut on the opening day of the 2018–19 season, starting in the club's 3–0 away defeat to Mansfield Town.[45] Franks scored his first goal for Newport in a 3–2 home win over Notts County on 21 August.[46] He captained Newport in a 2–1 victory at home to Premier League team Leicester City in the FA Cup third round on 6 January 2019.[47]
Franks retired from playing on 21 March 2019, as a result of a heart issue.[48] Franks had made 34 appearances and scored three goals for Newport up to that point in 2018–19.[49] Franks had heart palpitations and chest pains, and had to be taken to hospital by his pregnant wife.[50]
International career edit
In June 2013, Franks was selected for the England national C team and won his first cap in a 6–1 victory over Bermuda.[51] On 19 November 2013, Franks scored his first international goal in a 2–2 draw with Czech Republic U21, a match in which he also captained the team for the first time.[52] Franks went on to earn five caps for the England C team, captaining the side four times, before becoming ineligible due to Luton Town's promotion to the Football League.
Personal life edit
Franks is married to former S Club Juniors singer Stacey McClean.[48] Franks struggled with alcohol following his premature retirement from football, but following counselling from the Sporting Chance Clinic, became sober on 1 August 2021.[4] Franks is an ambassador for Alcohol Change UK and together with lawyer Matt Himsworth,[4] runs mentoring firm B5 Consultancy.[53]
Career statistics edit
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Brentford | 2008–09[54] | League Two | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2009–10[55] | League One | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Basingstoke Town (loan) | 2009–10[11] | Conference South | 13 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | 3[a] | 0 | 18 | 2 | |
| AFC Wimbledon | 2010–11[14] | Conference Premier | 24 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | 2[b] | 0 | 28 | 2 | |
| 2011–12[23] | League Two | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[c] | 0 | 5 | 0 | |
| Total | 28 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 33 | 2 | ||
| Hayes & Yeading United (loan) | 2011–12[14] | Conference Premier | 7 | 0 | — | — | — | 7 | 0 | |||
| Newport County (loan) | 2011–12[14] | Conference Premier | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | |||
| Welling United | 2012–13[27] | Conference South | 34 | 4 | 5 | 0 | — | 4[b] | 0 | 43 | 4 | |
| 2013–14[14] | Conference Premier | 26 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 29 | 0 | ||
| Total | 60 | 4 | 8 | 0 | — | 4 | 0 | 72 | 4 | |||
| Luton Town | 2013–14[27] | Conference Premier | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1[d] | 0 | 18 | 0 | |
| 2014–15[34] | League Two | 13 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 0 | |
| Total | 30 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 35 | 0 | ||
| Stevenage | 2015–16[40] | League Two | 38 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1[c] | 0 | 42 | 3 |
| 2016–17[56] | League Two | 41 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2[e] | 1 | 46 | 4 | |
| 2017–18[57] | League Two | 30 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 1 | |
| Total | 109 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 120 | 8 | ||
| Newport County | 2018–19[49] | League Two | 25 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2[e] | 0 | 34 | 3 |
| Career total | 273 | 18 | 24 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 16 | 1 | 320 | 19 | ||
- ^ Two appearances in Hampshire Senior Cup, one in FA Trophy
- ^ a b Appearances in FA Trophy
- ^ a b Appearance in Football League Trophy
- ^ Appearance in Bedfordshire Senior Cup
- ^ a b Appearances in EFL Trophy
Honours edit
AFC Wimbledon
- Conference Premier play-offs: 2010–11[16]
Welling United
Luton Town
Individual
- Conference South Team of the Year: 2012–13[29]
- Stevenage Player of the Year: 2015–16[42]
References edit
- ^ a b c "Fraser Franks". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
- ^ "Fraser Franks". 11v11.com. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 29 July 2018.
- ^ Robertson, Gregor. "Newport County player's Wembley dream stolen by heart condition". Retrieved 20 July 2022.
- ^ a b c Long, Dan. "Fraser Franks: Ex-Newport captain striving to change people's relationships with alcohol". Sky Sports. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
- ^ "Case study: Fraser Franks" (PDF). League Football Education. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
- ^ "Swansea 2–0 Brentford". Sky Sports. 12 August 2008. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
- ^ "Barrow 2–1 Brentford". Sky Sports. 28 November 2008. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
- ^ "His story: Fraser Franks". League Football Education. 29 October 2010. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
- ^ "Fraser Franks: 2009/2010". ESPN FC. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
- ^ Murtagh, Jacob (18 September 2009). "Brentford FC defender goes out on loan". Get West London. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
- ^ a b c . Basingstoke Town F.C. Archived from the original on 6 March 2017.
- ^ "Brentford release Mark Phillips and Steve Kabba". BBC Sport. 11 May 2010. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
- ^ Murtagh, Jacob (29 July 2010). . Surrey Herald. Guildford. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "F. Franks: Summary". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 21 March 2019.
- ^ a b Lewis, Matt (6 June 2011). "Dons defender won't be ready for pre-season". Hounslow, Heston & Whitton Chronicle. Archived from the original on 20 April 2013.
- ^ a b Marshall, Steve (21 May 2011). "AFC Wimbledon 0–0 Luton Town (4–3 on pens)". BBC Sport. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
- ^ "AFC Wimbledon sign defender Mat Mitchell-King". BBC Sport. 24 June 2011. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
- ^ Whitney, Steve (23 September 2011). "Franks loaned to Hayes & Yeading". Pitchero Non-League. Retrieved 3 December 2017.
- ^ "A–Z of Hayes & Yeading United". Hayes & Yeading United F.C. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
- ^ a b "Swindon Town 1–1 AFC Wimbledon". Sky Sports. 8 November 2011. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
- ^ "Newport County sign defender Fraser Franks on loan". BBC Sport. 22 March 2012. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
- ^ "Newport County's top loan stars and the worst flops of the last 10 years". South Wales Argus. Newport. 6 September 2016. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
- ^ a b "Games played by Fraser Franks in 2011/2012". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
- ^ Murtagh, Jacob (9 May 2012). "Brown lifts the lid on Dons cull". Get West London. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
- ^ a b "Fraser Franks now has a chance to kick-start his career, says Welling United boss Jamie Day". Kentish Football. 19 June 2012. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
- ^ Miles, Greg (20 June 2012). . Kent News. Archived from the original on 6 March 2017.
- ^ a b c d e "Player profiles: Fraser Franks". Aylesbury United F.C. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
- ^ a b "Welling United seal Blue Square Bet South title". BBC Sport. 23 April 2013. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
- ^ a b Doig, Mark (9 June 2013). "Six Kent players in Team of the Year". Kent Sports News. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
- ^ . Welling United F.C. 17 June 2013. Archived from the original on 10 September 2017. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
- ^ Panting, Matthew (17 January 2014). "Former AFC Wimbledon and Brentford defender Fraser Franks leaves Welling United to join Skrill Premier title favourites Luton Town". KentOnline. KM Group. Retrieved 3 December 2017.
- ^ Wood, Mark (11 February 2014). "Lethal Gray sends Hatters six points clear". Luton Today. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
- ^ "Luton Town win Conference Premier and Football League spot". BBC Sport. 15 April 2014. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
- ^ a b c "Games played by Fraser Franks in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
- ^ "League Two: 2014/15: Latest table". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 3 December 2017.
- ^ Cunliffe, James (25 February 2015). . Bedfordshire on Sunday. Bedford. Archived from the original on 30 August 2017.
- ^ Simmonds, Mike (8 May 2015). "Franks expecting to leave Kenilworth Road this summer". Luton Today. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
- ^ Simmonds, Mike (15 July 2015). "Franks leaves Luton". Luton Today. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
- ^ "Fraser Franks: Former Luton Town defender joins Stevenage". BBC Sport. 17 July 2015. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
- ^ a b c "Games played by Fraser Franks in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
- ^ "League Two: 2015/16: Latest table". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 3 December 2017.
- ^ a b Yousif, Layth (16 May 2018). "Stevenage fans' favourite Fraser Franks bows out in gracious style after bidding a fond farewell". The Comet. Stevenage. Retrieved 5 September 2019.
- ^ "Fraser Franks". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 5 September 2019.
- ^ "Fraser Franks joins Newport from Stevenage as Tom Owen-Evans joins Falkirk". BBC Sport. 18 June 2018. Retrieved 18 June 2018.
- ^ Penman, Andrew (4 August 2018). "Mansfield Town 3 Newport County 0". South Wales Argus. Newport. Retrieved 4 August 2018.
- ^ Penman, Andrew (21 August 2018). "Newport County 3 Notts County 2". South Wales Argus. Newport. Retrieved 25 August 2018.
- ^ Pearlman, Michael (6 January 2019). "Newport County 2–1 Leicester in FA Cup third round". BBC Sport. Retrieved 6 January 2019.
- ^ a b "Fraser Franks: Newport defender retires because of heart problem". BBC Sport. 21 March 2019. Retrieved 21 March 2019.
- ^ a b "Games played by Fraser Franks in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 21 March 2019.
- ^ "'I played Man City on Saturday, by Wednesday I was in hospital' – Fraser Franks". BBC Sport. 26 March 2019. Retrieved 5 September 2019.
- ^ Simmonds, Mike (5 June 2013). "Gray skippers England C to huge win in Bermuda". Luton Today. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
- ^ Simmonds, Mike (20 November 2013). "Hatters duo help England C to Czech Republic draw". Luton Today. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
- ^ "Who we are | B5 Consultancy | Matt Himsworth | Fraser Franks". B5 Consultancy. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
- ^ "Games played by Fraser Franks in 2008/2009". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
- ^ "Games played by Fraser Franks in 2009/2010". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
- ^ "Games played by Fraser Franks in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 17 April 2017.
- ^ "Games played by Fraser Franks in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
External links edit
- Fraser Franks at Soccerbase