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Post by alfieph on Aug 8, 2019 14:47:10 GMT
Hi all, Apologies if this is a bit too much of a plug, feel free to take it down if so, but I just thought it might be of interest to some posters. Back in June 2015 I shared an article I'd written about Stoke legend Neil Franklin on this forum, and the reaction was fantastic. I know a lot of people grew up on the stories of Franklin from their Dad's or Grandad's, with a few posters on here probably fortunate enough to have seen the great number five in the flesh. Anyhow, it was suggested that Neil's life might make for an interesting topic for a book, and four years on I'm delighted to say that 'England's Greatest Defender: The Untold Story of Neil Franklin' will be published next week. Written with the help Neil's son Gary, former England internationals, club team mates, fans and even the Stoke City chairman Peter Coates, the book tells the tale of one of the most significant figures in the history of the British game. For those of you who don't know, Neil is widely regarded as England's greatest ever defender by those who saw him play, and he was an automatic selection for the national team going into the 1950 World Cup. Just before the tournament, however, Neil - along with his Potters team mate George Mountford - made a stunning move to Independiente Santa Fe of Bogota. Colombia didn't turn out to be the utopia Franklin had been promised, in fact, the country was in the midst of a brutal civil war which claimed the lives of more than 200,000 people (which, incidentally, was the whole reason why so many great footballers were brought to Colombia at the time). Neil returned after just six games but was suspended by the FA, ostracised by the England selectors and transfer listed by Stoke City, soon making a transfer to Hull City which set a world record fee for a defender. The launch for the book is taking place next Friday (the 16th) at 6:30 p.m. at Waterstones in Hull, and I'm delighted that Stoke's greatest living defender Denis Smith, Neil 'Franklin' Baldwin of Marvellous fame and FSA chair Malcolm Clarke are all expected to be attending, along with the Franklin family, and I would extend an invitation to any Stoke fans who live nearby or fancy making the journey. Along with Sir Stan, Neil is truly one of Stoke's greatest gifts to the world of football, and I really hope the book will give him a bit more recognition not just in the Potteries but beyond. If you want to find out any more about the book or buy a copy, you can do so at englandsgreatestdefender.com/ . |
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Post by franklin66 on Aug 8, 2019 14:50:52 GMT
As per my username my old man said as much he was indeed the best defender he'd ever seen. I wish you well.
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Post by elystokie on Aug 8, 2019 15:23:19 GMT
As per my username my old man said as much he was indeed the best defender he'd ever seen. I wish you well. #myDadtoo |
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Post by marylandstoke on Aug 8, 2019 22:44:10 GMT
Good luck
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Post by onefatcopper on Aug 8, 2019 23:52:20 GMT
As per my username my old man said as much he was indeed the best defender he'd ever seen. I wish you well. #myDadtoo My dear old mum named me Neil Frank Onefatcopper after him. |
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Post by Laughing Gravy on Aug 9, 2019 8:20:35 GMT
My dear old mum named me Neil Frank Onefatcopper after him. Should have been Neil Frank Lynne Onefatcopper. |
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Post by GreaterGlasgowstokie on Aug 9, 2019 8:24:26 GMT
I've always been interested in this story. I will assume it's possible to purchase online
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Post by franklin66 on Aug 9, 2019 8:38:51 GMT
My dear old mum named me Neil Frank Onefatcopper after him. OK I'll bite forgetting the surname part is that true because my middle name is Neil and it was my dad who insisted on the name after his hero. |
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Post by onefatcopper on Aug 9, 2019 11:00:32 GMT
My dear old mum named me Neil Frank Onefatcopper after him. OK I'll bite forgetting the surname part is that true because my middle name is Neil and it was my dad who insisted on the name after his hero. It’s very true, as I am reminded each birthday 🎂 my mother doesn’t know much about football apart from potty mouth expletives directed at the TV when England are playing ? but it was she who handed me my proud name because she fancied Mr Franklin. |
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Post by franklin66 on Aug 9, 2019 11:02:48 GMT
OK I'll bite forgetting the surname part is that true because my middle name is Neil and it was my dad who insisted on the name after his hero. It’s very true, as I am reminded each birthday 🎂 my mother doesn’t know much about football apart from potty mouth expletives directed at the TV when England are playing ? but it was she who handed me my proud name because she fancied Mr Franklin. Well who would have thought it it seems our parents had good taste 😎 |
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Post by leicspotter on Aug 9, 2019 11:28:32 GMT
I had the honour of working alongside Neil when, in his later years, he was a relief pub manager and he did at stint at The Wayfarer in Stone. A true gent, and very modest about his football achievements  |
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Post by southcranford on Aug 9, 2019 11:42:57 GMT
Hi all, Apologies if this is a bit too much of a plug, feel free to take it down if so, but I just thought it might be of interest to some posters. Back in June 2015 I shared an article I'd written about Stoke legend Neil Franklin on this forum, and the reaction was fantastic. I know a lot of people grew up on the stories of Franklin from their Dad's or Grandad's, with a few posters on here probably fortunate enough to have seen the great number five in the flesh. Anyhow, it was suggested that Neil's life might make for an interesting topic for a book, and four years on I'm delighted to say that 'England's Greatest Defender: The Untold Story of Neil Franklin' will be published next week. Written with the help Neil's son Gary, former England internationals, club team mates, fans and even the Stoke City chairman Peter Coates, the book tells the tale of one of the most significant figures in the history of the British game. For those of you who don't know, Neil is widely regarded as England's greatest ever defender by those who saw him play, and he was an automatic selection for the national team going into the 1950 World Cup. Just before the tournament, however, Neil - along with his Potters team mate George Mountford - made a stunning move to Independiente Santa Fe of Bogota. Colombia didn't turn out to be the utopia Franklin had been promised, in fact, the country was in the midst of a brutal civil war which claimed the lives of more than 200,000 people (which, incidentally, was the whole reason why so many great footballers were brought to Colombia at the time). Neil returned after just six games but was suspended by the FA, ostracised by the England selectors and transfer listed by Stoke City, soon making a transfer to Hull City which set a world record fee for a defender. The launch for the book is taking place next Friday (the 16th) at 6:30 p.m. at Waterstones in Hull, and I'm delighted that Stoke's greatest living defender Denis Smith, Neil 'Franklin' Baldwin of Marvellous fame and FSA chair Malcolm Clarke are all expected to be attending, along with the Franklin family, and I would extend an invitation to any Stoke fans who live nearby or fancy making the journey. Along with Sir Stan, Neil is truly one of Stoke's greatest gifts to the world of football, and I really hope the book will give him a bit more recognition not just in the Potteries but beyond. If you want to find out any more about the book or buy a copy, you can do so at englandsgreatestdefender.com/ . I used to work with his son Gary at bet365/coral in the early 2000's...great bloke. My dad always said that Billy Wright wouldn't have gotten anywhere near as many caps for England if Franklin had been allowed to play. |
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Post by StokeTudoGuy on Aug 9, 2019 12:32:59 GMT
We have had some bloody good defenders, best is a big call.
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Post by alfieph on Aug 10, 2019 19:22:37 GMT
I've always been interested in this story. I will assume it's possible to purchase online Apologies for the slow reply. It is indeed, available in hard copy from the link in the OP or as an ebook on Amazon. 👍🏽 Thanks to everyone for the well-wishes, and you'd be amazed at how many people seem to be named after Neil in Stoke & Hull, some of whom have barely any idea who he was! |
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Post by stantheman on Aug 10, 2019 19:25:20 GMT
I had the honour of working alongside Neil when, in his later years, he was a relief pub manager and he did at stint at The Wayfarer in Stone. A true gent, and very modest about his football achievements He aalso ran the Dog & Doublet in Sandon. Lovely chap who always found time to talk about all things football. |
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Post by alfieph on Aug 10, 2019 19:33:09 GMT
We have had some bloody good defenders, best is a big call. No doubt, but only one who was considered the best in Europe for 5+ years. Something I came across whilst writing the book is that even Gordon Banks in his 'dream XI' picked Neil over Bobby Moore as his favourite centre-half, which must have stung a bit... |
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Post by StokeTudoGuy on Aug 10, 2019 20:29:18 GMT
We have had some bloody good defenders, best is a big call. No doubt, but only one who was considered the best in Europe for 5+ years. Something I came across whilst writing the book is that even Gordon Banks in his 'dream XI' picked Neil over Bobby Moore as his favourite centre-half, which must have stung a bit... Fair enough, Moore and Charlton were who I had in mind as top of the tier. |
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Post by alfieph on Aug 11, 2019 15:49:22 GMT
No doubt, but only one who was considered the best in Europe for 5+ years. Something I came across whilst writing the book is that even Gordon Banks in his 'dream XI' picked Neil over Bobby Moore as his favourite centre-half, which must have stung a bit... Fair enough, Moore and Charlton were who I had in mind as top of the tier. Must admit I thought you meant Stoke. Tight call between Moore & Franklin for England, but I don't think the publishers would have been too keen on 'England's Joint Greatest Defender' as a title. It was hard enough convincing a publisher anyone would buy a book about a footballer from the 1940's & 50's in the first place! |
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Post by swampySCFC on Aug 11, 2019 22:24:23 GMT
As per my username my old man said as much he was indeed the best defender he'd ever seen. I wish you well. My dad said this too |
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Post by mrcoke on Aug 11, 2019 23:17:21 GMT
Another one here, my dad also went on about Neil being the best, and used to go on about Frank Soo and Freddie Steele as well.
I remember in the 1950s, Mr Green, one of the masters at Ellison Street Junior School, who used to run the school football, impressing on us children the importance of going to the library and reading books to find about about things. He quoted as an example that had Neil read about life in Colombia (cost of living, curfew, civil unrest, etc.) he would not have made his decision to quit English football to play there.
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Post by kustokie on Aug 12, 2019 0:37:25 GMT
I've always been interested in this story. I will assume it's possible to purchase online Apologies for the slow reply. It is indeed, available in hard copy from the link in the OP or as an ebook on Amazon. 👍🏽 Thanks to everyone for the well-wishes, and you'd be amazed at how many people seem to be named after Neil in Stoke & Hull, some of whom have barely any idea who he was! Congratulations. Looking forward to a good read. |
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Post by magwitch on Aug 13, 2019 16:08:55 GMT
We have had some bloody good defenders, best is a big call. No doubt, but only one who was considered the best in Europe for 5+ years. Something I came across whilst writing the book is that even Gordon Banks in his 'dream XI' picked Neil over Bobby Moore as his favourite centre-half, which must have stung a bit... Bobby Moore was a left-half not a centre-half. Moore would have been kept out by Duncan Edwards if he had lived. |
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Post by Malcolm Clarke on Aug 14, 2019 7:31:23 GMT
Is the title of a book about Neil Franklin which is to be launched in Hull on Friday englandsgreatestdefender.com/I will be there saying a few words on behalf of Stoke City supporters about our Chairman's favourite Stoke City player. Why Hull ? Well he did also play for Hull but there is a much more interesting reason. The late Andy Davidson was a Scottish international who played for Hull. When he died, his family found in his possessions one of Neil Franklin's England caps. They didn't know he had it, or when or why he acquired it. They decided they wanted to return it to Neil's family. His family will be presenting it to Neil's grandson as part of the book launch, which is a really nice touch. There is yet another unusual thing which will happen. Those of you who have read "Marvellous" ( the book of Nello's life which he and I wrote - buy it on Amazon or elsewhere if you haven't already got it, Nello needs the royalties  www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=neil+baldwin+marvellous&i=stripbooks&ref=nb_sb_noss) will know that Nello is named after Neil Franklin, his parents' favourite player, and that on the back of his birth certification is written " With very best wishes from Neil Franklin, Stoke City and England" in the great man's fair hand. I will be taking that birth certificate to Hull to show it to Neil F's family and the assembled company. It will be a great occasion in honour of Stoke city and England's greatest defender. |
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Post by waddosnavy on Aug 14, 2019 9:11:46 GMT
Anyone going - doing a shared car?
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Post by Malcolm Clarke on Aug 14, 2019 17:24:25 GMT
Anyone going - doing a shared car? Needless to say if you or any other Stokies want to turn up you will be very welcome |
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Post by PotteringThrough on Aug 14, 2019 17:25:56 GMT
To the top for Malcolm Clarke.
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Post by emmbrook1956 on Aug 14, 2019 17:30:16 GMT
When I was growing up my father always told me that the great Neil Franklin was by far the best defender he had seen In his lifetime. From memory it was the war that interrupted his career and possibly the fact that he went to South America which meant a lot in the country were unaware of his great ability.
Please correct if I am factually incorrect.
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Post by Malcolm Clarke on Aug 14, 2019 17:34:56 GMT
When I was growing up my father always told me that the great Neil Franklin was by far the best defender he had seen In his lifetime. From memory it was the war that interrupted his career and possibly the fact that he went to South America which meant a lot in the country knew of his ability. Please correct if I am factually incorrect. I think you are spot on. Going to Columbia to play would be an eccentric thing to do even today, but hugely more so at that time and he was never forgiven |
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Post by PotteringThrough on Aug 14, 2019 17:35:53 GMT
When I was growing up my father always told me that the great Neil Franklin was by far the best defender he had seen In his lifetime. From memory it was the war that interrupted his career and possibly the fact that he went to South America which meant a lot in the country knew of his ability. Please correct if I am factually incorrect. I don't know your dad so couldn't tell you if it's factually incorrect or not that's what he said to you. |
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Post by emmbrook1956 on Aug 14, 2019 17:52:26 GMT
Hi Malcolm,
Yes my father said he missed out on representing England going to South America and it was a crime he did not play more for his country. I am only sorry I can’t get to Hull as I will be working down here in Wokingham.
Best wishes,
Cris SCSSC
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