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Post by wuzza on Aug 14, 2019 18:05:41 GMT
The only player my dad has ever eulogised about (his generation didn’t give out praise easily) was Neil Franklin. Simply the best player he ever saw. I look forward to buying the book for him.
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Post by sonichuth on Aug 14, 2019 18:17:17 GMT
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Post by nott1 on Aug 15, 2019 14:19:01 GMT
Strange that we could supply England with the best defender and the best winger ever but the club has won sod all in all these years.
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Post by GoBoks on Aug 15, 2019 15:57:43 GMT
Strange that we could supply England with the best defender and the best winger ever but the club has won sod all in all these years. Nothing strange about that at all ..... it's all the fans fault!
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Post by Absolution on Aug 15, 2019 19:35:55 GMT
It was late 80s or early 90s at the start of the fanzine boom, and Stoke played a friendly at some long forgotten non-league ground.
We called at a pub on the way home and lying around was a Hull City fanzine. In it was an all time Hull team which I think had been voted on by their fans. Franklin was in it.
The fact he made it into an all time Hull team might not seem any great feat. The fact that it was so many years after he'd retired makes it very impressive and noteworthy in my book.
Franklin and Matthews were my dad's favourite players. I doubt it's too much different for any of us of a certain age.
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Post by cheadlestokie on Aug 15, 2019 20:13:23 GMT
My Dad always maintained that Franklin was the best and much superior to Billy Wright who I think won 105 caps for England
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Post by alfieph on Aug 15, 2019 21:51:00 GMT
Strange that we could supply England with the best defender and the best winger ever but the club has won sod all in all these years. If Matthews and Franklin had ever spent a full season together, as they so-nearly did in 1946-47, I suspect that wouldn't be the case.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 15, 2019 23:11:15 GMT
Taken from Macc Town's archive. link1960-61 Centre-half CL League 13 Apps 1 Goal Cups 1 App 0 Goals Debut 21 January 1961 Rhyl (Home)gned professionally for Stoke City in January 1939 making 142 league appearances for the club and 27 international appearances for England at centre-half. He then joined Colombian side Sante Fe of Bogata in May 1950, but to make the move he had broken his contract with Stoke and the position was further aggravated when he refused to join the England squad for the 1950 World Cup finals in Brazil. Neil and his family never settled in Colombia and they returned to England after only two months. A suspension from league football followed, after which he joined Hull City in February 1951 for, at that time, a world record fee for a defender of £22,500 (95 appearances). He moved to Crewe Alexandra in February 1956 (66 appearances, four goals) and was signed by Stockport County in October 1957 (20 appearances). He later played for Wellington and for a short time at the Moss Rose. After retiring from playing he managed Greek side APOEL and then Colchester United. He was a landlord in Oswaldtwistle and then in Sandon, Staffordshire. Neil died 9 February 1996 at the age of 74.
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Post by roylandstoke on Aug 16, 2019 1:08:31 GMT
Strange that we could supply England with the best defender and the best winger ever but the club has won sod all in all these years. I think WW2 may have hindered the prospects of the Matthews', Franklin, Steele team.
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Post by JoeinOz on Aug 16, 2019 1:35:20 GMT
One thing his story emphasises is how oppressive the regime used to be to players.
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Post by lordb on Aug 16, 2019 8:26:42 GMT
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! Moore was the best Captain and a true great however he did have some flaws - not great in the air, a little slow. Franklin had none.
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dave1975
Academy Starlet
I'm Batman!!!!
Posts: 217
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Post by dave1975 on Aug 16, 2019 18:54:57 GMT
I shall be getting this soon as I can, I tell everyone who doesn’t want to listen that Franklin was the best defender England ever had but due to his own naivety and the useless FA ( mainly the FA) we were robbed of seeing him performing for England for years and years.
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Post by mrcoke on Aug 16, 2019 20:55:21 GMT
Just got back home.
There was a good turn out for the book launch/signing, and some nice presentations to the Franklin family including an England cap by the widow of a team mate.
Alfie spoke well and presented a plaque from Stockport FC. Malcolm C talked about Nello and represented us fans very well.
A good evening was had by all.
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Post by Malcolm Clarke on Aug 16, 2019 21:49:31 GMT
Just got back home. There was a good turn out for the book launch/signing, and some nice presentations to the Franklin family including an England cap by the widow of a team mate. Alfie spoke well and presented a plaque from Stockport FC. Malcolm C talked about Nello and represented us fans very well. A good evening was had by all. Good to meet you tonight David. Thank you for your kind words. I thought it was a lovely event. It was great to meet Neil Fs son & daughter and I was surprised and delighted to learn that his daughter is a season ticket holder in the coincidentally named Franklyn stand. Less good is that my train was cancelled so I’m still travelling 😡😡 with some way to go yet
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Post by mrcoke on Aug 17, 2019 8:22:47 GMT
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Post by Malcolm Clarke on Aug 17, 2019 8:25:05 GMT
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Post by alfieph on Aug 18, 2019 16:53:22 GMT
Hi all, I wanted to send some of the photos that were taken on Friday night but it appears there is a limit of just 1 image per post and it has to be under 1MB so I could only attach this photo of the cap that was given to the Franklin family and a SCAN that was gifted by Stockport County. It was a fantastic evening especially for the Franklin's, Neil's son Gary told me it was a night he'd never forget. Huge thanks to Malcolm and Dave on this thread for coming and to Malcolm for speaking on the night. Anyone who has ordered a copy of the book should either have received it, or it will be heading to them in the post tomorrow, and obviously I hope you enjoy it!
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Post by alfieph on Aug 18, 2019 18:26:45 GMT
Managed to attach a photo of the Franklin's and the Davidson's at the handing over of the cap. Attachment Deleted
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Post by Malcolm Clarke on Aug 18, 2019 20:44:54 GMT
Hi all, I wanted to send some of the photos that were taken on Friday night but it appears there is a limit of just 1 image per post and it has to be under 1MB so I could only attach this photo of the cap that was given to the Franklin family and a SCAN that was gifted by Stockport County. It was a fantastic evening especially for the Franklin's, Neil's son Gary told me it was a night he'd never forget. Huge thanks to Malcolm and Dave on this thread for coming and to Malcolm for speaking on the night. Anyone who has ordered a copy of the book should either have received it, or it will be heading to them in the post tomorrow, and obviously I hope you enjoy it! It was a pleasure, Alfie, and I really hope the book does well. I will be asking the Club to not only ensure that it's sold in the club shop, but it would be great to have a book signing/launch there in time for the Christmas market, particularly as Liz, Neil's daughter, is a season ticket holder in the co-incidentally named Franklyn stand.
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Post by Malcolm Clarke on Aug 21, 2019 14:10:33 GMT
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Post by PotterLog on Aug 21, 2019 14:25:43 GMT
The recent talk of Franklin on here has been quite an eye-opener for me. I was dimly aware of his story but never realised quite how highly rated he was as a player. The Colombia affair is fascinating too. Just ordered the Kindle version of the book
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Post by jezzascfc on Aug 21, 2019 14:37:28 GMT
My dad was a young defender for Stoke in the late 50s/early 60s (Bluto's contemporary) and he is another who is universal in his praise for Neil Franklin as the greatest defender he has ever seen play. So many people inside the game cannot be wrong......
His South American sojourn was a huge mistake (think walking out on your contract to go to China nowadays for the money at the peak of your career, and pulling out of an England squad when you are a regular just before a World Cup to boot!), from which, as a top level footballer, he never really recovered.
I will read with interest.
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Post by Somebody_Told_Me on Aug 21, 2019 15:15:23 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. #myDadtoo My dad too, best Stoke player ever, best English defender ever. He loved Stan but Franklin was the best.
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