Frank Brettell
Encyclopedia
Frank E. Brettell was an English-born Irish football player, manager
and administrator.
He played as a full back for Everton
, a club that was originally called St. Domingo's. He combined his role as player-secretary-manager with his full time job as a reporter for the Liverpool Mercury
. He became secretary of Bolton Wanderers
in 1896 and remained there for two years before moving to London to join Tottenham Hotspur
as their first manager. He then accepted a more lucrative offer to join Portsmouth
and guided them to a second place finish in their first season in the Southern League
. He accepted an offer to join Plymouth Argyle
in 1903 and helped establish the club in the professional game. The job was to be his last as a manager and he retired from football altogether a year later. Nothing else is known about him.
in 1879 with Brettell as a member of the committee during the clubs first year. He did this while being a full-time reporter for local newspaper the Liverpool Mercury.
He joined Bolton Wanderers
in 1896, again as secretary-manager. Two years later he joined Tottenham Hotspur
, soon after the club had been converted into a Public limited company
. He brought a number of players with him from Bolton Wanderers, but his stay as the clubs manager was relatively brief; he resigned in February 1899 to join Portsmouth
after they offered him substantially more money to take the job.
His first season in charge was also Portsmouth's first in the Southern League
and adapted to their new surroundings well, finishing fourth in the league table. He left the club in June 1901 and it would be another two years before he took up his final managerial role. Brettell was invited to build a professional team for Plymouth Argyle
in 1903, an offer which he accepted.
Having been able to call upon twenty-eight years of experience as a football administrator and manager, he succeeded in his task and lead the club into the Southern League for the 1903–04 season
. He used his extensive network of contacts to bring a number of experienced professionals to Home Park
, including; Andy Clark
, Bob Jack
, Billy Leech
and Jack Peddie. He led the club to creditable ninth and fourth place finishes in the Southern League, as well as winning the Western League
in 1905. Brettell left the club at the end of his second season in charge and wouldn't manage a professional team again, but his place in English football
history was assured.
Manager (association football)
In association football, a manager is responsible for running a football club or a national team. The manager of a professional club is responsible directly to the club president. The position of manager is almost exclusively used in British football...
and administrator.
He played as a full back for Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
, a club that was originally called St. Domingo's. He combined his role as player-secretary-manager with his full time job as a reporter for the Liverpool Mercury
Liverpool Daily Post & Echo
The Liverpool Echo and Liverpool Daily Post are two newspapers published by Trinity Mirror in Liverpool, Merseyside, England. They are published Monday to Saturday, the Echo being Liverpool's evening newspaper while the Daily Post, published in Merseyside, Cheshire, and North Wales editions, is the...
. He became secretary of Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
in 1896 and remained there for two years before moving to London to join Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
as their first manager. He then accepted a more lucrative offer to join Portsmouth
Portsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
and guided them to a second place finish in their first season in the Southern League
Southern Football League
The Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales...
. He accepted an offer to join Plymouth Argyle
Plymouth Argyle F.C.
Plymouth Argyle Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Plymouth, Devon, that plays in Football League Two.Since becoming professional in 1903, the club has won five Football League titles, five Southern League titles and one Western League title. The 2009–10 season was the...
in 1903 and helped establish the club in the professional game. The job was to be his last as a manager and he retired from football altogether a year later. Nothing else is known about him.
Football career
Brettell began his football career with local club St. Domingo. A full back, he combined his playing duties with a role as secretary-manager of the team in 1875. The club was reformed as EvertonEverton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
in 1879 with Brettell as a member of the committee during the clubs first year. He did this while being a full-time reporter for local newspaper the Liverpool Mercury.
He joined Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
in 1896, again as secretary-manager. Two years later he joined Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
, soon after the club had been converted into a Public limited company
Public limited company
A public limited company is a limited liability company that sells shares to the public in United Kingdom company law, in the Republic of Ireland and Commonwealth jurisdictions....
. He brought a number of players with him from Bolton Wanderers, but his stay as the clubs manager was relatively brief; he resigned in February 1899 to join Portsmouth
Portsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
after they offered him substantially more money to take the job.
His first season in charge was also Portsmouth's first in the Southern League
Southern Football League
The Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales...
and adapted to their new surroundings well, finishing fourth in the league table. He left the club in June 1901 and it would be another two years before he took up his final managerial role. Brettell was invited to build a professional team for Plymouth Argyle
Plymouth Argyle F.C.
Plymouth Argyle Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Plymouth, Devon, that plays in Football League Two.Since becoming professional in 1903, the club has won five Football League titles, five Southern League titles and one Western League title. The 2009–10 season was the...
in 1903, an offer which he accepted.
Having been able to call upon twenty-eight years of experience as a football administrator and manager, he succeeded in his task and lead the club into the Southern League for the 1903–04 season
1903-04 in English football
The 1903–04 season was the 33rd season of competitive football in England.-Events:For the first time ever, a London team, Woolwich Arsenal, is promoted to the First Division and makes the League's reach nationwide...
. He used his extensive network of contacts to bring a number of experienced professionals to Home Park
Home Park
Home Park is an all-seater football stadium in the Central Park area of Plymouth, England, and is the home of Football League Two club Plymouth Argyle. The ground, given the nickname the Theatre of Greens by the club's supporters, has been Argyle's permanent residence since 1901...
, including; Andy Clark
Andy Clark (footballer born 1881)
Andrew 'Andy' Clark was a former professional footballer who played for a number of clubs in the United Kingdom. He played for Leeds City and Stoke in the Football League and for Plymouth Argyle in the Southern League....
, Bob Jack
Bob Jack
Robert "Bob" Jack was a Scottish footballer and manager. An Outside-left by trade, Jack played in Scotland for Alloa Athletic, and in England for Bolton Wanderers, Preston North End, Glossop, Plymouth Argyle and Southend United in a career spanning almost twenty-years...
, Billy Leech
Billy Leech
William "Billy" Leech was an English footballer who played as a left half.-Playing career:Leech played for local sides Newcastle White Star and Newcastle Swifts before joining London side Tottenham Hotspur, he left Spurs in June 1899 to join Burslem Port Vale back in his native Staffordshire.He...
and Jack Peddie. He led the club to creditable ninth and fourth place finishes in the Southern League, as well as winning the Western League
Western Football League
The Western Football League is a football league in the south west of England, covering Bristol, Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, western Dorset, parts of Gloucestershire and Wiltshire and parts of South Wales...
in 1905. Brettell left the club at the end of his second season in charge and wouldn't manage a professional team again, but his place in English football
Football in England
Association football is a national sport in England, where the first modern set of rules for the code were established in 1863, which were a major influence on the development of the modern Laws of the Game...
history was assured.
Later life
It is believed that he retired altogether the following year, but sadly nothing more is known about him.Career statistics
| Team | Nat | From | To | Record | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | |W | |D | |L | Win % | ||||
| Bolton Wanderers Bolton Wanderers F.C. Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001.... |
 |
1 August 1896 | 14 March 1898 |
|||||
| Tottenham Hotspur Tottenham Hotspur F.C. Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane.... |
|
14 March 1898 | 17 February 1899 |
|||||
| Portsmouth Portsmouth F.C. Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from... |
|
1 August 1899 | 31 May 1901 |
|||||
| Plymouth Argyle Plymouth Argyle F.C. Plymouth Argyle Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Plymouth, Devon, that plays in Football League Two.Since becoming professional in 1903, the club has won five Football League titles, five Southern League titles and one Western League title. The 2009–10 season was the... |
|
1 August 1903 | 31 May 1905 |
|||||
| Total |
||||||||
Managerial honours
Plymouth ArgylePlymouth Argyle F.C.
Plymouth Argyle Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Plymouth, Devon, that plays in Football League Two.Since becoming professional in 1903, the club has won five Football League titles, five Southern League titles and one Western League title. The 2009–10 season was the...
- Western Football LeagueWestern Football LeagueThe Western Football League is a football league in the south west of England, covering Bristol, Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, western Dorset, parts of Gloucestershire and Wiltshire and parts of South Wales...
(1): 1904–051904-05 in English footballThe 1904–05 season was the 34th season of competitive football in England.-Events:Stockport County were replaced by Doncaster Rovers in the Second Division....