Frank Burrows
Encyclopedia
Frank Burrows is a Scottish
soccer
manager, and former player.
club Raith Rovers
. In 1965 he moved south to England
and joined Scunthorpe United
. Impressive performances as a defender for Scunthorpe led to him being signed by Swindon Town F.C.
for the 1968–69 season as a replacement for the departing Mel Nurse
. Burrows was a major factor in helping Swindon to their most successful ever season in which they won promotion and the League Cup
.
Burrows played alongside team captain Stan Harland
in the middle of a defence that conceded just 35 goals in 46 League matches. He went on to make over 350 appearances for Swindon. At the start of the 1973-74 season he was made a player coach, such was the feeling that he was a natural leader as well as a solid defender.
The 1975–76 season saw his coaching come more into prominence. The season had not gone well for Swindon with a defeat at the hands of Tooting & Mitcham United
in the FA Cup
and a slide down the Football League Division Three table into a perilous position.
Ambitious as a manager, Burrows left Swindon to be appointed Assistant Manager to Jimmy Dickinson
at Portsmouth
. When Dickinson resigned in 1979 Burrows replaced him. Burrows enjoyed success at Portsmouth as a manager winning promotion from the fourth division in May 1980, after leaving the club in 1982 he spent time as assistant manager at Sunderland
, before being appointed manager at Cardiff City
in May 1986. Burrows arrived to a Cardiff side demoralized by two successive relegations under former manager Alan Durban
that had left the club in the bottom rung of the Football League. Burrows brought in his own coaching staff, including former City manager Jimmy Goodfellow
, Bobby Smith
and Gavin Tait, and set to work revitalising a side that had dropped the new depths.
Burrows managed to lead City to promotion in the 1987–88 season, but the side struggled in the old Third Division and following disagreements with the Board of Directors, Burrows resigned in August 1989. Later that year, he returned to Portsmouth as assistant manager to John Gregory, before being appointed manager in 1990. However, he left the following year after a string of poor performances. Burrows then arrived at Swansea City
in March 1991, and enjoyed a productive four-year spell as manager of the Swans. However, a falling out with the board led to Burrows departure in July 1995, being succeeded in the position by his assistant, Bobby Smith
.
He was then on the coaching staff at West Ham United
, working under manager Harry Redknapp
before returning to Cardiff City as manager in February 1998, succeeding Kenny Hibbitt
in the manager's position. Under Burrows, Cardiff won promotion to the old Division Two in the 1998–99 season, but the team found themselves struggling to stay out of the relegation zone, and Burrows resigned in February 2000, being succeeded by his assistant Billy Ayre
.
From 2000 until 2004, Burrows was assistant manager to Gary Megson at West Bromwich Albion
and helped them win promotion to the Premiership twice. In 2001 Burrows was diagnosed with cancer of the kidney
, and spent several weeks away from The Hawthorns in order to recover from major surgery. In 2002 he signed a new three-year deal with the Baggies. Burrows took charge of two games as caretaker-manager following Megson's departure in November 2004, but left the Hawthorns once Bryan Robson
arrived, despite being offered a role in the new setup. He was then given an opportunity to resurrect his partnership with Gary Megson, when he was offered the job of first team coach at Nottingham Forest
, but he turned the post down, citing family reasons. He did join up with Megson again two years later though, taking up a role in the Leicester City
coaching setup. The partnership was not to last long, however, as after just 41 days in the job Megson resigned, leaving Burrows as caretaker manager alongside Gerry Taggart
. This continued until 22 November 2007, when Ian Holloway
was appointed as the new Leicester manager and Burrows left the club by mutual consent.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
soccer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
manager, and former player.
Biography
Frank Burrows began his football career at ScottishScotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
club Raith Rovers
Raith Rovers F.C.
Raith Rovers Football Club is a Scottish professional football club based in Kirkcaldy, Fife. They are members of the Scottish Football League, currently playing in the First Division, having secured promotion from the Second Division as champions in 2009. Rovers have won one national trophy, the...
. In 1965 he moved south to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and joined Scunthorpe United
Scunthorpe United F.C.
Scunthorpe United Football Club is an English association football team based in the town of Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, who play in the Football League One....
. Impressive performances as a defender for Scunthorpe led to him being signed by Swindon Town F.C.
Swindon Town F.C.
Swindon Town Football Club are a team based in Swindon, Wiltshire. Currently in League Two, Swindon have been managed by Paolo Di Canio since 23 May 2011...
for the 1968–69 season as a replacement for the departing Mel Nurse
Mel Nurse
Melvyn Tudor George Nurse is a former Wales international football player. A centre-half, he played for Swansea City, Middlesbrough and Swindon Town.-Playing career:...
. Burrows was a major factor in helping Swindon to their most successful ever season in which they won promotion and the League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
.
Burrows played alongside team captain Stan Harland
Stan Harland
Stan Harland was an English football centre half.-Career:Born in Liverpool, Harland's football career began at local club New Brighton. It was from here that he attracted interest from Everton who signed him in 1959...
in the middle of a defence that conceded just 35 goals in 46 League matches. He went on to make over 350 appearances for Swindon. At the start of the 1973-74 season he was made a player coach, such was the feeling that he was a natural leader as well as a solid defender.
The 1975–76 season saw his coaching come more into prominence. The season had not gone well for Swindon with a defeat at the hands of Tooting & Mitcham United
Tooting & Mitcham United F.C.
Tooting & Mitcham United Football Club are a semi-professional association football club representing the south-west London areas of Tooting and Mitcham, within the London Borough of Merton. The club's stadium, Imperial Fields is located in Morden. The club are nicknamed The Terrors or...
in the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
and a slide down the Football League Division Three table into a perilous position.
Ambitious as a manager, Burrows left Swindon to be appointed Assistant Manager to Jimmy Dickinson
Jimmy Dickinson
James William 'Jimmy' Dickinson was an English football player.Dickinson holds the record for number of league appearances for Portsmouth...
at 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...
. When Dickinson resigned in 1979 Burrows replaced him. Burrows enjoyed success at Portsmouth as a manager winning promotion from the fourth division in May 1980, after leaving the club in 1982 he spent time as assistant manager at Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
, before being appointed manager at Cardiff City
Cardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
in May 1986. Burrows arrived to a Cardiff side demoralized by two successive relegations under former manager Alan Durban
Alan Durban
William Alan Durban is a Welsh former international footballer and manager between the 1970s and 1990s.-Club career:...
that had left the club in the bottom rung of the Football League. Burrows brought in his own coaching staff, including former City manager Jimmy Goodfellow
Jimmy Goodfellow
James "Jimmy" Goodfellow is a former English professional footballer and manager.-Playing career:Attending Hendon Boarding School as a youngster, Goodfellow signed for Newcastle United, despite being a Sunderland fan, but was released by the club at the age of 17 without making an appearance...
, Bobby Smith
Bobby Smith (football manager)
Robert William "Bobby" Smith is an English former professional footballer and football manager. He was capped by England at Schools and Youth level...
and Gavin Tait, and set to work revitalising a side that had dropped the new depths.
Burrows managed to lead City to promotion in the 1987–88 season, but the side struggled in the old Third Division and following disagreements with the Board of Directors, Burrows resigned in August 1989. Later that year, he returned to Portsmouth as assistant manager to John Gregory, before being appointed manager in 1990. However, he left the following year after a string of poor performances. Burrows then arrived at Swansea City
Swansea City A.F.C.
Swansea City Association Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Swansea, Wales. One of the most successful clubs in Welsh football, it has won 10 Welsh Cups and led the English Football League First Division in December 1981, before finishing the season in 6th position...
in March 1991, and enjoyed a productive four-year spell as manager of the Swans. However, a falling out with the board led to Burrows departure in July 1995, being succeeded in the position by his assistant, Bobby Smith
Bobby Smith (football manager)
Robert William "Bobby" Smith is an English former professional footballer and football manager. He was capped by England at Schools and Youth level...
.
He was then on the coaching staff at West Ham United
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
, working under manager Harry Redknapp
Harry Redknapp
Henry James "Harry" Redknapp is a former English footballer who has enjoyed a long career in football management starting in 1983 with Bournemouth. He is the current manager of Tottenham Hotspur....
before returning to Cardiff City as manager in February 1998, succeeding Kenny Hibbitt
Kenny Hibbitt
Kenny Hibbitt is an English former professional footballer who played in the Football League for Bradford Park Avenue, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Coventry City and Bristol Rovers, and in the North American Football League for the Seattle Sounders. He was capped once for England at under-23 level...
in the manager's position. Under Burrows, Cardiff won promotion to the old Division Two in the 1998–99 season, but the team found themselves struggling to stay out of the relegation zone, and Burrows resigned in February 2000, being succeeded by his assistant Billy Ayre
Billy Ayre
William "Billy" Ayre was an English footballer who played for three different clubs in a sixteen-year professional career, making over three hundred League appearances in the process. After retiring from the playing side of the game, he became a manager, and took the helm at five different clubs...
.
From 2000 until 2004, Burrows was assistant manager to Gary Megson at West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
and helped them win promotion to the Premiership twice. In 2001 Burrows was diagnosed with cancer of the kidney
Renal cell carcinoma
Renal cell carcinoma is a kidney cancer that originates in the lining of the proximal convoluted tubule, the very small tubes in the kidney that filter the blood and remove waste products. RCC is the most common type of kidney cancer in adults, responsible for approximately 80% of cases...
, and spent several weeks away from The Hawthorns in order to recover from major surgery. In 2002 he signed a new three-year deal with the Baggies. Burrows took charge of two games as caretaker-manager following Megson's departure in November 2004, but left the Hawthorns once Bryan Robson
Bryan Robson
Bryan Robson OBE is an English football manager and a former player. He is best known for playing in midfield for Manchester United, where he was the longest serving captain in club history. He was the manager of Sheffield United, being relieved of his first team duties at the club in February 2008...
arrived, despite being offered a role in the new setup. He was then given an opportunity to resurrect his partnership with Gary Megson, when he was offered the job of first team coach at Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest F.C.
Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship...
, but he turned the post down, citing family reasons. He did join up with Megson again two years later though, taking up a role in the Leicester City
Leicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
coaching setup. The partnership was not to last long, however, as after just 41 days in the job Megson resigned, leaving Burrows as caretaker manager alongside Gerry Taggart
Gerry Taggart
Gerald "Gerry" Taggart is a former professional footballer. On 10 June 2010, he was announced as the new assistant manager at Oldham Athletic.-Manchester City:...
. This continued until 22 November 2007, when Ian Holloway
Ian Holloway
Ian Scott Holloway is an English football manager and former player. He became the manager of Blackpool in May 2009. Holloway is well-known amongst football fans for his off-the-wall interviews, with a wide selection of quotes and soundbites being printed. Holloway's playing career spanned 18...
was appointed as the new Leicester manager and Burrows left the club by mutual consent.
External links
- Frank Burrows profile at the League Managers Association
- Frank Burrows profile at Football League player database