John Frain
Encyclopedia
John William Frain is a former English
professional footballer who played for Birmingham City
and Northampton Town
. He played in all four divisions of the Football League
, making nearly 500 league appearances for his two clubs.
. He joined Birmingham City
from school, made his debut in the First Division
in April 1986 aged 17, and signed full professional forms in October of that year. He was originally a left-back
, but good passing ability and a lack of pace saw him moved into midfield
, towards the end of his Birmingham career returning to left-back. He was the club's free kick and penalty specialist.
He was part of the team that won the Leyland DAF Trophy in 1991
and gained promotion from the Third Division
in 1991–92
.
He also appeared in the club's 1994–95
Third Division championship-winning season and in the early rounds of that year's Auto Windscreens Shield
, but played insufficient games to qualify for a league medal and did not play in the final.
In 1996 he was awarded a testimonial match
against Aston Villa
in recognition of ten years' service.
He made 336 appearances for the club in all competitions, scoring 28 goals.
In January 1997 he joined Northampton Town
on loan, writing himself into the club's history by scoring a stoppage-time winner from a free kick in that season's Football League Two play-off final.
His free-transfer move to the club was made permanent at the end of that season. He later played his part in the club winning automatic promotion back to League Two
in 1999–2000
. He made 248 appearances for the club in all competitions, scoring eight goals.
In July 2003 Frain was appointed player/assistant manager of Moor Green
. In his first season he helped the club reach the final of the Dr Martens League Cup and win the Birmingham Senior Cup
, beating Wolverhampton Wanderers
in the final.
Frain retired as a player at the end of the 2004–05
season due to a persistent knee injury, but retained his assistant manager's post following the merger of Moor Green and Solihull Borough
to form Solihull Moors
, until he resigned in August 2008.
Frain combines his football duties with working as a mortgage underwriter.
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...
professional footballer who played for Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
and Northampton Town
Northampton Town F.C.
Northampton Town Football Club are an English professional football club based in Northampton, Northamptonshire. They currently play in Football League Two, the lowest league division, after being relegated from League One on the last day of the 2008–09 season...
. He played in all four divisions of the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
, making nearly 500 league appearances for his two clubs.
Biography
John Frain was born in Yardley, BirminghamYardley, Birmingham
Yardley is an area in east Birmingham, England. It is also a council constituency, managed by its own district committee.Birmingham Yardley is a constituency and its Member of Parliament is John Hemming.-Features:...
. He joined Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
from school, made his debut in the First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
in April 1986 aged 17, and signed full professional forms in October of that year. He was originally a left-back
Defender (football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
, but good passing ability and a lack of pace saw him moved into midfield
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
, towards the end of his Birmingham career returning to left-back. He was the club's free kick and penalty specialist.
He was part of the team that won the Leyland DAF Trophy in 1991
1990-91 in English football
The 1990–91 season was the 111th season of competitive football in England.- First Division :Arsenal won the league. Runners-up spot was achieved by Liverpool, who had led the table for much of the first half of the season but had been shell-shocked in February by the sudden resignation of manager...
and gained promotion from the Third Division
Football League Third Division
The Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two...
in 1991–92
1991-92 in English football
- First Division :The last-ever league championship before the creation of the Premier League was won by Leeds United who overhauled Manchester United thanks to the efforts of, among others, Gordon Strachan, Lee Chapman, David Batty, Gary Speed and Gary McAllister...
.
He also appeared in the club's 1994–95
1994-95 in English football
-Premiership:Blackburn Rovers ended their 81-year wait for the league title thanks to the strike partnership of Alan Shearer and Chris Sutton which scored a total of more than 50 league goals. Manchester United would have made it three league titles in a row if they had been able to turn a 1-1 draw...
Third Division championship-winning season and in the early rounds of that year's Auto Windscreens Shield
Football League Trophy
The Football League Trophy, currently known as the Johnstone's Paint Trophy for sponsorship reasons, is an annual English association football knock-out competition open to the 48 clubs in Football League One and Football League Two, the bottom two divisions in the four fully professional top...
, but played insufficient games to qualify for a league medal and did not play in the final.
In 1996 he was awarded a testimonial match
Testimonial match
A testimonial match or testimonial game, often referred to simply as a testimonial, is a practice in some sports, notably football and especially in the United Kingdom, where a club puts on a match in honour of a player for service to the club....
against Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
in recognition of ten years' service.
He made 336 appearances for the club in all competitions, scoring 28 goals.
In January 1997 he joined Northampton Town
Northampton Town F.C.
Northampton Town Football Club are an English professional football club based in Northampton, Northamptonshire. They currently play in Football League Two, the lowest league division, after being relegated from League One on the last day of the 2008–09 season...
on loan, writing himself into the club's history by scoring a stoppage-time winner from a free kick in that season's Football League Two play-off final.
His free-transfer move to the club was made permanent at the end of that season. He later played his part in the club winning automatic promotion back to League Two
Football League Two
Football League Two is the third-highest division of The Football League and fourth-highest division overall in the English football league system....
in 1999–2000
1999-2000 in English football
-Premier League:Manchester United were crowned FA Premier League champions with an 18-point margin over runners-up Arsenal and with just 3 league defeats all season. This was despite their failure to retain the European Cup and withdrawal from the FA Cup in order to compete in the FIFA Club World...
. He made 248 appearances for the club in all competitions, scoring eight goals.
In July 2003 Frain was appointed player/assistant manager of Moor Green
Moor Green F.C.
Moor Green F.C. was a non-league association football team originally from the Hall Green area of south Birmingham but later based in the town of Solihull, West Midlands, England...
. In his first season he helped the club reach the final of the Dr Martens League Cup and win the Birmingham Senior Cup
Birmingham Senior Cup
The Birmingham Senior Cup is a football competition for Birmingham County FA club teams, organized by the Birmingham County Football Association...
, beating Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
in the final.
Frain retired as a player at the end of the 2004–05
2004-05 in English football
The 2004–05 season was the 125th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:*2004–05 was the first season to feature the rebranded Football League. The First Division, Second Division and Third Division were renamed the Football League Championship, Football League One and Football League...
season due to a persistent knee injury, but retained his assistant manager's post following the merger of Moor Green and Solihull Borough
Solihull Borough F.C.
Solihull Borough F.C. was an English football club from Solihull. In 2007 the club merged with Moor Green to form a new club, Solihull Moors.-History:...
to form Solihull Moors
Solihull Moors F.C.
Solihull Moors F.C. is an English football club, founded in 2007 by the merger of Moor Green and Solihull Borough.The club plays its games at Damson Park, Solihull and competes in the Conference North.-History:...
, until he resigned in August 2008.
Frain combines his football duties with working as a mortgage underwriter.
Honours
- with Birmingham City
- Leyland DAF Trophy winners 1991.
- Third DivisionFootball League Third DivisionThe Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two...
promotion 1992.
- with Northampton Town
- Football League TwoFootball League TwoFootball League Two is the third-highest division of The Football League and fourth-highest division overall in the English football league system....
promotion 1997, 2000.
- Football League Two
- with Moor Green
- Dr Martens League Cup 2004.
- Birmingham Senior CupBirmingham Senior CupThe Birmingham Senior Cup is a football competition for Birmingham County FA club teams, organized by the Birmingham County Football Association...
2004.
Personal life
- John is the brother of former West Bromwich AlbionWest 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 Mansfield TownMansfield Town F.C.Mansfield Town Football Club is an English football club from the former mining town of Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. The club was formed in 1897 as Mansfield Wesleyans and changed its name to Mansfield Wesley in 1906 before settling on Mansfield Town in 1910...
striker Peter FrainPeter FrainPeter Frain is an English former professional footballer who played as a striker in the Football League for Mansfield Town. After retiring as a player he took up management, most recently as manager of Midland Football Combination Premier Division side Bolehall Swifts.-Playing career:Frain spent...
.