Already a Life Member, Frank assumed the Presidency following the untimely passing of his predecessor and good friend Alan Unsworth in 2009. Frank fulfilled around 50 years involvement in Rugby League match officiating achieving Senior Referee status in 1984 and enjoying over 100 1st team games before dedicating his later years to mentoring and supporting aspiring referees both within St Helens and across the country.
The tributes and messages of support received since the news of his passing broke is testament to the esteem he was held within the game. He was a popular figure across a wide range of the sport. Friends have commented about his character and humour. It’s true to say he’s reached many people over the years.
Frank always had a good tale to tell, and everyone will have their favourite memories but it’s true he was a well-known character far and wide. In Franks own words –
“In the old days of the BARLA Cup, invariably two or three referees were sent to the same area, to save on expenses. As a result, Eric Leigh was sent to Cumbria with me to do Walney Central vs Barrow Island. Eric always took a lad called Big Mal Davies with him wherever he went, and as a result Mal came with us. As it was Eric’s first time to Cumbria I said to him we always had a break on the way up and eventually we drove into the car park of the White-Water hotel just outside Newby Bridge.
Big Mal was well impressed when we descended to the riverside bar which was next to the river rapids and went inside. We ordered 2 ploughman’s and a soup plus coffees and sat talking waiting for the food. 10 minutes later the chef came in with the food and immediately said ‘Hello Frank where are you going today?’ I explained where we were going and he wished us good luck. After he had disappeared, Mal turned to Eric and said “I don’t flaming believe it. We’ve travelled 75 miles and there’s even somebody round here who knows him!”
Cumbria was a particular favourite area of the country for Frank, but things never always ran smoothly for him. Now defunct Carlisle rugby club, played their home games at Brunton Park, the home of the towns football club. The manager of the football side was Bob Stokoe, a legend on Wearside after guiding Sunderland, then of the old 2nd Division, to one of the biggest FA Cup Final shocks of all time beating Leeds United at Wembley in 1973. Sunderland honoured Bob with a statue outside of their Stadium of Light ground.
Frank was appointed to Carlisle in 1984 to referee a midweek 2nd Division derby match against Whitehaven.
“I arrived at the ground at 6pm after taking the day off work to prepare for the game to find that it had been raining all day in Carlisle and I was immediately confronted by the Head Groundsman who asked would I look at the pitch as he thought that it might not be fit to play on. Although there were puddles on the pitch, I decided that it could be played, to which the Groundsman replied that Mr Stokoe wouldn’t be happy. I took no notice of this comment and at 7.30pm we kicked off bang on schedule. The conditions at first were alright and Carlisle scored early to lead in the first 5 minutes before the pitch started to churn up.
As we came up the tunnel at half time I was confronted by a man, who asked who had authorised the game to go ahead. I replied by asking him who he was, and he said he was Bob Stokoe the football manager and that he had told the Groundsman that the pitch wasn’t fit to play on, to which I replied that he wasn’t involved with the Rugby Club and he had no jurisdiction over any decision that had been made. It was at this point that he stormed off saying he was going to see the directors to get the game called off, at which point I replied that he could bring the Lord Provost of Cumbria, but the 2nd half would still go ahead! It did, and the final score was 7-0. Because of the game, the football match on the Saturday was postponed due to an unfit pitch. At the end of that season their lease wasn’t renewed, and they spent the rest of their time in the Rugby League playing at the local British Rail social club ground at Gillford Park on which I refereed a few times as well until they disbanded in 1997.”
Frank was certainly a strong character and would stand no messing about. Close friend and fellow Life Member of the Society, John Kinsella remembers a similar incident when he made his senior Touch Judging debut at Sheffield.
“The pitch was flooded and probably the game shouldn’t have been played. There was a discussion between both clubs as to whether the game should go ahead. Frank interjected and said I’ve not come all this way not to referee a match and promptly marched off to get changed.”
All match officials know of the sacrifices needed at times in their careers. The times when you have to just get on with it. Southend Invicta was a struggling 2nd Division club playing at Roots Hall, home of the football club. It was Good Friday 1985 and also the night of the Society Annual Dinner, so a long drive down to Essex wasn’t the most appealing way to spend Easter weekend. Frank was given the game and takes up the story.
“I was appointed, along with a local Touch Judge Ken Bold and Martyn “I will go anywhere for a fee” Haigh to do the match with a kick off at 8pm. Everybody took it on the chin and just got on with it as that’s what you do.
On the Friday we left early because my car was probably the smallest car ever built and with 3 strapping lads in it we would need to stop about 4 or 5 times at the services in order to keep the circulation working. It took about 5 hours to get down there and we eventually found the hotel we were stopping at in the middle of an industrial estate about 5 miles outside Southend. After booking in, Martyn suggested that we went to find the ground for something to do, as there was very little else around the hotel. We found the ground in Southend and then went for a stretch along the promenade but didn’t go down the pier which is probably the longest in the country. We then returned to the hotel to rest and prepare for the forthcoming challenge that lay ahead. I say this conservatively as the match was between Southend Invicta and Mansfield Marksman, who after the game were going to France on tour.
On departing the hotel, we called at reception to hand our keys in and tell them that it would be 10pm before we would be back, only to find out that they stopped serving dinner at 9.30pm. This caused a bit of consternation among us, but we came to an agreement with the manager that if we got back by 10 we could have a meal but any later and we would have no chance. Off we went to the ground and went to inspect the pitch, which was in good condition, then went to change to find that all the dressing rooms were connected by a bell system, great, when we were ready to go onto the field it gave me great pleasure to press the bell about 4 or 5 times to get the players out. Down the tunnel we came to be greeted by a crowd of 100 people, 12 of which were cheerleaders. Every time you shouted to the players it reverberated around the whole ground which was quite disconcerting as the game went on. It was a close match with Southend eventually winning the game 14-12. Without having a shower we got dressed and hurried back to the hotel just in time to get a meal of sorts to put us on until breakfast. We decided to go for a drink before turning in only to find the bar had closed, much to Martyn’s relief for those who know. This is why we do it and what’s Easter anyway.”
Frank was always a regular at St Helens Society events, and this photo shows a strong line up of officials with plenty of experience at the unveiling of their new sponsored kit supplied by the father of Julian King. Frank is pictured seated 3rd on the right at Knowsley Road.
One of Frank’s most pleasing appointments of his professional refereeing career came officiating in France. Joe Manley, RFL Appointments Officer made an agreement with the French Federation to exchange officials to give newer referees experience. Frank was appointed to Villeneuve v St. Gaudens which had him based in Toulouse. He was looking forward to the trip but there were no direct flights to Toulouse.
“I arrived at Manchester Airport in plenty of time to check in, and with having to change at Gatwick, I was asked if I wanted my luggage forwarding directly to Toulouse. I readily agreed to my case going direct but took my referees bag onboard as hand baggage. All went well until I arrived at Toulouse, where I was met by a member of the French referees and we stood by the conveyor waiting for my case to come through. Slowly but surely the passengers claimed their baggage and eventually there was only me left and no bags on the conveyor and no other passengers. We went across to the airlines desk and informed them of the situation and after about thirty minutes I was informed that they had found my bag – in Dublin. Great, all I had was the clothes I stood up in and my referees kit in my holdall.
I was offered an emergency pack which consisted of a T shirt, soap, toothbrush and paste and that my case would be there the following day at midday. With all this messing about we were late and just about had time to book into the hotel before I was whisked off to a referees’ society meeting at St. Gaudens. That was a definite experience as I was sat in a room with 20 French referees. Nobody spoke English and the only French I could speak was ‘Vin Rouge s’il vous plaît’, which was useful as an extremely large glass of wine cost just a pound! They finished the meeting and proceeded to have a five-course meal, as standard, before we left at midnight.
As if losing my case wasn’t enough, on the way back to Toulouse the car I was in broke down and we reached the hotel at 4 in the morning. I had to knock the night porter up to let me in. I did incidentally get my case back, but I made sure coming home I picked my bag up at Gatwick and made sure it went on the plane to Manchester!
A guy named Francis Desplas was my contact over there and I went with him to watch him refereeing in Avignon. We met up with Greg McCallum who was over there from Australia to referee the France V New Zealand games. A great trip and a great experience.”
Frank was proud of his professional career but also enjoyed officiating amateur games where he was allowed much more freedom to referee in his style. In those days it was almost commonplace for referees to double up on Saturday and Sunday with a mix of professional/amateur games. He developed a great rapport with the North West clubs and was voted NW Counties referee of the year on 3 occasions in 1991, 1992 and 1995. It was a rewarding time for St Helens members, winning the award 6 times in 9 years – Julian King 1987, Tony Brown 1989, Martyn Haigh in 1990. Frank was recognised by the British RLRA in 1992 (pictured) for topping the referee assessment marks.
Some of the tales from this period are legendary and Frank always being the last to leave the clubhouse isn’t an urban myth. The clubs loved his company, and he wasn’t going to disappoint them.
John Kinsella recalls many occasions were drink played its part: “It was a different era back then. After Saturday games there was a period we would all meet up at the Millhouse to discuss our games and have the inevitable pints. On one occasion we went back to my house for a few more – Frank, Eric Leigh, Big Mal and myself. Big Mal ended up leglass and we had to find a way of getting him home. Eventually somehow we got him to his house, knocked on the door and ran off. There was holy hell to play from Mally’s wife.”
Tony Brown, also a Life Member recalls similar:
“Phil Thomas was a young lad who joined the Society. Phil was only 16 and appointed to Touch Judge a game for Frank somewhere in Wigan. Phil was dropped off at his home later unable to stand after having his first drink. His mother opened the door and seeing the state Phil was in, proceeded to chase Frank down the street with a rolling pin! It had no lasting effect as Phil went on to spend many years refereeing with us.
It was common back then in the 1980’s for many players to have a sherry before the game to calm nerves. I couldn’t possibly say if any referees did this! I wasn’t allowed to park my car outside Frank’s house when travelling to away matches, so he was able call in the Seven Stars pub before going home.
A great laugh we had on one game at Wigan, when the crowd announcer said today’s referee is not as the programme says Mr Pickle, but is in fact, Mr Tickle.”
Frank loved his role as Society President and the meetings when we had invited guests. He would take up his usual position at the Greenall’s club alongside other colleagues and Life members John Kinsella, Tony Brown, Alan Unsworth, Dave Webster and Brian Cummings – all stalwarts of the Society. He was always amused when fellow LF Martyn Haigh turned up from Southport, having not been seen for 6 months and then wanting a recap of what he’s missed.
John Kinsella: “Alan Unsworth, Frank and I were instrumental in setting up a Society training night for members. It wasn’t easy at first to get people involved but Frank got us the use of the UGB club on Bobbies Lane, and it took off. We were the first Society in Lancashire to introduce local training and it’s amazing to think that was in the last century. It’s great to think what we achieved then, and Frank initiated, that has now been taken up by those following us. It is so pleasing to see nearly 40 years of continuous training that is still as popular today for all of our Society members.”
In his later years Frank took up the role of Lancashire coach. He warmed and thrived at the responsibility of developing and mentoring referees on their own journey. Every official coming through over the last 10 years on the west side of the Pennines will have benefitted from his knowledge and education.
Also, from the balcony at Thatto Heath where he had his resident seat in ‘Tickles Corner’, many NCL referees will have been assessed and offered his advice. Frank had his favourite sayings which he often referenced… ‘Don’t walk with your signals’ and ‘diffusing the line’. His assessments were always signed off Frankie T.
The game changes and styles move on, but wisdom based on experience should never be dismissed.
One Sunday afternoon in February 2016, was one of the most pleasing experiences Frank achieved in his role of President. He was always keen on the history of the Society and took a keen interest of all members past and present. It was always an ambition of his to organise a reunion of previous members and this was achieved at Blackbrook rugby club that afternoon. Frank organised everything from the guests down to the Cottoms hotpot and Bartons pickles. He was in his element, everyone regaling stories of the past and everything going off so well.
Frank lived a fulfilling life in his refereeing circles. He achieved so much and did it with a smile on his face. He was a great storyteller and font of knowledge that was easy for people to tap into. He refereed in a different century but was switched on to what people needed in the new era. He was a loyal friend to Society colleagues and friends in particular John Kinsella and Dave Webster. He mentored, assessed and helped new referees begin on their journey and was keen to see them develop and achieve.
Former Chairman Phil Smith was one of them:
“Over 30 years ago Frank watched me on my first game, open age at Widnes Tigers. I told Frank I didn’t have a shirt to wear. The reply wasn’t what I was expecting. ‘You must have a white shirt – just roll up the sleeves and get on with it you’ll be reet!’. I can’t imagine young ones having the same experience these days.
Just like John Kinsella, Frank has been there throughout my time in the Society. I spoke with him on Saturday afternoon, the day before he passed, whilst driving to Old Trafford for the Grand Final. Frank was in his hospital bed and said he was looking forward to watching the game later. He wished me well on my appointment and finished with the same words he always did – ‘Look after yourself cocker’.”
Frank will be reunited now with his wife Laura who passed last year. It’s fitting no formal clothes at his funeral has been requested – just like he did for his wife.
Its fair to say Frank was a one off. We will miss him.
Goodnight Frankie T 🤍