Frank Burrows

[Brown Nose]

With all the focus on Megson and Taggart, I think this fella has gone pretty unnoticed today.

He's our new assistant manager. He's 63 years old, overcame kidney cancer a few years back and is vastly experienced in the game.

Known as a complete nutcase who is loved by the players who've worked with him, his absence from Megson's side at Florist was notable. He rejected the job at Florist due to family reasons. The fact that he's agreed to return to football with us is significant. Albion fans report how well he was liked and what a massive influence he had on the club. He was offered a job there when Robson replaced Megson but decided to walk.

Megson and Burrows only worked together for 4 full seasons. They've got two promotions, one play off place (all in the Championship) and one 'hiding to nothing' Prem relegation to their name. Not bad.

Hopefully, he's still got his flat cap and outrageous 'tache. Welcome Frank, and good luck to you. Hopefully, you'll teach Taggs some things.

 

[Melton Fox]

Don't know anything about him, but your tribute has about won me over already BN. Looking forward to these two working together.

 

[Nottingham Fox]

Brown Nose, your posts today have been ****ing excellent!!

 

[newtonfox]

"You'll never beat Des Lyttle!" was the familiar cry from the North Bank during the 1992-93 season, and you know what? they were right. Without a doubt the best full-back that I've seen in a Swans shirt since I started watching in the late 80s.

Somewhere in Wolverhampton on the 24th Sept 1971, Desmond Lyttle popped out into a world bopping away to the Doors' LA Woman and Don McLean's American Pie, ready to take the footballing world by storm. After the temporary set-back of being released by Leicester City in 1991, he made a name for himself playing for non-league Worcester City in the Dr Martins league and was spotted by the then Swansea manager Frank Burrows.

Frank Burrows was, quite simply, as mad as a bag of frogs, but he was also a very able manager, and underneath that crazy visage, topped with trademark flat-cap, was a shrewd judge of player and peerless wheeler and dealer. Frank brought a number of hitherto unheard of players to the club and turned them into excellent professionals, and some into Swans greats. Des Lyttle is second only to John Cornforth as the best of the Burrows signings.
The £12,500 fee that Burrows prized out of chairman Doug Sharpe's tight grasp was handed over to Worcester City in the summer of 1992, and Des wasn't slow in showing his undoubted ability. He made the right-back slot his own straight away. He was blessed with bags of pace and was hungry in the tackle. An expert at the sliding tackle, Desmond would also make surging runs forward down the right, his little shiny legs motoring away through the hapless opposition defence. He was an excellent crosser of the ball for a defender, and was better at crossing than a number of wingers we've had since.

Des played in 46 league games that season, making a total of 53 appearences and scoring a solitary goal. Not bad for a first season as a professional.

It became clear that Lyttle was destined for bigger things, and after only one season with the Swans, he was snapped up by Premiership Nottingham Forest for a whopping £375,000, giving the swans a juicy £362,500 profit on the player. Despite making a number of subsequent moves in his career, this was the last transfer fee anyone would pay for Lyttle. The same close season saw the Swans sell Andy Legg to Notts County for £275,000. It was a frustrating time for Swans fans, with top talent having to be sold to balance the books every season.

Des went onto play 6 seasons at Forest, making 220 appearences, winning a Division 1 (Championship) winners medal in 1997-1998, and gaining the nickname 'Bruno', before moving on and playing for Port Vale, Watford, West Brom, Northampton and Forest Green. Like Jackie Stallone, Des didn't age well, and his effectiveness waned considerably in his days at his final couple of clubs, and fans memories of him at Northampton, Watford and Forest Green are less than complimentary. He was however, part of the West Brom team that won promotion to th Premiership in 2001/2002.

He was only here for a season, but for that season he was a Premiership class defender playing in what is now called League 1. I'm sure there are fans with differing views of Lyttle's time with the club, but for me he was the best. Altogether now: "You'll never beat Des Lyttle…!"

 

[Brown Nose]

Brown Nose, your posts today have been ****ing excellent!!

Thank you sir.

Someone's gotta talk some sense round here.

 

[Treebeard]

Good post BN. It's nice to get to the nuts and bolts of what's going on, rather than everyone relying on opinion and rumour. I was relatively positive anyway, but you've added to that.

 

[Treebeard]

 

[RHYDAL]

He was our manager twice and gave us promotion in 1999. Good man manager but not so hot tactically. Kick and rush favoured style which is where Rob Earnshaw thrived and built his record. Megson is renowned for hoofball and I suspect Burrows is behind it.
Ideal Championship coach I would think, and would compliment a manager with some tactical nouse. I expect you'll get one around Christmas:icon_wink

 

[newtonfox]

Thank you sir.

Someone's gotta talk some sense round here.

:icon_lol::icon_lol:

 

[PFKAKTF FOX]

Great post Brown Nose.

I think the know how of Megson, the experience of Burrows and the passion and enthusiasm of Taggart could just be the blend that drags City kicking and screaming to the next level, I genuinely believe that this trio can turn us into play off challengers and promotion hopefuls.

 

[Hazzman]

He sounds quality.....a thinking man's idiot.

 

[Hammond Organ]

It is very often someone in the backroom team that is crucial to success. Steve Walford was credited with being the key man in MON's coaching team, which is why he has taken him everywhere with him. Could be a dream team with the 3 of them, as they may all compliment each other by bringing something different to the table.

 

[Treebeard]

It is very often someone in the backroom team that is crucial to success. Steve Walford was credited with being the key man in MON's coaching team, which is why he has taken him everywhere with him. Could be a dream team with the 3 of them, as they may all compliment each other by bringing something different to the table.

Obviously John Robertson fits into that equation too.

 

[Brown Nose]

It is very often someone in the backroom team that is crucial to success. Steve Walford was credited with being the key man in MON's coaching team, which is why he has taken him everywhere with him. Could be a dream team with the 3 of them, as they may all compliment each other by bringing something different to the table.

Totally agree. Some obvious examples like Clough & Taylor stand out. MON needed Robertson more than most people realise. Personally, I don't think we've had a solid number two since Robbo left. For me, Burrows is that.

My personal view is that Megson is a good man manager, but needs someone like Burrows to point him in the right direction in terms of recruitment and wisdom. Megson's transfer record was the key behind his success at WBA, together with his determination to succeed. Burrows was the man who found many of the new players whilst Megson turned them into a team. Megson could fall out with players easily whereas Burrows calmed things down and got individuals onside again.

Having just watched Megson's interview from EMT, there is a twitchy man there who is severly fecked off with how things have gone over the last couple of years. In that context, he'll either be great for us, or hopeless. If he is going to be great for us, Burrows is the man who'll play a big part in making that happen.

 

[Cate Fox]

I love his flat cap

 

[spionfox]

I love his fat baps

That's just wrong that is.

 

[Cate Fox]

Do you know, I knew that would be edited... :icon_lol:

 

[Treebeard]

Personally, I don't think we've had a solid number two since Robbo left.

You should see a doctor.

 

[PFKAKTF FOX]

I love his flat cap

All us Northern Monkeys have flat caps Cate

 

[Granite Fox]

You should see a doctor.

This was a positive and serious post until now!


See a doctor or eat plenty of eggs and certainly keep away from the prunes