Frank Worthington

[The Old Fox]

Odd that for all this apparent deficiency at the back, Bloomfield (in my recollection) only ever signed one CB - Jeff Blockley. I remember we were linked with Ipswich's Allan Hunter and I think Larry Lloyd ... but for the most part it was first Graham Cross (with John Sjoberg for only half a season under Bloomfield, Malcolms Manley and Munro), then Blockley mostly with Alan Woollett and latterly Steve Sims - a motley collection of local lads and jocks but they couldn't have been that awful.

When you had Frankie Wortho', Keith Weller, Jon Sammels and the Birch; you didn''t need a defence! :icon_bigg

 

[Jeff]

Some people may remember that Leicester City actually had four players on the field in a Scotland v England game - Shilton, Whitworth, Worthington & Weller.

Some people have been imagining things.


There were three Leicester players in that team. Steve Whitworth didn't play.

 

[Redditch Fox]

Some people have been imagining things.


There were three Leicester players in that team. Steve Whitworth didn't play.

As I wrote "Some people may remember that Leicester City actually had four players on the field in a Scotland v England game etc etc" I meant to add they may remember that , but in fact Whitworth earned his 6 caps with Revie not Mercer!


What I do remember about that Scotland v England game is that Worthington (unexpectedly) took a throw in...which led to Scotland scoring!

 

[Jeff]

As I wrote "Some people may remember that Leicester City actually had four players on the field in a Scotland v England game etc etc" I meant to add they may remember that , but in fact Whitworth earned his 6 caps with Revie not Mercer!

Maybe you read about someone remembering it that way here: http://talkingballs.co.uk/showthread.php/21712-Best-ever-Lcfc-player?p=573233&viewfull=1#post573233

And repeated it here: http://talkingballs.co.uk/showthread.php/25914-Keith-Weller?p=739167&viewfull=1#post739167

 

[The Old Fox]

Maybe you read about someone remembering it that way here: http://talkingballs.co.uk/showthread.php/21712-Best-ever-Lcfc-player?p=573233&viewfull=1#post573233

And repeated it here: http://talkingballs.co.uk/showthread.php/25914-Keith-Weller?p=739167&viewfull=1#post739167

I am sure that you are factually correct: so too is Redditch, because my memory refuses to accept any evidence to the contrary, and remembers the four Leicester players together in the England team.

 

[Ike O'Noclassed]

I am sure that you are factually correct: so too is Redditch, because my memory refuses to accept any evidence to the contrary, and remembers the four Leicester players together in the England team.

All those years chanting "Glover for England" addled my brain so by my reckoning it's five.

 

[Jeff]

All those years chanting "Woollett for England" addled my brain so by my reckoning it's five.

 

[Redditch Fox]

Maybe you read about someone remembering it that way here: http://talkingballs.co.uk/showthread.php/21712-Best-ever-Lcfc-player?p=573233&viewfull=1#post573233

And repeated it here: http://talkingballs.co.uk/showthread.php/25914-Keith-Weller?p=739167&viewfull=1#post739167

The myth is better then the facts.

Anyway, those were good days. We either bought in (at reasonable cost ) or developed fine players. In addition to those mentioned already there was David Nish from Burton who went on to win England caps after leaving us for Derby - possibly one of the best left sided defenders we have had. The game today has been spoiled by Sky and a new breed of foreign owners who together have distorted the market and put a ceiling on what other clubs can achieve.Obviously, we're not in a strong position to moralise about such matters because as someone mentioned the other day we are now based on this same template - unfortunately to-date it hasn't had the predicted success.

 

[Motown Fox]

I'm sure I remember one match where Woollett had a storming game and the Kop sang "Woollett for England"

 

[Ike O'Noclassed]

I'm sure I remember one match where Woollett had a storming game and the Kop sang "Woollett for England"

I've a hazy memory that was quite a common occurrence, but was usually sparked when Wool had been left flat on his arse by Mick Channon, Martin Chivers and strikers of that ilk.

 

[Redditch Fox]

I've a hazy memory that was quite a common occurrence, but was usually sparked when Wool had been left flat on his arse by Mick Channon, Martin Chivers and strikers of that ilk.

One thing about Wollett, he always tried and gave of his best. In that he is a lesson to some of the current crop.

 

[David Gwilliam]

I'm sure I remember one match where Woollett had a storming game and the Kop sang "Woollett for England"

I felt sorry for Woolett. He gave everything but was nowhere near First Division class. He was versatile - not very good wherever he played.

Leicester had a good team but a pitiful squad and an injured player caused a real problem. Looking back football then was a team game with only one substitute and only a few teams at the very top had depth in their squad.

 

[Ike O'Noclassed]

One thing about Wollett, he always tried and gave of his best. In that he is a lesson to some of the current crop.

And the crowd knew that so I'd say the piss-taking was always on the affectionate side - my recollection of the time was the kop was much less charitable to Mike Stringfellow, when after having lumps kicked out of him for years in the City cause, his last few years were a misery of endless failed comebacks whilst he was basically completely fecked.

... gave everything but was nowhere near First Division class. He was versatile - not very good wherever he played.

Whereas Wool was clearly a limited footballer, 170+ appearances for City in the top flight hardly suggests "nowhere near Div 1 class". The one season he was the regular CB alongside Jeff Blockley was 75-76 when we achieved our best Bloomfield finish of 7th after being in the relegation zone early on in the season - though buying Steve Kember and ditching the Birch might also have something to do with it.

 

[smudger63]

After hearing Wortho having a pop at the central defenders in his time here, and remembering from the time myself, that i always thought we didn`t score enough goals, i thought i would look up the stats for myself from statto.com, and it appears that Worthingtons mind may be playing a few tricks on him.
In his first season 72-73, our attack was ranked 19th with 40 goals, while our defence was ranked 5th, with 46 against.
In 73-74 the attack was ranked 11th with 51 scored, our defence was ranked 3rd letting in 41 goals.
In 74-75 the attack ranked 20th with 46, and the defence ranked 15th with 60.
In 75-76 the attack 15th with 48 while the defence ranked 9th with 51 against.
Finally in his last full season in 76-77, the attack ranked 15th with 47 while the defence ranked 16th with 60 against.
So only in Worthingtons final full season with us, did the attack actually out rank our defence, and in fact in his first 2 seasons here, we actually had the 5th and then 3rd best defence in the division!

 

[Wombat]

He said that his move to Liverpool fell through due to his high blood pressure.

In terms of Leicester, he thought we had a good side but our weakness was the two central defenders. His best mates were the Birch and Lenny Glover. Favourite night out in Leicester -Bailey's.

I was in Bailey's one Saturday night (around 1977-78), doing a bit of disco dancing with a nurse from Leicester Royal, and in walks Franky Wortho in a black velvet jacket with white collar shirt and a fashion model-quality blond on each arm. No minders, no entourage, just Frank out on a night out in Leicester with a couple of crackers. It was like Jesus parting the Red Sea - the crowd made way out of respect, as Frank leds his party to their table by the dance floor.

I'm sure the blondes were treated to a bit of 'ball juggling' of Frank's legendary package back at the Centre Island Holiday Inn, a couple of hours later - LOL.

Man Utd has Georgie Best, Arsenal had 'Champagne Charlie' George, but we had Franky Wortho....Superstar!

 

[Biffa Bacon]

I was in Bailey's one Saturday night (around 1977-78), doing a bit of disco dancing with a nurse from Leicester Royal, and in walks Franky Wortho in a black velvet jacket with white collar shirt and a fashion model-quality blond on each arm. No minders, no entourage, just Frank out on a night out in Leicester with a couple of crackers. It was like Jesus parting the Red Sea - the crowd made way out of respect, as Frank leds his party to their table by the dance floor.

I'm sure the blondes were treated to a bit of 'ball juggling' of Frank's legendary package back at the Centre Island Holiday Inn, a couple of hours later - LOL.

Man Utd has Georgie Best, Arsenal had 'Champagne Charlie' George, but we had Franky Wortho....Superstar!

I met Iwan Roberts in TJ's a few times on a night out, he always had a couple of girls with him. He liked a burger did Mr Roberts.

 

[indierich06]

I was in Bailey's one Saturday night (around 1977-78), doing a bit of disco dancing with a nurse from Leicester Royal, and in walks Franky Wortho in a black velvet jacket with white collar shirt and a fashion model-quality blond on each arm. No minders, no entourage, just Frank out on a night out in Leicester with a couple of crackers. It was like Jesus parting the Red Sea - the crowd made way out of respect, as Frank leds his party to their table by the dance floor.

I'm sure the blondes were treated to a bit of 'ball juggling' of Frank's legendary package back at the Centre Island Holiday Inn, a couple of hours later - LOL.

Man Utd has Georgie Best, Arsenal had 'Champagne Charlie' George, but we had Franky Wortho....Superstar!

Not sure I remember that bible story...? :icon_wink

 

[Redditch Fox]

Whereas Wool was clearly a limited footballer, 170+ appearances for City in the top flight hardly suggests "nowhere near Div 1 class". The one season he was the regular CB alongside Jeff Blockley was 75-76 when we achieved our best Bloomfield finish of 7th after being in the relegation zone early on in the season - though buying Steve Kember and ditching the Birch might also have something to do with it.

Yes - I'd agree with that. The view that Wollett wasn't very good is simplistic and doesn't take account that he was asked to play all over the shop. Someone like Worthingto who was a naturally gifted footballer would possibly be a bit condescending towards a player whose main assets were energy and effort.

I was also interested in the smudger63 post. We weren't as he says a great goal scoring team and the defence was more than decent. However, we did play with a bit of style and were (unusually for City) a bit 'flash' and people enjoyed that.

 

[Ike O'Noclassed]

Yes - I'd agree with that. The view that Wollett wasn't very good is simplistic and doesn't take account that he was asked to play all over the shop. Someone like Worthingto who was a naturally gifted footballer would possibly be a bit condescending towards a player whose main assets were energy and effort.

I was also interested in the smudger63 post. We weren't as he says a great goal scoring team and the defence was more than decent. However, we did play with a bit of style and were (unusually for City) a bit 'flash' and people enjoyed that.

He also had a well-deserved reputation as one of the best man-markers at the time, I remember around '74 watching him stick to Eddie Gray in a game at Elland Road and we were unlucky to only get a point. Basically, we out-Leedsed Leeds and they didn't like it.

 

[Redditch Fox]

He also had a well-deserved reputation as one of the best man-markers at the time, I remember around '74 watching him stick to Eddie Gray in a game at Elland Road and we were unlucky to only get a point. Basically, we out-Leedsed Leeds and they didn't like it.

213 appearances for LCFC plus 15 as substitute. Not bad - how many of the present squad are likely to clock up that record? Wollett was one of a breed of Leicestershire born players who in those days before the globalisation of the likes of Man U and Arsenal, were local kids whose main ambition was wear the City shirt - players like Derek Hines, Howard Riley, Graham Cross. This has gone from the game now and we are left with lots of players whose focus is on their next engineered move and who know little about their current club and care even less.