Monk Frank Image 1 Southampton 1910

Description

Salisbury, Wiltshire born amateur centre half Frank Monk played for St Mark’s College in Chelsea while training to be a teacher in London and spent 1908-09 on amateur forms at Chelsea without making their first team. He then joined Salisbury City in 1909 from where he was signed by Southern League club Southampton, making his debut after seven games of the 1910-11 season, when he took the place of Sam Jepp at centre half against Crystal Palace on 22nd October 1910. When he played, “he used his athleticism to good effect” and was a sure tackler. He managed 19 Southern League appearances, with either Jepp or Billy Beaumont taking his place when he was unavailable. On 11th February 1911, he played as an emergency centre-forward at Swindon Town.

His form attracted the attention of the England amateur selectors and, after a successful trial in January 1911, he won four amateur international caps. In August 1911 he joined Second Division club Glossop, making his Football League debut at Hull City that September, also playing a week later against Barnsley, both matches ending 2-0 defeats. He then spent some time at Fulham from the following month but didn’t make their first team and returned to Southampton, where he played one further match back at The Dell, a 2-1 defeat against West Ham United on 6th January 1912. He later turned out for Salisbury City and Ilford, playing for Ilford both sides of the First World War, and also played for Enfield after the War, his last recorded club.

He was an outstanding all-round amateur sportsman who gained honours at swimming, cricket and athletics (turning out for St Martins Harriers) and was the 1909 Salisbury marathon champion.