Chivers Frank Image 1 Blackburn Rovers 1938

Description

Drybrook, Gloucestershire born centre forward Frank Chivers began his football career with Goldthorpe United from where he signed for Second Division Barnsley, making his Football League debut at Stoke City in October 1930. Initially appearing irregularly, after Barnsley’s relegation in 1932 he moved to the half back line in April 1933, and played 15 matches mainly at right half as Barnsley won the Third Division (North) Championship in 1933-34. Chivers reverted to centre forward in January 1935 and scored his first goals for The Tykes in a win at Oldham Athletic the following month, grabbing a brace, and finishing the season with 12 goals in only 17 appearances since the switch.

His form got him noticed and in January 1936 he was signed by First Division Huddersfield Town after 16 goals in 81 appearances for Barnsley. He scored 9 goals for Huddersfield in his first full season at Leeds Road in 1936-37 and had scored in The Terriers’ FA Cup quarter final replay win over York City in March 1938 when the following week he was bought by Blackburn Rovers, Huddersfield going on to Wembley where they lost to Preston North End in the Final, Chivers having scored 17 goals in 54 appearances for them.

At Blackburn he reverted to the half back line and in 1938-39 he played mainly at left half, missing only 4 matches for Rovers and again reaching the FA Cup quarter final where they were beaten by former club Huddersfield Town in a replay, in what proved to be the last FA Cup prior to the outbreak of the Second World War in September 1939, by when Chivers had scored 3 goals in 58 appearances for Blackburn Rovers.

Aged only 32, he was killed in a mining accident during the Second World War in April 1942.