Searle Frank Image 2 Clapton Orient 1937

Description

Hednesford, Staffordshire born right back Frank Searle began his football career as a teenager with local club Hednesford Town in 1924 and still an amateur spent time on the books of Stoke in 1924-25, where he didn’t make the first eleven, playing for non league club Willenhall from 1925. From there he was signed by Second Division club Bristol City, under Alex Raisbeck’s management, in 1927, making his Football League debut at right half at Fulham in March 1928, his only appearance for The Robins, winning The Western League with their reserve team however.

He moved on during the summer to Charlton Athletic, where he made three more appearances at right half in 1928-29, all in wins after the New Year as Charlton won the Third Division (South) Championship, and he spent another four seasons with Charlton in the Second Division until their relegation seaoson of 1932-33, never a regular, playing a variety of positions including left back, left half, and the rightsize equivalent, scoring twice in 70 appearances before transferring to Chester in February 1933.

He played only 4 matches for The Seals during the rest of 1932-33, before joining Watford in the close season, but made the Watford team only 5 times in 1933-34. A move to Clapton Orient in the summer of 1934 saw Searle enjoy four seasons of regular football for The O’s, almost exclusively at right back, before leaving Brisbane Road in the summer of 1938 after a single goal in 133 appearances, his retirement possibly a result of injury.