Frank Manders (13 June 1914 – 17 March 1942)[2][3] was an English professional footballer who played as a forward. He made over 100 senior appearances for Crystal Palace and also played for Norwich City.

Frank Manders
Personal information
Date of birth (1914-06-13)13 June 1914
Place of birth Camberley, England
Date of death 17 March 1942(1942-03-17) (aged 27)
Place of death Boldmere, England
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)[1]
Position(s) Forward
Youth career
? Aldershot
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1931–1935 Crystal Palace 98 (31)
1935–? Norwich City ? (?)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Playing career

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Manders began his youth career at Aldershot and signed for Crystal Palace, then playing in Division Three South of the Football League, in July 1931.[2] He made only one appearance in the 1931–32 season, becoming one of Palace's youngest ever players on 26 September, at age 17 years and 105 days,[4] in a home 2–2 draw against Coventry City.[5]

In the 1932–33 season, Manders played more regularly, making 25 league appearances and scoring 10 goals.[6] In 1933–34 and 1934–35, Manders made 23 league appearances (10 goals) and 36 appearances (14 goals) respectively.[7] In 1935–6, Manders began the season as a first-choice forward but after 12 appearances (two goals) moved on to Norwich City in October.[8][2]

At Norwich, Manders was a regular in the side and scored 40 goals between 1935 and 1939 when regular league football was suspended after the outbreak of World War II.[9]

Personal life

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Manders died in 1942 aged 27.[3] While serving as a leading aircraftman in the Royal Air Force, he drowned himself in a pool at Sutton Coldfield municipal golf course due to depression at suffering from scabies.[10]

References

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  1. ^ "Norwich City. First Division no longer worlds away". Sunday Dispatch Football Guide. London. 23 August 1936. p. x – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ a b c Purkiss, Mike; Sands, Nigel (1989). Crystal Palace: A Complete Record 1905–1989. The Breedon Books Publishing Company. p. 334. ISBN 0907969542.
  3. ^ a b King, Ian (April 2012). Crystal Palace: A Complete Record 1905–2011. The Derby Books Publishing Company. p. 546. ISBN 9781780910468.
  4. ^ "Young Players And Goalscorers Records". cpfc.co.uk. 4 July 2012. Retrieved 18 February 2017.
  5. ^ Purkiss, Mike; Sands, Nigel (1989). Crystal Palace: A Complete Record 1905–1989. The Breedon Books Publishing Company. pp. 156–7. ISBN 0907969542.
  6. ^ Purkiss, Mike; Sands, Nigel (1989). Crystal Palace: A Complete Record 1905–1989. The Breedon Books Publishing Company. pp. 158–9. ISBN 0907969542.
  7. ^ Purkiss, Mike; Sands, Nigel (1989). Crystal Palace: A Complete Record 1905–1989. The Breedon Books Publishing Company. pp. 160–3. ISBN 0907969542.
  8. ^ Purkiss, Mike; Sands, Nigel (1989). Crystal Palace: A Complete Record 1905–1989. The Breedon Books Publishing Company. pp. 164–5. ISBN 0907969542.
  9. ^ "Norwich City know what it takes to succeed in English second tier". edp24.co.uk. Retrieved 21 February 2017.
  10. ^ "Sutton Suicide of Footballer-Airman Worried by Illness". Evening Despatch. 23 March 1942. p. 3. Retrieved 28 October 2023.
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