A brief Q&A with Frank about the Beautiful Game

• Q. Who do you support and why?
  A. I’m embarrassed to admit this but I started out supporting Man City from a distance as a boy, because I liked the sky blue colour of their shirt! I moved on to Bury FC, my local team, when I was old enough to attend matches and then joined the big boys, transferring my colours to Man United. Yes, I know. I am a turncoat changing from blue to red, but in my defence I started watching United religiously when they were suffering in what was then Division Two, attending most games home and away, and benefitting when they returned to the top-flight the following season with the wonderful attacking team created by Tommy Docherty.
• Q. What was your worst moment in football?
  A. Crying on the steps of the old Wembley in 1976 after Bobby Stokes smashed Man United’s dream of winning the FA Cup.
• Q. And your best?
  A. Seeing George Best at Old Trafford when I was very young, perched on my dad’s shoulders. The memory image is black and white, but George’s sheer artistry turns it to colour.
• Q. Who are the best footballers you have seen live?
  A. 1. Diego Maradona. 2. George Best. 3. Cristiano Ronaldo. 4. Lionel Messi. 5. Ronaldihno. 6. Colin Bell. 7. Kenny Dalglish. 8. Bryan Robson. 9. Eric Cantona. 10. Derek Spence (leftfield choice, I know, but a Bury great).
• Q. So Maradona is your favourite of all time?
  A. No, that is Cantona. I love the man’s character and personality, as well as how he lifted Man United after their wilderness years. So much so that my son is called Jude Cantona and, apart from Eric and his family, is the only person I know who is able to have Cantona put on his shirt in the United megastore. Eric halted all promotional links at the club when he quit, but Jude circumvents that hurdle by showing his birth certificate.
• Q. What is the most puzzling thing in the modern game?
  A. Why Man City and PSG still can’t win the Champions League given the quality of their squads and riches. Additionally, why Pep Guardiola can’t win it without Messi – I know it riles him when people say that.
• Q. Which modern era player could easily perform just as effectively in the pre-Prem days, and vice-versa.
  A. I think you could swap Kevin de Bruyne and Colin Bell. Both midfield maestros and with the same energy that earned Colin the nickname, Nijinksy (after the famous racehorse).
• Q. Who is the greatest English top-flight manager ever?
  A. Total trophy hauls would suggest Alex Ferguson and Bob Paisley, but for me it is Brian Clough. To win the European Cup (the pre-glam version of the Champions League) with Nottingham Forest is arguably the top achievement of any manager.
• Q. Name some puzzling aspects of the modern game.
  A. Phil Neville becoming England women’s manager. Leicester winning the Premier League. David Moyes being such a brilliant success at West Ham when it looked like his day had long gone: ditto Mourinho at Roma. Gareth Southgate being lambasted for England failing to win Euro 2020 and not being adventurous enough - when it is apparent he needs two midfield shields for a central defensive pair that is distant miles from the halcyon days of Rio Ferdinand and John Terry. Look how Harry Maguire struggled at Man Utd without Declan Rice and Kelvin Phillips bailing him out as they do for England.
• Q. What do we need more and less of in today’s football?
  A. More respect, and less abuse, of referees. More hi-tech stadia like Tottenham’s and less like Man United’s creaking Old Trafford. Cheaper tickets for fans and for TV satellite viewing. More liaison between players and fans so that the latter do not feel like mere cash cows. More respect from blokes for the women’s game, especially after England women’s Euro 2022 exploits. And less bad language on the terraces…how would you feel if it was your ten-year-old taking it all in?
• Q. Finally…what’s a particular pet hate of yours about football?
  A. This may sound snobby, but poor language skills from pundits. Phrases such as the cliché ‘at the end of the day’, ‘we’ll go for them three points’ (copyright Glenn Hoddle), ‘Listen’ to stress emphasis at the start a sentence (copyright Trevor Sinclair), ‘I was like, he/she was like’ as a preface to an anecdote, and the killer, ‘I’m not gonna lie’ (copyright Love Island and Rebecca Vardy, but now being spouted on TV and radio footie commentaries). Come on guys – and girls – you can do better, and we deserve better. Rant over. Thank you, and goodnight!