English footballer

Frank WatkinPersonal information

Full name|  Frank Watkin[1]
Date of birth|  (1904-03-30)30 March 1904[1]
Place of birth|  Stoke-upon-Trent, England[1]
Date of death|  26 January 1979(1979-01-26) (aged 74)[1]
Place of death|  Hartshill, Stoke-on-Trent, England[1]
Position(s)|  Centre-forward
Youth career
|  Congleton Town
Senior career*
Years|  Team|  Apps|  (Gls)
1926|  Stoke City|  5|  (3)
1929–1931|  Port Vale|  13|  (9)
1931–1937|  Congleton Town|  246|  (180)
Total|  |  264|  (192)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Frank Watkin (30 March 1904 – 26 January 1979) was an English footballer who played at centre-forward for Congleton Town, Stoke City, and Port Vale. He won the Third Division North title with both Stoke and Vale, but never nailed down a regular first team place despite scoring a combined total of 12 goals in 18 league games for the two clubs. His brother, Arthur Watkin, was also a footballer who played for Stoke.

## Career[edit]

Watkin played for Congleton Town, before joining Stoke City. He featured in five Third Division North games in the 1926–27 title winning season, and scored in three games in a row: a 2–1 win over Crewe Alexandra at the Victoria Ground (12 March), a 2–2 draw with Stockport County at Edgeley Park (19 March), and a 4–0 home win over Southport (26 March). However this was the extent of his appearances with the "Potters".

He was signed by local rivals Port Vale in June 1929.[1] He picked up a knee injury in a 2–2 draw at Rotherham United on 19 October 1929, which kept him on the sidelines for four months.[1] He made his return in style, gaining revenge over Rotherham by scoring five goals in a 7–1 win over them at the reverse fixture at The Old Recreation Ground on 22 February.[1] He finished the 1929–30 Third Division North title winning season with nine goals in 13 appearances.[1] He struggled to nail down a place in the side though, and never featured in the 1930–31 Second Division season.[1] He was given a free transfer back to former club Congleton in April 1931.[1]

## Career statistics[edit]

Source:[2]

Club  | Season  | Division  | League  | FA Cup | Total

|
|
|
|
|

Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals
Stoke City | 1926–27 | Third Division North | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 3
Port Vale | 1929–30 | Third Division North | 13 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 9

## Honours[edit]

Stoke City

* Football League Third Division North: 1926–27

Port Vale

* Football League Third Division North: 1929–30[3]

## References[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 303\. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
2. ^ Frank Watkin at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
3. ^ Kent, Jeff (1990). "From Glory to Despair (1929–1939)". The Valiants' Years: The Story Of Port Vale. Witan Books. pp. 124–150. ISBN 0-9508981-4-7.

*[Apps]: League appearances
*[Gls]: League goals