Frank Carlton

OVERALL STATISTICS

BIRTHAGESIGNED ONFROM
21-03-1936
N/A
17-11-1952
Parr Central
DEBUTLAST MATCHLEFT
06-04-1953 v Huddersfield
Swinton
1960- Wigan
CAREERAPPEARANCES (SUBS)
1952-1960
156 (0)
TRIESGOALSDGOALSPTS
129
0
0
387

Biography of Frank Carlton



HERITAGE NO : 715
Frank Carlton by Dave Dooley:

Frank Carlton was a stalwart for the club playing over 150 matches mostly as a winger. Born on the 21st March 1936 in St Helens, he signed for the Club from the famous RL hotbed, Parr Central School, on 17th., November 1952. Frank made his debut away against Huddersfield in the 10 points all draw on the 6th. April 1953. Frank only played two matches in his first two seasons.

His first try was against Widnes in the first match of the 1954/55 season. Frank seemed to enjoy playing against Rochdale Hornets as he bagged two hat-tricks in league matches against them that season. He ended the season as the team`s top try scorer with 33 tries. The 1955/56 was the most prolific in Frank`s career with career best 40 tries including three hat-tricks against Barrow, Liverpool City and Swinton, with a stunning four try performance in the 53 points to 6 demolition of Bradford Northern in the third round of the Challenge Cup. In the 1956/7 season Frank was joint top scorer for Saints with Steve Llewellyn, each winger scoring 33 tries apiece. The haul included hat-tricks against Blackpool Borough and Rochdale Hornets (again!) with another four try feat, this time Huddersfield were the team under the cosh. The next season witnessed Frank score hat-tricks on successive Saturdays against Oldham and Warrington. However, he was limited to 16 games that season but still came back strong enough to persuade the Great Britain selectors to take him to Australia.

The next three seasons were topsy-turvy for any Saints hopefuls wanting to capture the number five jersey at Knowsley Road. With Tom Van Vollenhoven on the right wing scoring tries for fun, the Club chopped and changed the left wing position. Frank faced stiff opposition from Jan Prinsloo and other hopefuls. Frank Carlton only played 23 matches in his last two and a bit seasons at Knowsley Road but still bagged a very respectable 14 tries in those games. The transferring of both Jan Prinsloo to Wakefield Trinity and Frank Carlton to Wigan, eventually paved the way for a £11 000 world record transfer to bring Mick Sullivan to Knowsley Road.In 156 matches for the Saints Frank scored 129 tries (13th on the all-time list of top try scorers for Saints), kicked no goals for a total points aggregate of 387 points. This represents a strike rate of over 82 tries per 100 matches, (fourth rank).

This speedy, elusive winger was a member of the 1956 Challenge Cup winning team that defeated Halifax by 13 points to 2. In this match Brian Howard created a sensational try for Frank Carlton cutting through the Halifax defence to put the flying winger away to score near the posts. This sent Saints fans into rapture as caps, scarves, rattles and saucers flew into the air.

Frank finished Saints leading try scorer on three occasions. This consistency enabled Frank to be selected for the 1958 Touring Squad to Australia where he made the Test team on one occasion. Furthermore, Frank won two Lancashire and one England cap in his time with the Saints. Frank also played against the Australian touring side on November 24th. 1956 when the Saints inflicted a record defeat on the tourists by 44 points to 2.

His final match for the Club was against Swinton on the 21st. of September, 1960. Frank was subsequently sold to Wigan where he faced his former team-mates in the 1961 Challenge Cup Final, thankfully Frank was on the losing side that particular day! In a cheery and white jersey Frank continued his try-scoring feats and was again selected to participate on the 1962 Australian Tour.

FOND FAREWELL FOR SAINT CARLO

A tribute by Denis Whittle

MISTY-EYED memories of Saints first-ever Challenge Cup triumph in 1956 will be stirred by the death of a legend whose brilliant try laid the foundation for the Knowsley Road side's ultimate success.
Flying winger Frank Carlton, of Eccleston Park, died in Whiston Hospital at the age of 72. His wife Joan passed away in 1999, and he leaves children Greg and Linda, four grandchildren, sisters Mary and Annie, and partner Enid Williams. Ranked among the town's favourite sporting sons Carlo, as he was popularly known, was a rare talent who also excelled on the athletics track, he was on the books of Everton FC and went on to earn his niche in Rugby League folklore.

Born in Blackbrook, Frank was a pupil at St, Marys and Parr Central schools, and it was here that he first revealed blistering pace, bewildering sidestep and Cumberland Throw tackling technique that stood him in good stead later when stopping burly opponents such as Billy Boston. And, by way of diversion from rugby, Carlton often appeared in Gilbert and Sullivan comic operas at school, with his starring role being that of Captain Cochran in HMS Pinafore.

He was contemporary with likes of Alec Davies, Bobby Chisnall and Eric Ledger before signing for Saints in 1953, for whom he went on to make 156 appearances during which he notched a remarkable 130 tries and was elevated to the Hall of Fame. An honour richly deserved in the opinion of Alex Murphy, who said Frank was the best locally-born winger he had seen.

Frank's touchdown at Wembley was vital, coming as it did after a scoreless first forty minutes, when he raced over from halfway following a shrewd pass from centre Brian Howard, leaving Fax players Arthur Daniels, Ken Dean and Johnny Freeman trailing in his wake. 'Good job my lad didn't knock on!' said his proud mother.
Tall, dark, handsome and a modest gentleman to boot, Frank toured Australia and New Zealand with the Rugby League Lions in 1958-62 and also represented England and Lancashire. He joined Wigan in 1960 and, ironically, marked Tom van Vollenhoven when Saints beat the Central Park team at Wembley twelve months later. A gas fitter by trade, Carlton appeared in Service's Rugby Union while in the RAF. Such was the regard for the man who enriched the lives of all who knew him that Blackbrook St.Marys Church was packed to the rafters for his funeral on Monday, March 2 2009.


SEASON STATISTICS

Season (Official Matches)TriesGoalsDGoalsMatches
1952~530 0 0 1
1953~54 0 0 0 1
1954~5533 0 0 36
1955~56 40 0 0 38
1956~5733 0 0 40
1957~5810 0 0 16
1958~598 0 0 13
1959~603 0 0 8
1960~612 0 0 3
TOTALS:129 0 0 156
Season (Other Matches)TriesGoalsDGoalsMatches
1954~551001
1955~560001
1956~571001
1958~591003
1960~611001
TOTALS:4007

ALL MATCHES

DateMatchPosOpponentsCompVenueFTFTOTGDG
6th Apr 1953 1
D
 2 Huddersfield L A 10 10 VIEW
19th Apr 1954 2
L
 5 Huddersfield L A 13 29 VIEW
14th Aug 1954 3
W
 2 Widnes L H 31 3 1 VIEW
18th Aug 1954 4
W
 2 Belle Vue Rangers L A 20 11 VIEW
25th Aug 1954 5
W
 2 Swinton L H 28 9 1 VIEW
28th Aug 1954 6
L
 2 Oldham L H 16 23 2 VIEW
4th Sep 1954 7
L
 2 Halifax L A 2 22 VIEW
20th Sep 1954 8
L
 5 Oldham LC2 A 9 20 1 VIEW
9th Oct 1954 9
W
 5 Leeds L H 13 6 VIEW
16th Oct 1954 10
W
 5 Salford L A 19 2 1 VIEW
23rd Oct 1954 11
W
 5 Whitehaven L H 30 3 1 VIEW
30th Oct 1954 12
W
 5 Widnes L A 8 2 1 VIEW
6th Nov 1954 13
L
 5 Workington Town L A 11 15 VIEW
13th Nov 1954 14
W
 5 Barrow L H 11 4 VIEW
20th Nov 1954 15
W
 5 Leeds L A 21 10 VIEW
27th Nov 1954 16
D
 5 Warrington L H 8 8 VIEW
11th Dec 1954 17
W
 5 Workington Town L H 16 2 1 VIEW
18th Dec 1954 18
W
 5 Rochdale Hornets L A 20 9 3 VIEW
25th Dec 1954 19
L
 5 Leigh L A 13 14 VIEW
27th Dec 1954 20
W
 5 Wigan L H 19 7 VIEW
1st Jan 1955 21
W
 5 Leigh L H 27 3 3 VIEW
8th Jan 1955 22
L
 5 Warrington L A 14 18 VIEW
22nd Jan 1955 23
W
 5 Wakefield Trinity L H 39 7 2 VIEW
29th Jan 1955 24
W
 5 Blackpool Borough L H 13 2 VIEW
5th Feb 1955 25
W
 5 Whitehaven L A 8 0 2 VIEW
12th Feb 1955 26
W
 5 Batley CC1 A 15 2 2 VIEW
19th Feb 1955 27
L
 5 Oldham L A 2 9 VIEW
5th Mar 1955 28
W
 5 Keighley CC2 A 3 2 1 VIEW
12th Mar 1955 29
L
 5 Swinton L A 4 7 VIEW
19th Mar 1955 30
L
 5 Workington Town CC3 A 4 14 VIEW
21st Mar 1955 31
W
 5 Rochdale Hornets L H 23 3 3 VIEW
26th Mar 1955 32
W
 5 Salford L H 16 8 2 VIEW
28th Mar 1955 33
W
 5 Liverpool City L H 12 4 VIEW
2nd Apr 1955 34
W
 5 Belle Vue Rangers L H 31 0 2 VIEW
8th Apr 1955 35
L
 2 Wigan L A 12 16 VIEW
9th Apr 1955 36
W
 5 Halifax L H 14 8 2 VIEW
11th Apr 1955 37
L
 5 Huddersfield L A 11 35 1 VIEW
18th Apr 1955 38
L
 5 Barrow L A 3 26 1 VIEW
7th May 1955 --
W
 5 Leigh* Fr H 40 16 1 VIEW
13th Aug 1955 --
L
 5 Barrow* Fr Ward Cup H 17 31 VIEW
20th Aug 1955 39
W
 5 Widnes L A 35 18 1 VIEW
27th Aug 1955 40
L
 5 Barrow LC1 A 12 18 1 VIEW
31st Aug 1955 41
L
 5 Salford L A 10 11 VIEW
3rd Sep 1955 42
W
 5 York L H 26 18 3 VIEW
10th Sep 1955 43
W
 5 Keighley L H 52 23 VIEW
24th Sep 1955 44
W
 5 Barrow L H 66 15 3 VIEW
1st Oct 1955 45
W
 5 Blackpool Borough L H 53 19 2 VIEW
8th Oct 1955 46
W
 5 Keighley L A 21 6 1 VIEW
15th Oct 1955 47
W
 5 Liverpool City L H 32 4 1 VIEW
26th Oct 1955 48
W
 5 New Zealand Tour H 16 8 VIEW
29th Oct 1955 49
W
 5 Rochdale Hornets L H 8 7 VIEW
5th Nov 1955 50
W
 5 Swinton L A 4 0 VIEW
12th Nov 1955 51
W
 5 Halifax L H 13 8 VIEW
19th Nov 1955 52
W
 5 Liverpool City L A 29 9 3 VIEW
26th Nov 1955 53
W
 5 Workington Town L H 36 3 1 VIEW
3rd Dec 1955 54
W
 5 Whitehaven L A 20 12 1 VIEW
17th Dec 1955 55
W
 5 Barrow L A 18 6 2 VIEW
24th Dec 1955 56
W
 5 Oldham L H 18 7 VIEW
26th Dec 1955 57
L
 5 Leigh L H 9 18 VIEW
27th Dec 1955 58
L
 5 Wigan L A 0 8 VIEW
31st Dec 1955 59
W
 5 Dewsbury L A 19 10 1 VIEW
2nd Jan 1956 60
W
 5 Leigh L A 20 6 2 VIEW
7th Jan 1956 61
W
 5 Salford L H 48 2 VIEW
28th Jan 1956 62
W
 5 Widnes L H 21 10 1 VIEW
11th Feb 1956 63
W
 5 Warrington CC1 H 15 6 1 VIEW
18th Feb 1956 64
W
 5 Dewsbury L H 36 0 2 VIEW
25th Feb 1956 65
W
 5 Swinton L H 27 10 3 VIEW
3rd Mar 1956 66
W
 5 Castleford CC2 H 48 5 2 VIEW
10th Mar 1956 67
L
 5 Warrington L A 4 17 VIEW
14th Mar 1956 68
L
 5 Halifax L A 0 12 VIEW
17th Mar 1956 69
W
 5 York L A 13 6 1 VIEW
24th Mar 1956 70
W
 5 Bradford Northern CC3 H 53 6 4 VIEW
30th Mar 1956 71
W
 5 Wigan L H 29 7 1 VIEW
7th Apr 1956 72
D
 5 Barrow CCSF N 5 5 1 VIEW
11th Apr 1956 73
W
 5 Barrow CCSF(rep) N 10 5 VIEW
14th Apr 1956 74
L
 5 Oldham L A 8 40 VIEW
21st Apr 1956 75
L
 5 Halifax ChSF A 8 23 1 VIEW
28th Apr 1956 76
W
 5 Halifax CCF N 13 2 1 VIEW
11th Aug 1956 --
L
 5 Barrow* Fr Ward Cup H 22 24 1 VIEW
18th Aug 1956 77
W
 5 Widnes L H 29 0 1 VIEW
20th Aug 1956 78
W
 5 Liverpool City L A 56 5 VIEW
25th Aug 1956 79
W
 5 Bradford Northern L A 34 7 1 VIEW
29th Aug 1956 80
W
 5 Salford L H 40 0 2 VIEW
1st Sep 1956 81
W
 5 Swinton LC1 H 27 7 VIEW
8th Sep 1956 82
L
 5 Oldham L H 16 25 2 VIEW
11th Sep 1956 83
W
 5 Liverpool City LC2 H 34 3 1 VIEW
15th Sep 1956 84
L
 5 Hull L A 6 17 VIEW
20th Sep 1956 85
W
 5 Warrington LCSF A 17 9 VIEW
22nd Sep 1956 86
W
 5 Rochdale Hornets L H 49 11 2 VIEW
29th Sep 1956 87
W
 5 Blackpool Borough L A 58 5 3 VIEW
6th Oct 1956 88
W
 5 Liverpool City L H 25 5 2 VIEW
13th Oct 1956 89
W
 5 Salford L A 27 11 1 VIEW
20th Oct 1956 90
L
 5 Oldham LCF N 3 10 1 VIEW
27th Oct 1956 91
L
 5 Workington Town L H 9 11 1 VIEW
10th Nov 1956 92
W
 5 Featherstone Rovers L H 21 16 1 VIEW
14th Nov 1956 93
L
 5 Featherstone Rovers L A 6 15 VIEW
24th Nov 1956 94
W
 5 Australia Tour H 44 2 VIEW
1st Dec 1956 95
W
 5 Huddersfield L H 51 4 4 VIEW
8th Dec 1956 96
L
 5 Oldham L A 8 9 VIEW
15th Dec 1956 97
W
 5 Widnes L A 10 2 VIEW
22nd Dec 1956 98
W
 5 Whitehaven L H 37 6 1 VIEW
25th Dec 1956 99
D
 5 Leigh L A 7 7 VIEW
29th Dec 1956 100
D
 5 Warrington L A 8 8 VIEW
1st Jan 1957 101
W
 5 Leigh L H 18 14 1 VIEW
12th Jan 1957 102
W
 5 Swinton L A 14 9 VIEW
19th Jan 1957 103
L
 5 Leeds L A 11 22 1 VIEW
26th Jan 1957 104
W
 5 Barrow L H 59 5 2 VIEW
2nd Feb 1957 105
W
 5 Rochdale Hornets L A 23 8 3 VIEW
9th Feb 1957 106
L
 5 Whitehaven CC1 A 8 9 VIEW
16th Feb 1957 107
D
 5 Hull L H 9 9 VIEW
2nd Mar 1957 108
W
 5 Halifax L H 31 7 VIEW
9th Mar 1957 109
L
 5 Wigan L H 11 20 VIEW
16th Mar 1957 110
W
 5 Bradford Northern L H 23 6 1 VIEW
20th Mar 1957 111
W
 5 Halifax L A 10 4 VIEW
23rd Mar 1957 112
W
 5 Huddersfield L A 10 9 VIEW
3rd Apr 1957 113
W
 5 Whitehaven L A 5 2 VIEW
6th Apr 1957 114
W
 5 Leeds L H 44 3 VIEW
13th Apr 1957 115
W
 5 Swinton L H 34 0 1 VIEW
15th Apr 1957 116
L
 5 Barrow L A 8 11 1 VIEW
17th Aug 1957 117
W
 5 Widnes L A 22 13 VIEW
21st Aug 1957 118
W
 5 Huddersfield L H 28 8 VIEW
24th Aug 1957 119
W
 5 Hunslet L H 30 9 2 VIEW
26th Aug 1957 120
W
 5 Oldham L A 21 7 3 VIEW
31st Aug 1957 121
W
 5 Workington Town LC1 A 16 12 3 VIEW
7th Dec 1957 122
W
 5 Barrow L H 25 7 VIEW
14th Dec 1957 123
W
 5 Rochdale Hornets L A 10 5 VIEW
21st Dec 1957 124
W
 5 Wakefield Trinity L H 52 5 VIEW
28th Dec 1957 125
L
 5 Salford L A 7 12 VIEW
1st Jan 1958 126
L
 5 Leigh L A 5 15 VIEW
29th Mar 1958 127
W
 5 Blackpool Borough L H 25 11 VIEW
4th Apr 1958 128
W
 5 Wigan L H 32 7 1 VIEW
5th Apr 1958 129
W
 5 Hunslet L A 33 2 VIEW
7th Apr 1958 130
W
 5 Halifax L A 18 2 VIEW
14th Apr 1958 131
W
 5 Salford L H 42 8 1 VIEW
3rd May 1958 132
L
 5 Workington Town ChSF H 13 14 VIEW
8th Sep 1958 133
W
 5 Leigh LC2 A 12 2 VIEW
13th Sep 1958 134
W
 5 Halifax L H 45 20 3 VIEW
17th Sep 1958 135
W
 5 Barrow LCSF H 18 6 1 VIEW
27th Sep 1958 136
W
 5 Hunslet L H 31 15 1 VIEW
4th Oct 1958 137
W
 5 Blackpool Borough L A 26 19 1 VIEW
18th Oct 1958 138
D
 5 Workington Town L A 10 10 VIEW
25th Oct 1958 139
L
 5 Oldham LCF N 2 12 VIEW
1st Nov 1958 140
W
 5 Salford L A 28 12 1 VIEW
15th Nov 1958 141
W
 5 Featherstone Rovers L A 36 9 VIEW
28th Mar 1959 142
W
 3 Liverpool City L A 40 20 1 VIEW
4th Apr 1959 143
W
 3 Halifax L A 25 19 VIEW
18th Apr 1959 144
L
 3 Swinton L A 11 19 VIEW
21st Apr 1959 145
W
 3 Workington Town L H 36 14 VIEW
18th May 1959 --
W
 2 Welsh XIII* Fr Tour P 44 28 1 VIEW
20th May 1959 --
W
 5 Welsh XIII* Fr Tour L 35 19 VIEW
23rd May 1959 --
W
 2 Welsh XIII* Fr Tour C 47 31 VIEW
21st Nov 1959 146
W
 5 Halifax L H 25 10 VIEW
28th Nov 1959 147
L
 5 Leeds L A 11 24 VIEW
12th Dec 1959 148
W
 5 Rochdale Hornets L A 40 4 1 VIEW
19th Dec 1959 149
W
 5 Rochdale Hornets L H 26 2 VIEW
26th Dec 1959 150
W
 4 Wigan L A 19 7 1 VIEW
1st Jan 1960 151
W
 4 Leigh L A 12 4 VIEW
23rd Jan 1960 152
W
 5 Oldham L H 27 6 1 VIEW
19th Mar 1960 153
L
 5 Halifax L A 15 20 VIEW
6th Aug 1960 --
W
 5 Liverpool City* Fr Charity Cup H 34 10 1 VIEW
15th Aug 1960 154
W
 5 Liverpool City L H 17 9 VIEW
20th Aug 1960 155
W
 2 Hunslet L H 22 10 1 VIEW
21st Sep 1960 156
W
 5 Swinton L A 15 7 1 VIEW
*Unofficial Match. **Non Playing Sub.
WINS : 116 | LOSSES : 40 | DRAWS : 7

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