TWIH: Frank Gardner, Forgotten Pioneer

To understand the significance of Frank’s contribution, not only to Leicester Fosse but also to association football in Leicester as a whole, it is worth remembering that in 1884, the year of Leicester Fosse’s foundation, there were very few soccer clubs in Leicester.

The ones that did exist like Old Victoria and Hill Street were struggling. Leicester was a rugby union town. Between two and three thousand people would watch Rugby Union matches on Victoria Park, whilst ‘the number of spectators interested in an association match played at the same end of the park, within a few feet of the rugby, would be represented by the officials only.’

Apathy towards football was so great that when the Midland Railway organised a trip to Derby in 1884 to watch the FA Cup semi-final between Queen’s Park and Blackburn Olympic, ‘less people from Leicester visited the match than could be counted on the fingers of one hand.’

Frank was a true football pioneer. He was present at the famous meeting that founded Leicester Fosse in 1884. This meeting was held in a shed in the garden of the house on Fosse Road belongong to the boot manufacturing Ashby family.

One of the lads who met in the shed was A. Ashby, who like Frank was an original committee member who played in the first game. Other boys present at the shed meeting were the three Johnson brothers who also lived on the Fosse Road. Their father was the well known boot manufacturer who had a factory in Clyde Street. His name was Joseph Johnson.

Other players at the meeting in the shed also lived very close by. Another boot manufacturer’s son, A. West lived on Fosse Road. F. Bromwich and B. Lewitt lived on King Richards Road, F. Burdett lived in Noble Street, and S. Dingley and E. Smith lived in Norfolk Street. Frank Gardner lived the furthest away. He lived in Hinckley Road. His house is now demolished. The Chef and Spice Restuarant now stands on its site.

Such was Frank’s commitment to association football that he helped to form the Leicstershire FA in 1886 becoming its President. He was 19. Until then, affiliation to official centres of the Football Association was unknown in Leicestershire.  This resulted in many irregularities, inconsistencies and confusion.

During Frank’s time as secretary, he was central to Leicester Fosse’s search for a permanent home. The Fossils moved from Victoria Park to Belgrave Road Cycle and Cricket ground. When the Tigers outbid them for this ground, the Fosse had to move back to Victoria Park before spending a couple of years at Mill Lane. When the Corporation required this site for house building, Frank was involved in the arrangement to play at Grace Road Cricket Ground ( then called Aylestone Park) for a few games before the Club finally settled on a 3 ¾ acre site which eventually was developed into Filbert Street, the Club’s home for 111 years.

Throughout this time Frank’s secretarial duties continued to grow. Member numbers increased steadily, enabling three teams to be formed, which involved much work in arranging fixtures. With the move to Belgrave Road, gate receipts became another consideration. He was instrumental in the Club entering the new Leicestershire Challenge Cup in 1888/89. That season he was also involved in the signing of the Club’s first ever professional, Harry Webb from Stafford Rangers. He was also playing in the team. He was a member of the side which won the Leicestershire Senior Cup in 1890.

Other Secretarial tasks carried out by Frank also helped increase the Fossils’ status. These included entering the FA Cup for the first time in 1890/91, arranging the first guaranteed match (for a £5 fee against Boston), bringing in better quality players to the Club and arranging a match against FA Cup Finalists Notts County, a game which drew the Club’s biggest ever gate at Mill Lane attracting record receipts of £30.

With his work load increasing, he was re-elected Honorary Secretary in 1891/92, the Club’s first season in the Midland League. By now the Club had 12 professionals. He was instrumental in inaugurating money-raising sports days at Belgrave Road Cycle and Cricket ground.

The following season, when Ernest Marson was elected Honorary Secretary, Frank resigned, ‘after having held the post and consistently carried out its duties for the eight seasons since the Club was instituted.’ At the same time another Club stalwart the treasurer Joseph Johnson, resigned due to failing health.

Even though Frank was no longer Secretary, his eight years in the post had been absolutely crucial in consolidating the fledgling Club which had such humble beginnings.

Without the foundations he helped to lay in those vital first eight years, it is doubtful if the Club would have been in a position to enter the Football League in 1894/95.

The measure of Frank’s achievement was that other clubs which appeared to be in a stronger position than Fosse at the time, did not make the progress Fosse went on to make, some of them disappearing altogether.

Frank maintained his interest in the Club for the rest of his life. In 1893, he helped to write the first history of the Club. He was also a local league official and a referee whilst at the same time working in the hosiery and the boot and shoe industries.   

Today Frank Gardner has been largely forgotten. This week’s 70th anniversary of his death on 8 December, 1943 is a timely reminder that when he died, the Club truly lost one of the most important figures in its history.

Pictures:

1. Frank Gardner

2. Frank Gardner (first left, back row) on the 1889/90 team photo

3. Frank Gardner (second from right on back row) in the 1890/91 team photo

4. One of Frank's fixture lists for 1891/92

5. In 1893 Frank helped to write this history of Leicester Fosse