England's Greatest Defender: The Untold Story of Neil Franklin by Potts Harmer Alfie

Author:Potts Harmer, Alfie [Potts Harmer, Alfie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: RedDoor Publishing
Published: 2019-08-14T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 12

Reunited with Raich

‘From Boothferry to Wembley’ is a chant often sung by Hull City fans. Well, for Neil Franklin, it would be the same journey but in the opposite direction. Despite firm interest from First Division side Derby County, the England international made a somewhat surprising transfer to Hull City, setting a world record fee for a defender in the process.

Talk to any footballer about facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines and they’ll tell you how frustrating and depressing it can be. Neil Franklin was no different, and it was doubly frustrating for him as his body was in perfect shape, yet he could not step onto a football pitch or even train with fellow professionals.

Neil spent his four months out getting as close to the game as he was physically capable of doing. One of the traits which made him the player he was, was his constant eagerness to learn and improve. Even though he had reached the pinnacle of the game, his relentless appetite to keep getting better never diminished. It’s a quality that you will find in just about every top-level footballer and athlete. So whilst he was out of the game, Neil watched football religiously. He had never sustained a seriously long-term injury, so it presented a chance for him to step back and view the game as a spectator for the first time.

‘I watched all the football I possibly could, trying to spot faults and pick up tips. One great thing I did learn was that you can see more from the stands and terraces than you can from the field of play itself. Your field of vision is much wider. You can see the pattern of the game. You can see how moves are built up, how they can be counteracted, and how there can be an antidote to every antidote.

‘That is not to say, of course, that the spectator knows more about a particular match than the players. He should do, but the average spectator has not the knowledge of the game to benefit by his excellent field of vision.’

Watching football may have provided a tonic of sorts for Neil, but it also served to further whet his appetite for a return to action. He may have seen football as his profession, and one for which he ought to be rewarded fairly, but don’t be fooled into thinking he had lost his boyish love of the game. Neil Franklin was a football obsessive. He loved the game, along with all its intricacies and machinations. This is how he described his love affair with the beautiful game:

‘Football, you see, is my life. I chose the profession myself, and I have loved every minute I have spent in the game. Some people think that just because you do a thing professionally you cannot love it, but that certainly does not apply to football players in Britain. I have yet to meet one who doesn’t love the game.

‘There is nothing strange in that. Maybe

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