- Birthdate: 28 October 1873
- Birthplace: Preston, England
- Date of death: 6 November 1909
- Other clubs: Fishwick Ramblers (1889-91), Preston North End (1891-95), Sheffield United (1898-99), Bedminster (1899-1900), Preston North End (2 / 1900-01), Swindon Town (1901-03), Nelson (1903), Ashton Town (1903-04), Oldham Athletic (1904)
- Signed from: Preston North End
- Signed for LFC: £200, 18.03.1895
- International debut: 09.03.1895 vs. Ireland
- International caps: 2/2 (1/0 at LFC) - 29.03.1897
- Liverpool debut: 25.03.1895
- Last appearance: 16.04.1898
- Debut goal: 25.03.1895
- Last goal: 16.04.1898
- Contract expiry: 7 October 1898
- Win ratio: 47.67% W:41 D:17 L:28
- Games/goals ratio: 2.05
- Honours: Second Division 1895/96
- Total games/goals opposite LFC: 5 / 3
- League games / goals: 70 / 38
- Total games / goals: 86 / 42
Player Profile
Becton joined the famous Preston North End team that had won the title in the first two seasons of the Football League, earning the nickname "The Invincibles". Becton joined Preston in 1891, but never won the League with the Deepdale club, which finished runners-up three seasons running from 1891-1893 before sliding down the League ladder. His best season was 1892/93 when he was top-scorer at the club with 25 goals in the League and cup. Incidentally Becton scored when second division Liverpool famously knocked Preston out of the FA Cup on 10 February 1894. Becton netted twice on his international debut in a 9-0 win over Ireland on 9 March 1895 but then shocked his employers by demanding a hefty pay rise. He claimed Aston Villa, Manchester City and Bolton Wanderers were interested in his services. Preston sold him for quite a substantial sum of £100 to Liverpool. He scored four goals from only five appearances by the end of that season but could not prevent Liverpool's relegation. However, Becton, George Allan and Jimmy Ross scored a total of 66 goals as Liverpool bounced straight back into the top-flight.
On Liverpool's return to the top division Becton got into serious trouble with Liverpool's management when he failed to turn up for training in October 1896. He was instantly relegated to the reserves, having played regularly up to that point, and matters went as far as Liverpool wanting to sell him for his insubordination. A possible move to Aston Villa fell through and in the end the player and club settled their differences and Becton returned to the first team in December.
Becton played two years with Liverpool in the First Division before finally moving to League Champions Sheffield United in 1898. The champions were struggling in the League but won the FA Cup before finishing second in the League the following season. Becton moved back to Preston in the 1900/01 season but the glory days were all gone at Deepdale and as his local club was relegated he joined Swindon Town in the Southern league. He was instrumental in keeping Swindon in division one as he scored two goals in the test match at the end of his first season. He stayed another year and scored a total of 15 goals in 60 games. After retiring from playing Frank worked in a mill but died of tuberculosis on 6th November 1909 aged just 36.
Frank's brothers, Martin and Tom, were both professional footballers and played for Preston North End as well.
Appearances per season
Please note
Becton is in various LFC sources said to be born on 11 May 1873 which is incorrect. No entry for that date of birth exists at the General Record Office. In the 1891 Census, a Frank Becton (born abt 1874) appears with his parents Martin and Margaret. This traces to the birth certificate of a Francis BECTIF - listed in the last quarter of the 1873. GRO index. Illiteracy probably explains this anomaly. His actual date of birth was 28 October 1873. + Said to have finished his career at New Brighton Tower, but he didn't leave Swindon until 1903 by which time New Brighton Tower had folded. After Ashton Town he signed for Oldham. Contributed by Paul Plowman (Swindon Town FC Historian).
A more detailed look at the player's appearances
Apps |
Minutes |
Opponent |
5 |
450 |
Derby |
5 |
450 |
Preston North End |
5 |
450 |
WBA |
5 |
450 |
Sheffield Wednesday |
4 |
360 |
Notts County |
4 |
360 |
Wolves |
4 |
360 |
Nottingham Forest |
4 |
360 |
Stoke City |
4 |
360 |
Manchester United |
4 |
360 |
Bury |
3 |
270 |
Aston Villa |
3 |
270 |
Everton |
3 |
270 |
Bolton Wanderers |
3 |
270 |
Burton Swifts |
2 |
180 |
Burton Wanderers |
2 |
180 |
Darwen |
2 |
180 |
Blackburn Rovers |
2 |
180 |
Birmingham City |
2 |
180 |
Grimsby Town |
2 |
180 |
Leicester City |
2 |
180 |
Burnley |
2 |
180 |
Lincoln City |
2 |
180 |
Sunderland |
2 |
180 |
Sheffield United |
2 |
180 |
Newcastle United |
1 |
90 |
Arsenal |
1 |
90 |
Manchester City |
1 |
90 |
Crewe |
1 |
90 |
Port Vale |
1 |
90 |
Millwall |
1 |
90 |
Loughborough |
1 |
90 |
Hucknall St Johns |
1 |
90 |
Rotherham Town |
Total |
Venue |
44 |
Home |
41 |
Away |
1 |
Neutral |
Goals per season
Please note
Becton is in various LFC sources said to be born on 11 May 1873 which is incorrect. No entry for that date of birth exists at the General Record Office. In the 1891 Census, a Frank Becton (born abt 1874) appears with his parents Martin and Margaret. This traces to the birth certificate of a Francis BECTIF - listed in the last quarter of the 1873. GRO index. Illiteracy probably explains this anomaly. His actual date of birth was 28 October 1873. + Said to have finished his career at New Brighton Tower, but he didn't leave Swindon until 1903 by which time New Brighton Tower had folded. After Ashton Town he signed for Oldham. Contributed by Paul Plowman (Swindon Town FC Historian).
A more detailed look at the player's goalscoring
Milestone Appearances
# |
Date |
Against |
Stadium |
Competition |
1 |
25.03.1895 |
Sunderland |
Anfield |
League |
50 |
16.01.1897 |
Stoke |
Anfield |
League |
Milestone Goals
# |
Minute |
Date |
Against |
Stadium |
Competition |
1 |
70 |
25.03.1895 |
Sunderland |
Anfield |
League |
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Scrapbook
The England cap
Other Clubs
Club |
Season |
Club rank |
League apps |
League goals |
Total apps |
Total goals |
Fishwick Ramblers |
1889-1891 |
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Preston North End |
1891-1892 |
England First Division |
10 |
5 |
13 |
7 |
Preston North End |
1892-1893 |
England First Division |
29 |
15 |
36 |
23 |
Preston North End |
1893-1894 |
England First Division |
26 |
6 |
28 |
12 |
Preston North End |
1894-1895 |
England First Division |
22 |
11 |
24 |
11 |
Sheffield United |
1898-1899 |
England First Division |
11 |
3 |
13 |
3 |
Bedminster |
1899-1900 |
Southern League |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
Preston North End |
1900-1901 |
England First Division |
26 |
9 |
28 |
10 |
Swindon Town |
1901-1903 |
Southern League |
59 |
13 |
59 |
13 |
Nelson |
1903 |
Lancashire Combination Division One |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
Ashton Town |
1903-1904 |
Lancashire Combination Division Two |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
Oldham Athletic |
1904 |
Lancashire Combination Division Two |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
Total |
183 |
62 |
201 |
79 |