64 Frank Gamble

Position : Winger

Played : 1984-5 to 1985-6

Appearances : 46

Goals : 9


Frank was another member of Vic Halom's successful Barrow side and arrived at Spotland around Christmas time 1984. The diminutive 23- year old had played briefly for Derby a couple of years earlier but despite scoring twice in six appearances he was let go.

The reason was almost certainly that Frank had off-field "issues". He allegedly enjoyed the sort of trips that don't require petrol and it was also said that the other players didn't leave things lying around the dressing room when Frank was about. Nevertheless Halom thought he could do a job and was largely proved right.

Frank was a classic winger to whom tracking back was an alien concept but he did know where the goal was scoring five times in 21 appearances to keep his place in the side.
The following season he was much improved and when we played Peterborough in a top of the table clash on 07.09.85 Frank was the difference between the two sides scoring two brilliant goals to edge the game 2-1. When Wrexham came to Spotland two months later their manager Dixie McNeil identified Frank as the man to watch. Unfortunately his goalkeeper can't have been listening for in the second half Frank pushed the ball out of his hands and ran the ball into the net. With neither official having seen what led up to it the goal was given and it turned out to be the winner leaving McNeil apoplectic.

Unfortunately that was more or less it for Frank at Spotland. For reasons best known to himself Vic Halom decided to blow most of our Old Trafford receipts on a new left winger called Mossman and by the time that fiasco had played itself out Frank had left the club and signed for Morecambe. He later gave Southport good service but never returned to League football which anyone who saw him that season would know was a shame.