He also refused towear shinpads on the pitch, playing with only his socks covering his ankles. Despite failing that Liverpool medical Frank played until he was aged 43, running out for over 20 clubs here and in the US, before finally hanging up his boots in 1992. The odds suggest that it probably will. He was flamboyant, a cavalier and he played up to the playboy image. They had a son and a daughter together: Frank Junior and Kim Malou. She had a blue tight-fitting leather suit on. He spent his early years in various foster homes before being adopted by the Dreyers at the age of two. Which wasnt altogether fair. He said at the time: 'I have never been diagnosed with Alzheimer's or any other neurological disorder or illness. I was wearing some wild clothes and she tried to kiss me on the dance floor. The Match of the Day host scored more headers for England than any other player and says that he and fellow presenters Alan Shearer and Ian Wright fear they could also fall ill. Lineker has also joined a talkSPORT to take part in a radio documentary on the brain condition. In his autobiography One Hump or Two?, which certainly wasnt a reference to camels, he wrote extensively about his sexual exploits. 22:30 GMT 23 Mar 2021 Extravagant spending, including buying a Ford Mustang and drinking champagne at breakfast, left him bankrupt when he couldnt pay the taxman. He really was that good. A statement from Worthington's family read: 'It is with great sadness that the death is announced of football legend Frank Worthington who passed away last night. A flamboyant maverick, who sported flowing long hair, a manicured moustache, medallion and John Travolta flares, Franks passion for the high life cost him his chance to reach the very top. He once recalled: On one trip to Spain, I was driving a car with three other players and ended up crashing it and almost going over the end of a cliff. Worthington was a supremely gifted player who scored one of the greatest juggling goals ever seen the 1979 volley for Bolton Wanderers against Ipswich Town, whichas you can see in the below YouTube clipbegan with four delicate keepy-uppy touches, outwitting the onrushing defensive line, before he buried the ball in the right-hand corner. [26], He was a big fan of Elvis Presley and while playing for Sunderland would often turn up at their training ground dressed as Presley. Find your friends on Facebook. Peter Reid For The Daily Mail The legendarily flamboyant former Huddersfield Town and England centre forward died last month at the age of 72 and his funeral will be held in Halifax on Friday. Former England striker Frank Worthington died aged 72 on March 22 in hospital after dementia diagnosis Frank became famous as much for off-field exploits as rarefied talents on it including. Thanks to his family, I managed to get over to Yorkshire to see Frank for a last glass of wine and I'm glad he still recognised me so we could share a few more laughs. A record breaking deal to sign for Liverpool in 1972 fell through because two weeks of sex and partying left him with high blood pressure. LEGENDS of the game, footie experts and celebrity fans paid tribute to Frank on social media. Carol Dwyer. He made his debut on 15 May against Northern Ireland in the 197374 British Home Championship, coming on as a substitute in a 10 victory at Wembley. His brother Bob told The Athleticin 2019thatWorthington's deterioration was so severe he would forget who he was. His most famous goal, considered one of the best of all time, came for Bolton against Ipswich Town, where he did a fewkeepy uppies outside the box before flicking it over his head and volleying it into the net. He wants everyone to love him. Everyone recognizes Carol as Frank Worthington's wife, which is pretty obvious when you are married to someone very popular. Posted on February 9, 2023. They included Miss World Mary Stavin, Miss Barbados Lindy Field, Profumo Affair model Mandy Rice-Davies, his first wife Birgitta who won Miss Sweden and his second spouse Carol Dwyer, who had been a Page 3 Girl. He then made a further guest appearance for the club in May 1985 against an Oxford United XI for Peter Foley's testimonial. 'Hundreds of players have died. I'm heartbroken at the loss of a friend, and to such a devastating disease, but I cherish the times I had with him. There was a time when every night club I went into he seemed already to be there, bootlace tie, hair slicked back, another girl on his arm. He was dating Miss Great Britain at the time, but he used the break to pick up a series of international admirers including a Swedish mother-and-daughter combination. 'A spokesman for his wife Carol said Frank died peacefully in hospital in Huddersfield following a long illness.'. Elvis fan Frank said: I dont see any harm in trying things out, but drug taking is certainly not something I would recommend to anyone.. Tough guy boss Revie wasnt so forgiving when Frank ignored his clear instructions not to go out. Around 1978 the marriage broke down, giving Frank the freedom to play the field even more. See Photos. Worthington's wife Carol paid tribute to the much-loved football showman, who died in hospital in Huddersfield on Monday. And that was just in a night club. But he had to sell that precious memory in 2005 to fund his retirement. I'm applying for Universal Credit and hopefully I can get benefits to pay my rent somewhere but the future looks terribly bleak.. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. He played for Huddersfield Town, Leicester City, and several other football teams during his career. This relationship endured, as will Worthingtons memory as one of the most gifted and charismatic players of his day. Huddersfield Town's Second Division champions 196970", "Where Are They Now? He once recalled: On one trip to Spain, I was driving a car with three other players and ended up crashing it and almost going over the end of a cliff. Bolton Wanderers 1977-78 Second Division Champions", "Frank Worthington dies aged 72: Tributes paid to former Huddersfield, Leicester and England striker", Frank Worthington management career statistics, Frank Worthington Bob's 7071 Footballers, 198586 Football League Fourth Division PFA Team of the Year, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Frank_Worthington&oldid=1138220748, England under-23 international footballers, North American Soccer League (19681984) players, English Football League representative players, First Division/Premier League top scorers, English expatriate sportspeople in Sweden, English expatriate sportspeople in the United States, Expatriate soccer players in the United States, Expatriate soccer players in South Africa, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, *Club domestic league appearances and goals, This page was last edited on 8 February 2023, at 16:23. Mind, he did have a reputation, Frank. . His loss will be sadly mourned, and yet there will also be joy in reliving some of the games most outrageous anecdotes. Frank Worthington's widow has revealed she is being forced to sell the family home due to an uncertain financial future which she describes as terribly bleak. Southampton hailed Worthington for the joy he took to the south coast in his one-year stint with the Saints. We are seeing more great names every day battling this disease and it is important we continue to take steps to change this, for their families' sakes, for Frank's sake. Frank also won the Golden Boot title in 1979 for the 24 goals he scored for Bolton Wanderers in the top division. According to Worthingtons racy autobiography, One Hump Or Two, the Liverpool manager Bill Shankly was still keen and told him to head for Majorca for a holiday. He also played in the United States (with NASL teams Philadelphia Fury and Tampa Bay Rowdies), South Africa and Sweden as well as in English non-League football. In his book One Hump or Two he describes some of his greatest goals, including one against Chelsea which he celebrated at a London nightclub where he danced with American actress Raquel Welch who then tried to kiss him. Gary Lineker hailed the ex-England striker his 'boyhood hero' and described him as 'a beautiful footballer, a maverick and a wonderful character.'. 12 04:52 EST 23 Mar 2021 The increased risk of dementia for footballers after years of heading the ball has only recently become known. 'Frankie Wortho' was a cult figure whose career began in 1966 . LEGENDS of the game, footie experts and celebrity fans paid tribute to Frank on social media. He said: 'I have no complaints about my life and my career so far and no regrets, apart from one thing. "The club is saddened to learn of the passing ofFrankWorthingtonaged 72. By the time he returned to Liverpool for a retest, his blood pressure was even higher. Eight: it is an absolute insult. Many England fans wondered why Frank, whose majestic skills were compared to Best, didnt play more for his country. Take the occasion in 1972 when Worthington nearly signed for Liverpool for what would then have been a club-record fee of 150,000. Never shy about discussing his pulling prowess, he also told a journalist what happened after bedding a teenager in Sweden. I'd followed Frank, especially after his move from Huddersfield to Liverpool fell through in 1972, and I'd seen him play with such style and flair for Leicester. Today his wife Carol paid tribute to the much-loved football showman, saying he 'brought joy to so many people throughout his career and in his private life'. For more adventurous managers, though, the creativity in his silky left foot outweighed any perceived lack of discipline. "Carol Dwyer wearing her fathers, #NoelDwyer, international jersey and cap. He will be greatly missed by everyone who loved him so much., GOT a story? Meanwhile, Gary Lineker lead the tributes the footballing great online, taking to Twitter to dubWorthington his 'boyhood hero'. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. In another,he recalls joining theMile High Club with a French woman he had known for 20 minutes on a flight to Los Angeles while playing forLeicester City. When he got off the plane, looking like he'd enjoyed a long flight, he was carrying a bag of duty free, tripped down the steps, and a bottle of scotch smashed on the runway. 3,131 following. "Frank brought joy to so many people throughout his career and in his private life . Gradually, though, he started to calm down and after he married second wife Carol in 1986 he was content to be in bed by 10pm. Frank Worthington has died following a long illness, aged 72, his family have announced. He did his best to hide it, but you could see there was a confusion in his eyes, the effect of dementia. Born in Halifax, his last gig was as player-coach for Halifax Town, aged 44. Worthington was diagnosed with dementia in 2016, and is one of hundreds of former top players to suffer with the illness as evidence grows that there is a link between heading the ball and brain injuries. Frank said: Yeah, I was a bit of a rascal. Karen Frances Rodriguez, 60. But Frank described as the working mans George Best by the late Bolton manager, Ian Greaves - reckoned he was even more of a womaniser than the Belfast ladies man. During a lengthy playing career, the striker represented more than 20 clubs but the latter years of his life saw wife Carol became his full-time carer with benefits their only source of income. Leicester were another of Worthington's former clubs to issue a tribute. The football legend spoke extensively about his sexual exploits in his autobiography One Hump or Two? The flamboyant striker, who represented more than 20 clubs and scored more than 260 goals during his lengthy playing career, including for the national side, died last month at the age of 72 following a long illness. She was young and attractive, so what was a man supposed to do?. He kept a flat in Leeds so the club did not know about his nocturnal activities or that he was abusing my body by staying out late. Her gloves are new. Frank thought it was because his unconventional approach upset the national sides bosses. The organisation leading the fight to understand a link between football and brain disease revealed in November that they know of at least 500 former players who have been affected. Huddersfield Town can't afford to rely on Josh Koroma to produce another Emile Smith Rowe moment, Surprise inclusions in Huddersfield Town's most-played side highlights depth of injury problems, Huddersfield Town 0-4 Coventry City highlights and reaction as it happened, The Terriers will be looking to make it back-to-back home wins under Neil Warnock but they face a tough challenge against Mark Robins' in-form and play-off chasing side, Sheffield Wednesday 1 Peterborough United 0 highlights as own goal sees Owls extend unbeaten run, Join us for live coverage as Darren Moore's side aim to make it 21 league games without defeat and strengthen their grip at the top of League One against the Posh, New pictures emerge showing impact of Wakefield Trinity's controversial pitch. After Id retired and was living in Florida, he signed for the Tampa Bay Rowdies. Six of the 11 players who won the title for Burnley in 1959-60 have died with dementia while a seventh, Jimmy Robson, is also now struggling with the illness. 'Saints FC is saddened by the passing of Frank Worthington, who lit up The Dell with his talents in 1983/84. [27], Worthington lived a playboy lifestyle. He gave Kevin Ratcliffe and Derek Mountfield a tough afternoon that day even though he was getting on. It was so sad to see. [25] Joe Mercer was England's manager for six of Worthington's international appearances. Around that time he declared bankruptcy because he couldnt pay off tax bills of 36,000. They included Miss World Mary Stavin, Miss Barbados Lindy Field, Profumo Affair model Mandy Rice-Davies, his first wife Birgitta who won Miss Sweden and his second spouse Carol Dwyer, who had been a Page 3 Girl. He scored two goals, against Argentina and Bulgaria in friendlies. He could charm anyone. A naturally gifted attacker, Frank was born to play the beautiful game. 10:12 EST 23 Mar 2021. Oh s---, he exclaimed. [14], Worthington's spell at Tranmere Rovers was as player-manager and although he had some success he did not return to management. "Frank brought joy to so many people throughout his career and in his. They gave the time his flight was due in and encouraged all the fans to go and greet him. [15], He showed flair[16] and skill[17][18] in his play; he did not wear shin guards and his socks often fell to his ankles.