England's Greatest Defender

Almost universally considered the greatest defender England has ever produced by those who saw him play, Neil Franklin was a football superstar in the 40s and 50s whose name has never taken its rightful place amongst other football legends of our time. Capped 27 times by England, setting a record for consecutive England appearances, Franklin sent shockwaves through the British game when he left Britain for Bogota in 1950, just months before England were set to make their World Cup debut in Brazil. Whilst the national team proceeded to be humiliated by the United States in South America, trying out ten inferior centre-halves over the next four years and suffering two devastating defeats at the hands of the Hungarians, football in England would never be the same again. This meticulously researched and fascinating book gives Neil Franklin the place in sporting history that he deserves.