A LATE footballer and manager who started his career in the Wee County will be remembered as a gentleman by loved ones.

Frank Burrows began his career with Sauchie Juniors before moving to Raith Rovers.

Then, at the age of 21, he moved down south to Scunthorpe United before joining Swindon Town, making more than 300 appearances.

After his playing days ended, Frank embarked on a hugely successful managerial career, with spells managing Portsmouth, Cardiff and Swansea alongside caretaker positions with West Bromwich Albion and Leicester City.

Born in Larkhall, Frank was part of the Swindon Town team which defeated Arsenal in the 1969 League Cup final.

Frank lived the remainder of his life down south and died in Swindon last Tuesday, November 23.

He was married to Wendy and had three children, Derek, Lorna and Christopher.

Christine Beveridge, Frank’s youngest sister, remembered him as a gentleman who was obsessed with football.

She told the Advertiser: “My family moved from Larkhall through to Fishcross because my dad had a job in the pits.

“Frank went to school in Fishcross and played with Sauchie Juniors before moving down south.”

Headboy at school, Frank also done an engineering apprenticeship at Melvin’s in Alloa before his football career took him to Scunthorpe, and would always cycle home on his break to eat with Christine, his other sister Jenny and Jock and Teen, his parents.

“He was six foot four, big and tall but quiet,” Christine continued. “He played centre half but he was a quiet person…probably not on the park!

“He was tough on the park but his manner was mild.

“His life was football. He was an ordinary man, he had a good heart.”

Also in his post playing career Frank was assistant manager to Gary Megson with two different clubs and also worked alongside Harry Redknapp and Frank Lampard senior.

Christine continued: “He used to laugh and say, ‘I hope I’m never put out a job because I couldn’t go back to being an engineer’.”

At the time of his death, Frank had been diagnosed with dementia and Alzheimer’s.

His family have decided to donate a part of Frank’s brain to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow where Dr William Stewart has linked with The Jeff Astle Foundation to raise awareness of brain injury in sport and access to post mortem brain tissue is crucial in ascertaining the problem.