Focus On…….Steve Frangou

Series continues on players who have spent some of their careers as a player or manager in the Southern League.

Steve was a committed member of Basingstoke Town`s squad for several years.

Indeed, he started at the Camrose as a ball boy in 1974!

From there he progressed to be kit boy, putting the kit out home and away, and he also used to join in at the end of training sessions with the first team before being asked to train with the reserves.

From there, Steve progressed into first team, apart from having a spell away playing for Hampshire League side Portals Athletic.

He returned to play for `Stoke again before becoming the club`s youth development officer and head coach followed by being reserve team manager before eventually leaving the Camrose during the 1992/93 season for pastures new.

He teamed up with former Fulham legend Fred Callaghan as his assistant at then-Southern League South Division side Wealdstone (he had been with Callaghan at Basingstoke) before leaving in 1995.

Steve was working on shifts at Heathrow Airport (where he was employed for over 25 years), so committing to football became almost impossible.

He went into semi-retirement last August.

Clubs Played For:

Basingstoke Town, Portals Athletic.

Assistant-manager at Wealdstone with Fred Callaghan.

Best Game Played In?

March 5th, 1985 Salisbury City 0-3 Basingstoke Town (Southern League Southern Division championship season).

Best 11 Played With?

Mostly ex-Basingstoke Town team-mates.

Keith Champ

Steve Haysom

Tommy Clegg

Mick Kearney

Billy Coombs

Terry Davies

Dean Pearce

Steve Trotter

Dave Eddie

Murray Brodie

John Guyatt

Wally Cameron

Mick Doherty

Brian Lucas

Tony Carter

(Most of Steve`s selection pictured in the team photo - he`s third from left seated)

Best Captain?

The late great Terry Davies

Funniest Team-Mate/Manager?

Jim Greenwood (goalkeeper) & Eric Lisle (manager)

Best Manager?

Colin Stoker

Best Mate in Football?

My Dad for believing in me and encouraging me and following me to nearly all my Basingstoke matches.

Words of Advice?

Firstly, try to play at the highest standard you can, do not end up leaving the game regretting that you never gave it a go as football can be a short career. And secondly, give your all every time you cross that white line and enjoy yourself.

Basingstoke Town Web Site