I'm curious to learn more about him. There's not a lot of detail on his Wikipedia and nothing on the club website about the man who is our all time record League appearance holder with 491 league appearances, and 515 appearances for Blues in total. In all his career appearances he never scored a single goal, which I think in itself is a record for an outfield player.
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He played for Blues for 20 years, and captained the club for 16.
There's a Birmingham Mail article from 11 years ago which talks about the time a gangster tried to get him to throw a Blues vs Grimsby match.
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He appears to be fondly remembered at both Grimsby and Leicester as a manager for getting them both promoted to the 1st Division, and with Grimsby finishing 5th in the 1st division and reaching an FA Cup semi final.
I know we have a few posters on here who are well versed in Blues history. Is anyone able to share some more information on one of the club's longest serving players? (I think Gil Merrick technically had 21 years to Womack's 20 but when you take out their respective inter war periods 1915-1919 and 1939-1945 then I believe Womack pips Merrick for years spent in the Football League with Blues).
Heard he wasn't actually that much of a player, but when his foot steps on the dance floor...
Best place to look for Blues history - including its players - is the British Newspaper Archive. It's got loads of Birmingham local papers stretching back to our founding, allowing you to follow the Blues on and off the pitch on a game-by-game basis. Search for 'Frank Womack Birmingham' as a starting point. It's subscription-based, but a treasure trove of information. Who knows, maybe an ancestor or two might pop up to justify the cost?
Edit: Link to Womack search on BNA [www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk]
I have a silver football medallion which he received after playing his first game.
Wow, that's quite the find! I wonder if there's any mention of the medallion in those local papers. They'd have certainly covered his first game. Match reports in the 1900s and 1910s were under pseudonyms: Old Blue and Forward. Makes me think they might have been ex-players. Might have to go and have a look (I have access through Find My Past) - September 1908 was his debut apparently.
He used to clap his hands before heading the ball.
I assume his lack of goals is because in those days defenders never or very
rarely ventured over the halfway line.
nick_pWow, that's quite the find! I wonder if there's any mention of the medallion in those local papers. They'd have certainly covered his first game. Match reports in the 1900s and 1910s were under pseudonyms: Old Blue and Forward. Makes me think they might have been ex-players. Might have to go and have a look (I have access through Find My Past) - September 1908 was his debut apparently.
There was an auction of his football related memorabilia a good few years ago
I found him in some local papers from the period - impressed in August in a series of pre-season friendlies before deputising for the injured Stokes in Blues' second match in September. The other new recruit at the back was a 'Gardner', who went on to play 120 times as a wing half and according to Tony Matthews was "profoundly deaf" - wonder if he was any relation to our current technical director...
Didn’t we try and sign his brother too, Womack and Womack in midfield?
nick_pI found him in some local papers from the period - impressed in August in a series of pre-season friendlies before deputising for the injured Stokes in Blues' second match in September. The other new recruit at the back was a 'Gardner', who went on to play 120 times as a wing half and according to Tony Matthews was "profoundly deaf" - wonder if he was any relation to our current technical director...
I’ll donate the medallion to the club if they want it. I wouldn’t under the old regime, but the new bunch can have it.
Hank MarvinDidn’t we try and sign his brother too, Womack and Womack in midfield?
Deal fell through.
Bobby wanted to live across 110th street, but Blues could only offer up to Fifth Avenue in Bordesley Green.