Frank Neary

Harold Frank Neary (6 March 1921 – 17 November 2004) was an English footballer who played as a striker, mainly for Millwall, Leyton Orient and West Ham United.

Frank Neary
Personal information
Full name Harold Frank Neary
Date of birth (1921-03-06)6 March 1921
Place of birth Aldershot, England
Date of death 17 November 2004(2004-11-17) (aged 83)
Playing position(s) Striker
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1945–1947 Queens Park Rangers 9 (4)
1947 West Ham United 17 (15)
1947–1949 Leyton Orient 78 (44)
1949–1950 Queens Park Rangers 19 (5)
1950–1954 Millwall 123 (50)
1954 Gravesend
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

During World War II Neary played as an amateur for West Ham, Finchley and then Fulham, before joining the Army. While stationed in Ireland he played for Glentoran. After the war he joined Queens Park Rangers (QPR) and featured in 30 regional wartime matches, scoring 23 goals.

When regular football recommenced in 1946–47, Neary continued with QPR before moving to West Ham for £4,000 in January 1947.[1] His time there was curtailed after reportedly hitting an opponent who had fouled him, out of sight of the referee.[2] West Ham sold him at a £2,000 loss in November 1947 to Leyton Orient, where he became the club's record goalscorer at that time, with 25 goals during the 1948–49 season. He was noted for the power of his shooting, and once knocked out opposing goalkeeper Archie McFeat of Torquay United, who got in the way of a Neary drive.[2]

Refusing advances from Newcastle United, Neary moved back to QPR for £7,000 in October 1949, but it was a further move in August 1950, this time to Millwall for £6,000, which led him to 50 more league goals in 123 league appearances.

Neary finished his career playing non-league football at Gravesend in May 1954. He died at St Raphael's Hospice in North Cheam on 17 November 2004, aged 83.[3]

References
  1. "Welcome to the Wonderful World of West Ham United Statistics Frank Neary". westhamstats.info. Retrieved 15 February 2012.
  2. "Leyton Orient: The Complete Record", N Kaufman & A Ravenhill, Breedon Books, 2006, p.349
  3. "Frank Neary". millwallfc.co.uk. Retrieved 1 March 2012.
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