VALE – Frank Wilson

Football NSW is deeply saddened to hear the news of the passing of long serving Life Member, Director (retired) and George Churchward Medallist, Mr. Frank Wilson.

Frank commenced his love of the game in the 1960’s as a player with the Ryde RSL Soccer Club.  Frank’s enthusiasm then saw him take up coaching and managing roles and various positions on the club committee before being elected as Secretary of the Gladesville-Hornsby Association in 1969, a position he held for 14 years.  Awarded a Life membership by the GHFA in 1973 Frank was committed to seeing the association grow and was the force behind attaining the Association’s first ‘home ground’ Santa Rosa Park at Ryde.

In the early 80’s it was on Frank’s recommendation that the GHFA became one of the first to employ a paid administrator to handle the ever-increasing administrative workload.  Frank continued to coach and manage teams at the club and then at association reps before moving to State level where his dedication to the management preparation and success of the NSW Country State Teams comprising of some 150 players and officials over many years was unparalleled.  Most outstanding was Frank’s commitment to ensuring that every Country State Team player always looked and felt like a winner before they stepped onto the park and with his unrivalled enthusiasm, Frank gave every State Team player the opportunity to play their best and achieve their dreams.

In 1987 Frank was elected to the Board of Directors of the NSW Amateur Soccer Federation where he held the position of State Secretary for 15 years until unification in 2002 when Frank continued as a Director with Soccer NSW and then as a Director of Football NSW until his retirement.

During his long tenure Frank was awarded Life Membership of Football NSW and was presented with a State Award in 1991 for his dedication to the game.

In 2002, Frank was awarded the coveted ‘George Churchward Medal’, an award known to many as the most prestigious, alongside the ‘Charles Valentine’ medal, in recognition of outstanding services to football in NSW.

As a familiar face every year at the State, Robertson and Cullinan Cups finals day, football has lost a good friend of the game who will be sorely missed by his family and his many friends in football.

On behalf of the Board, Management and Staff at Football NSW we send our deepest condolences to the Wilson family, may he rest in heavenly peace