RIP Frank MacLachlan

I was saddened and shocked to learn of the passing of Frank yesterday.

For those who don’t know, Frank was the secretary of Glasshoughton Welfare.

I must have known Frank for about ten years as I started watching Glasshoughton during the Craig Elliott era.

No-one ever had a bad word to say about him and his dedication to local football around Castleford and Pontefract will take some beating.

His secretarial skills and knowledge of the job are irreplaceable.

Everyone will miss the chats over the Glasshoughton tea-bar counter and in my case I will miss the chats about the latest problems with the WholeGame system or the West Riding County FA phone line problems.

I think he must have tried to retire from the hotdogs and teas and coffees several times, but he always ended up back in the role serving customers. 

I once remember a game during the Craig Elliott era, possibly at the back-end of the 2011/12 season, where he came and stood with me and then-chairman Phil Riding midway through the first half. Glasshoughton had scored something like 24 goals in five games and had just scored again. Frank laughed and said ‘I’ve missed another one, I only saw one of the six goals on Saturday because I was too busy with the sausage rolls”! 

I also once went to a Glasshoughton away game at Maltby Main with Phil and Frank in 2013. With me in the back, Phil drove to Frank’s house to pick him up and had to go to the door to drag him out as he was taking his time! On the way Frank told a story about when he had been sent off when managing Ponte Town reserves over a comment that the visiting team’s coach driver had shouted! He appealed and won. I won’t tell the story’s punchline, but it is a very funny story.

Going to Glasshoughton is not going to be the same again.

My deepest thoughts are with Frank’s wife Kath and family.