Frank Munro

Football player infobox2
playername= Frank Munro


fullname = Francis Michael Munro
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1947|10|25|df=y
cityofbirth = Broughty Ferry
countryofbirth = Scotland
position = Centre back
years = 1964–1966
1966–1968
1968–1977
1977–1978
1978–1979
1979–1980
clubs = Dundee United
Aberdeen
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Celtic
Hellas
Albion Rovers
Total
caps(goals) = 050 (14)
043 0(8)
296 (14)
015 0(0)
017 0(0)

421 (36)
nationalyears = 1971–1975
nationalteam = Scotland
nationalcaps(goals) = 009 0(0)

Francis Michael Munro (born October 25, 1947 in Broughty Ferry) is a Scottish former footballer, mostly known for his time with Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Career

Surprisingly, Munro actually began as a centre-forward with Chelsea at junior and amateur level in 1961–62, after leaving school, but he left without signing professional forms.

Following this, he returned home to his native Scotland and signed as a professional for Dundee United. He broke into the first team in 1964 and won four youth caps for his country during his time at Tannadice.

In October 1966, he moved to fellow Division 1 outfit Aberdeen for £10,000. His first season proved a success as he collected a runners-up medal as the team fought its way through to the 1967 Scottish Cup Final, losing 2–0 to Celtic at Hampden Park. This was sufficient to qualify for Europe though, and they competed in the Cup Winners Cup the following season, giving Munro his first – but not last – taste of European football.

In the summer of 1967, Munro and Aberdeen travelled to America to compete in the newly formed United Soccer Association league. Due to the lack of existing teams, the league organisers instead imported several established teams from around the globe to compete under 'franchise' names. Aberdeen competed as the 'Washington Whips', based in the capital.

Their expolits here were to provide the basis of Munro's future, as the Whips won the Eastern division and so progressed through to the championship play-off match in July, where they faced the Western champions, Los Angeles Wolves (represented by Wolverhampton Wanderers). The Whips eventually lost 6–5 in extra time, but Munro's performance in scoring a hat trick, caught the eye of Wolves manager Ronnie Allen.

In October 1968, Wolves acted upon this display and snapped up Munro for £55,000. Munro went on to play 371 times in total for the club, becoming firmly established at centre back, despite signing as a midfielder. He also chipped in with 18 goals in total, including scoring in both legs of the 1972 UEFA Cup semi final defeat of Ferencváros and played in the final, collecting another runners-up medal after a 3–2 aggregate defeat to Spurs.

Munro didn't have to wait too long though for a winners' medal as Wolves lifted the 1974 League Cup, after a 2–1 victory over Manchester City at Wembley.

His performances at Wolves also won him nine Scottish caps (as well as 4 at U23 level), spread from 1971–75. His full debut coming on May 18, 1971, against Northern Ireland.

Shortly after helping the Midlanders to regain their First Division status in 1976–77 – after a year outside it – Munro returned to his native Scotland when the lure of his boyhood heroes, Celtic proved too strong. He signed after a short loan period in December 1977 for £20,000.

His time in Glasgow was to prove short-lived however, as despite picking up another runners-up medal (in the 1978 Scottish League Cup), Munro decided to head for a new challenge in Australia by signing to Hellas, managed by former Wolves goalkeeper Dave MacLaren. Although initially this was only planned as a short-term arrangement, he ended up moving there permanently.

During the 1980s Munro took up a player/coach role at Albion Rovers, before retiring and later managing Hamlyn Rangers and Keilor Park (formerly Keilor Austria).

He returned to the UK in 1991 and now lives in Compton with his wife Naomi. He suffered a stroke in the early 2000s, and is now confined to a wheelchair. His affection for Wolves is still apparent and he attends matches regularly at Molineux.