Frank Parsons (18 June 1926 – January 2021) was an Australian soccer player who played as a striker for the Australia national soccer team. He played his club football for Adamstown and Leichhardt-Annandale.

Early life Frank Parsons was born on 18 June 1926. He attended Adamstown Public School.

Club career Parsons began his senior club career with Adamstown before moving to Sydney to play for Leichhardt-Annandale.

In his final year in Australia soccer, Parsons started the 1953 season with a hat-trick against North Shore. Within the first three minutes of the game he went down with an ankle injury and upon receiving further medical after the game at Western Suburbs Hospital, it was discovered he had broken his ankle. He announced his retirement several times, citing scrutiny from referees and politics.

International career In 1948 he made his debut for Australia in a match against New Zealand. Throughout the duration of his career, Parsons scored 16 goals for Australia including 6 in one game against New Zealand.

Retirement and death After retiring from football he decided to get in involved in Football administration joining the newly formed NSW Soccer Federation. He was later the principal for Excelsior Public School in Sydney. He was the principal of Shelley Public School Blacktown in 1966.

Parsons died in January 2021, at the age of 94.

Career statistics

International + Appearances and goals by national team, year and competitionTeamYearCompetitiveFriendlyTotalAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAustralia1948003123121950004343Career total00715715

Scores and results list Australia's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Australia goal.

+ List of international goals scored by Frank ParsonsNo.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition1Basin Reserve, Wellington, New Zealand–rowspan="3" style="text-align:center" Friendly2–3–4Lancaster Park, Christchurch, New Zealand1–0rowspan="3" style="text-align:center" Friendly54–065–07Blandford Park, Auckland, New Zealand–rowspan="6" style="text-align:center" Friendly8–9–10–11–12–13Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia–style="text-align:center" Friendly14St George's Park, Port Elizabeth, South Africa1–1rowspan="2" style="text-align:center" Friendly152–1

Honours NSW State League: 1949, 1950 NSW State League Cup: 1948, 1949 NSW Daniels Cup: 1946 NSW Sydney Cup: 1952

In 1999, Parsons was inducted into the Soccer Australia Hall of Fame (now known as the Football Australia Hall of Fame).

References