• Article |
• Discussion |
• Edit |
• History

FREDERICK RALPH FORMAN, known in football as Fred Forman, was one of the select group of men born in Derbyshire to play association football for England. Each of his three caps was won in 1899.

He was born in the Derbyshire village of Aston on Trent on 8 November 1873, and when in his teens began playing football for the village side. A versatile player, mostly a forward but very adaptable, he was noticed by Beeston Town and signed for them. He then moved up to the highest level, signing for Derby County in January 1892.

But his chances with the Rams were limited and he was given only four games before he was sold to Nottingham Forest in 1894. It proved to be an error of judgment on the part of the Derby committee, for Fred Forman then made 181 appearances for Forest before retiring in 1903. He then pursued his profession as a railway draughtsman.

Remarkably Fred Forman was one of three men born in Aston on Trent in the same era to play football for England. The others were his brother Frank and his nephew Harry Linacre, who also both played for Derby County before being let go to Forest, all of which was something of a triple error on the Rams management front.

Unlike his brother Frank, who lived to be 86, Fred Forman did not have a long life. He died in Skegness on 14 June, 1910, aged only 36, an unhappy end for one of the few Derbyshire-born men to have played on the wing for England.

Incidentally, the Football Association's official England archive has no photograph of Fred Forman - if you know where to find one, why not post it on this site.

• Three Lions On Their Shirt - England Footballers Born In Derbyshire

FEEDBACK

Did you enjoy this article? If so, why not comment on it? Perhaps you disagree with something in it, or you know something the writer doesn't and can add some extra facts. You may want to ask a question about this article. Making a contribution is easy - either click 'edit' to insert more information or 'discussion' and then 'add comment.' This is your site. Please feel free to use it to the full and share your memories, thoughts and knowledge about Derbyshire with others.

If there is no 'edit' link showing it means the article has either previously been published in the Derby Evening Telegraph, or it has been protected by the site administrator and cannot be edited.'

County:  Derbyshire

Return to You_and_Yesterday