Full name Frank Cannon Name Frank Cannon Place of birth Ware, England Role Footballer | Place of death Ypres, Belgium Position Forward Playing position | |
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Date of birth (1888-11-08)8 November 1888 Date of death 15 February 1916(1916-02-15) (aged 27) Died February 15, 1916, Ypres, Belgium | ||
Frank cannon in a wetsuit
Frank Cannon (8 November 1888 – 15 February 1916) was an English footballer who played at inside-right. He played for Hitchin Town, Queen's Park Rangers, West Ham United, New Brompton, and Port Vale. He helped QPR to the Southern League title in 1907–08, and scored in the FA Charity Shield defeat in 1908. He later won the Staffordshire Senior Cup and Birmingham Senior Cup with Port Vale. He was killed in action during World War I, at the age of 27.
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Playing career
Cannon began his career with hometown club Hitchin Town, whilst working for a solicitors. Described as "a dashing player and good dribbler with a fine shot", he joined Southern League club Queen's Park Rangers in April 1907. He helped Rangers to win the league title in 1907–08.
He scored for QPR at Stamford Bridge in the first ever FA Charity Shield game in 1908. His goal cancelled out that of Manchester United's Billy Meredith, and took the game to a replay, which United won 4–0. QPR went on to finish 15th in 1908–09. He moved on to West Ham United in 1909, but played just four competitive games in 1909–10, before moving on to New Brompton for the 1910–11 season.
Cannon joined Port Vale of The Central League in July 1911. With 18 goals in the 1911–12 season he became the club's top scorer. He helped the Vale lift the Staffordshire Senior Cup in 1912 and the Birmingham Senior Cup in 1913, but lost form during the 1912–13 season and departed the Athletic Ground in the summer of 1913.
World War I
Cannon signed up to fight in World War I, and was transferred from the Bedfordshire Regiment to the Essex Regiment. He rose to the rank of Sergeant Major, but was killed by shrapnel at Ypres on 15 February 1916. Buried at Potijze Burial Ground, he left behind wife, Violet, and three children.