FORMER Burton Albion player Frank Corrigan has passed away at the age of 71.
The talented midfielder was signed by Ken Gutteridge in 1973 and was one of a string of young players brought to the club that summer who would go on to play in the Football League including Steve Buckley and Maitland Pollock.
He played 32 times for the Brewers that season scoring three times. He was a key part of the team that won promotion from the Southern League Division One North, finishing runners up to Stourbridge and which reached the Midland Floodlit Cup Final, losing to Nuneaton.
The 1974-75 season was even more successful with the club finishing fifth in the Southern League Premier Division and reaching the FA Trophy semi-final before losing over two legs to Matlock Town.
Corrigan played 57 times that season (only Brendan Phillips played more games) and scored 21 goals putting him alongside Peter Ward. In total he played 89 times for the Brewers.
He was born in Liverpool in 1952 and represented Liverpool at schoolboy level. He joined Blackpool at the age of 18 before moving to Walsall but after failing to make an impact was picked up by the Brewers.
After leaving Albion he was an important player for Northwich Victoria gaining fame as they embarked on an epic FA Cup run.
That brought him to the attention of Wigan Athletic who he joined in 1978 where he stayed for three successful years before moving on to Stafford Rangers, Northwich again and Witton Albion.
Brewers Chairman Ben Robinson said: “We were deeply saddened to learn that Frank Corrigan had passed away. He was a very important player for us in a memorable period of the club’s history.
“He will be especially remembered for the goals he scored on our epic FA Trophy run in 1974-75 getting the winner against Mossley in the quarter final and scoring a penalty at Causeway Lane in the semi-final first leg when we were so close to getting to Wembley.
“He was a popular player who will be fondly remembered by Burton Albion fans and we send our deepest sympathies to all his family and friends at this time.”
- Frank is pictured scoring the penalty at Matlock in the FA Trophy semi-final first leg in 1975.