Frank Palmer has sadly passed away aged 91.
Born on 10 Sept 1929 he played for Corinthian-Casuals in the 1950s, a total of 92 First team matches, scoring 37 goals. His best season was 1956/7 when he played 31 games with 15 goals. That season he was also in the C-C team that lost to Wycombe Wanderers in the Amateur Cup Semi Final at Highbury. He went on tours to Libya (pic below - Frank Palmer, front row 3rd from right, brother David is directly behind him), Belgium and Jersey and played in the Reserves throughout 1959/9. His older brother David also played for the club but died some years earlier. Frank was the manager for a cork manufacturing company for most of his working life.
His daughter Carol wrote: “He was the youngest of seven brothers. He met our mother Rene when he was age 10 at school. They were inseparable until her death at the age of 76. He did National Service in the RAF but avoided the Berlin Airlift because he was picked at centre forward for the RAF team.
“My cousin Leonard remembers dad and his brother David taking the field at the Oval side by side, except that dad was playing for Ilford and David was playing for C-C. They were pitted against each other but managed to play the whole match without tackling each other. It was after this match that dad was invited to join Corinthian-Casuals.
“Leonard also tells me that during the Libya tour dad kicked the ball so hard that it broke the bar. He brought a couple of small pieces back with him to prove it.
“After football he played tennis for several clubs and won various championships, including singles, men’s doubles and mixed pairs with our Mum. When he gave up tennis he took up bowls and again won several club championships. A highlight was when he won the National over 55’s Men’s doubles with his partner Keith Broughton.
“Dad had 5 grandchildren and was very proud of them all, but especially my son Tom and Ian’s son Max who both followed in his footsteps and play football. Ian’s second son Zac plays rugby.
“Dad was lucky enough to enjoy good health in his 90’s and was fiercely independent to the end”
Born on 10 Sept 1929 he played for Corinthian-Casuals in the 1950s, a total of 92 First team matches, scoring 37 goals. His best season was 1956/7 when he played 31 games with 15 goals. That season he was also in the C-C team that lost to Wycombe Wanderers in the Amateur Cup Semi Final at Highbury. He went on tours to Libya (pic below - Frank Palmer, front row 3rd from right, brother David is directly behind him), Belgium and Jersey and played in the Reserves throughout 1959/9. His older brother David also played for the club but died some years earlier. Frank was the manager for a cork manufacturing company for most of his working life.
His daughter Carol wrote: “He was the youngest of seven brothers. He met our mother Rene when he was age 10 at school. They were inseparable until her death at the age of 76. He did National Service in the RAF but avoided the Berlin Airlift because he was picked at centre forward for the RAF team.
“My cousin Leonard remembers dad and his brother David taking the field at the Oval side by side, except that dad was playing for Ilford and David was playing for C-C. They were pitted against each other but managed to play the whole match without tackling each other. It was after this match that dad was invited to join Corinthian-Casuals.
“Leonard also tells me that during the Libya tour dad kicked the ball so hard that it broke the bar. He brought a couple of small pieces back with him to prove it.
“After football he played tennis for several clubs and won various championships, including singles, men’s doubles and mixed pairs with our Mum. When he gave up tennis he took up bowls and again won several club championships. A highlight was when he won the National over 55’s Men’s doubles with his partner Keith Broughton.
“Dad had 5 grandchildren and was very proud of them all, but especially my son Tom and Ian’s son Max who both followed in his footsteps and play football. Ian’s second son Zac plays rugby.
“Dad was lucky enough to enjoy good health in his 90’s and was fiercely independent to the end”
