Frank Stapleton

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Template:Short description Template:Use British English Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox football biography

Francis Anthony Stapleton (born 10 July 1956) is an Irish former professional football player and manager. He is best remembered for his time at Arsenal, Manchester United and as a pivotal player for the Republic of Ireland national team. He has also been manager at Bradford City and MLS club New England Revolution.

Playing career

Stapleton was a distinguished centre forward, once touted as being among the best in the world in his position, and an exceptionally strong header of the ball. He started his career with Arsenal, joining them in 1972 as an apprentice, after being turned down by Manchester United.[1] He made his first-team debut in March 1975, at home to Stoke City, and would go on to form a potent striking partnership with Malcolm Macdonald; the two scored 46 goals between them in 1976–77. He was Arsenal's top scorer for the three following seasons, and helped the Gunners reach a trio of FA Cup finals; Stapleton scored one of the goals in Arsenal's 1979 FA Cup Final 3–2 win over Manchester United, and scored 108 goals in 300 appearances in total for the Gunners.

Stapleton went on to move to Manchester United in the summer of 1981 for £900,000 (a fee set by tribunal after the two clubs could not agree) as new manager Ron Atkinson began building a team capable of challenging for silverware after a disappointing 1980–81 season under Dave Sexton.[1] He helped United win the 1983 and 1985 FA Cups. It was in the first of those finals, when he scored against Brighton, in which Stapleton made history by becoming the first man to score for two different clubs in FA Cup Finals.[2] United finished in the top four of the league in each of Stapleton's first five seasons at Old Trafford, and came close to winning a league title medal in the 1985–86 season after United won their first ten league games of the season before their form slumped and they finished fourth. Atkinson was sacked and replaced by Alex Ferguson in November 1986, and Stapleton remained a regular member of the first team under the new manager, but soon after Brian McClair arrived at the club, Stapleton moved to Ajax on the recommendation of former teammate, Arnold Mühren in the summer of 1987. But the move failed to live up to expectations, as he made just six appearances and scored one goal against Dundalk in the Cup Winners Cup, before he made a short loan-spell at Belgian side Anderlecht at the end of 1987, without making a single appearance. Stapleton then played on loan for three months with Derby County before heading to the European Championships in 1988 as the captain of the Republic of Ireland side, which beat England, drew 1–1 with the Soviet Union, eventual runners-up, and lost by a single late goal to tournament winners, the Netherlands. He then played for French club Le Havre for a season, before returning to England again with Blackburn Rovers in 1989, followed by moves to Aldershot, Huddersfield Town (as player-coach) and Bradford City.[3][4]

After three seasons as player-manager at Bradford, he was sacked following their narrow failure to qualify for the Division Two playoffs at the end of the 1993-94 season. He then had a brief spell at Brighton & Hove Albion in the 1994–95 season, playing two games before finally announcing his retirement as a player.

International career

Stapleton also won 71 caps for the Republic of Ireland national team, scoring a then record 20 goals. Stapleton made his international debut under then player-manager Johnny Giles in a friendly against Turkey in Ankara in 1976 at 20 years of age. He scored after only three minutes of his debut when he headed home a Giles free-kick at the near post. That friendly international finished 3–3 and marked the start of a magnificent international career for the quiet and reserved Stapleton.

Stapleton was committed to international football insisting that an "international release clause" be inserted to all of his contracts so that he could be released to play in international games for Ireland.

Stapleton played a significant role in Ireland's attempt to qualify for the World Cup in Spain in 1982. Goals against Cyprus, the Netherlands and France for Stapleton in the qualifying matches were not enough as Ireland were denied a place at the World Cup by a superior French goal difference. Stapleton was made captain of the national team for the qualifying campaign for the 1986 World Cup though Ireland failed to emulate their fine performance in the 1982 qualifiers.

Jack Charlton took over as the Irish manager in 1986 and he kept Stapleton as captain despite a sometimes uneasy relationship between the two men. Stapleton scored a magnificent diving header in the opening Euro 1988 qualifier against Belgium in the 2–2 draw at the Heysel Stadium, Brussels that September. He also scored in the 2–1 defeat by Bulgaria in Sofia on 1 April 1987, with another goal against Luxembourg in the 2–1 victory at Lansdowne Road the following September.

Stapleton captained the Irish team to the 1988 Euro finals and played in all of their matches during the competition including Ireland's famous victory against England.

After the 1988, European Championships Stapleton remained on the fringe of the national team during qualification for World Cup Italia 1990 making just two appearances late in the campaign. By then, his 20 goals for the Republic had made him the national side's all-time leading goalscorer – a record which would be broken ten years later by Niall Quinn, who was in the early stages of his own international career when Stapleton bowed out of the international scene.[5]

He did, however, score an 87th-minute goal against Malta in a 3–0 friendly in Valletta just prior to those finals in Italy.

Managerial career

Stapleton moved to the United States to manage Major League Soccer side New England Revolution in 1996, becoming the club's first-ever manager on 4 January 1996.[6] His Revolution side recorded their first-ever win on 20 April against the MetroStars,[7] Stapleton's Revolution did not have a particularly successful inaugural campaign, finishing the season with 15 wins and 17 losses.[6] Stapleton announced his resignation on 26 September.[6]

In the 2003–04 season he briefly returned to English football as a specialist coach of Bolton Wanderers. The Bolton manager Sam Allardyce wanted Stapleton to enhance the skills of the strikers at the club and saw the Irishman as an ideal candidate, given his successful playing career.

Stapleton was appointed assistant manager to former teammate Ray Wilkins with Jordan on 3 September 2014.

Personal life

His sister Helena played for the Republic of Ireland women's national football team in the 1980s [8]

He is second cousin of Irish actor Barry Keoghan.[9]

Career statistics

Scores and results list Republic of Ireland's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Stapleton goal.
List of international goals scored by Frank Stapleton[10][11]
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 13 October 1976 19 Mayıs Stadium, Ankara, Turkey {{ Template:Yesno alias = Turkey flag alias = Flag of Turkey.svg link alias-naval = Turkish Naval Forces link alias-navy = Turkish Navy link alias-air force = Turkish Air Force link alias-army = Turkish Land Forces link alias-military = Turkish Armed Forces size = name = altlink = national football team altvar = football variant =

}} ||align="center"| 1–0 ||align="center"| 3–3 || Friendly

2 24 May 1978 Idrætsparken, Copenhagen, Denmark {{ Template:Yesno alias = Denmark flag alias = Flag of Denmark.svg flag alias-state = Flag of Denmark (state).svg border-state = flag alias-naval = Naval Ensign of Denmark.svg link alias-naval = Royal Danish Navy link alias-army = Royal Danish Army flag alias-army = Flag of Denmark (state).svg link alias-air force = Royal Danish Air Force flag alias-air force = Flag of Denmark (state).svg flag alias-navy = Naval Ensign of Denmark.svg link alias-navy = Royal Danish Navy border-army = border-air force = border-naval = border-navy = size = name = altlink = national football team variant =

}} ||align="center"| 1–0 ||align="center"| 3–3 || UEFA Euro 1980 qualifying

3 17 October 1979 Lansdowne Road, Dublin, Ireland {{ Template:Yesno alias = Bulgaria flag alias = Flag of Bulgaria.svg flag alias-digital = Flag of Bulgaria (digital).svg flag alias-1878 = Flag of Bulgaria.svg flag alias-1947 = Flag of Bulgaria (1946–1948).svg flag alias-1948 = Flag of Bulgaria (1948–1967).svg flag alias-1968 = Flag of Bulgaria (1967-1971).svg flag alias-1971 = Flag of Bulgaria (1971–1990).svg flag alias-naval-1879 = Naval Ensign of Bulgaria (1878-1944).svg flag alias-naval-1949 = Naval Ensign of Bulgaria (1949-1955).svg flag alias-naval-1955 = Naval Ensign of Bulgaria (1955-1990).svg flag alias-naval-1991 = Naval Ensign of Bulgaria 1991-2005.svg flag alias-naval = Naval Ensign of Bulgaria.svg link alias-naval = Bulgarian Navy flag alias-army = War flag of Bulgaria.svg link alias-army = Bulgarian Land Forces link alias-air force = Bulgarian Air Force flag alias-navy = Naval Ensign of Bulgaria.svg link alias-navy = Bulgarian Navy size = name = altlink = national football team variant = 1971

}} ||align="center"| 3–0 ||align="center"| 3–0 || UEFA Euro 1980 qualifying

4 19 November 1980 Lansdowne Road, Dublin, Ireland {{ Template:Yesno alias = Cyprus flag alias = Flag of Cyprus.svg flag alias-1878 = Flag of the United Kingdom.svg flag alias-1881 = Flag of Cyprus (1881–1922).svg flag alias-colonial = Blue Ensign of Cyprus (1922).svg flag alias-April 1960 = Flag of Cyprus (1960).svg flag alias-1960 = Flag of Cyprus (1960–2006).svg link alias-army = Cypriot Ground Forces size = name = variant = altlink = national football team

}} ||align="center"| 5–0 ||align="center"| 6–0 || 1982 FIFA World Cup qualification

5 29 April 1981 Lansdowne Road, Dublin, Ireland {{safesubst: Template:Yesno alias = Czechoslovakia flag alias = Flag of the Czech Republic.svg flag alias-1918 = Flag of Bohemia.svg flag alias-naval = Naval_Ensign_of_Czechoslovakia_1935-1939_1945-1955.svg link alias-naval = Czechoslovakian Naval Forces link alias-army = Czechoslovak Army flag alias-navy = Naval_Ensign_of_Czechoslovakia_1935-1939_1945-1955.svg link alias-navy = Czechoslovakian Naval Forces size = name = variant = altlink = national football team altvar = football

}} ||align="center"| 3–1 ||align="center"| 3–1 || Friendly

6 9 September 1981 De Kuip, Rotterdam, Netherlands {{ Template:Yesno alias = Netherlands flag alias = Flag of the Netherlands.svg flag alias-prinsengeus = Naval Jack of the Netherlands.svg flag alias-army =Flag of the Royal Netherlands Army.svg flag alias-air force=Flag of the Royal Netherlands Air Force.svg link alias-air force= Royal Netherlands Air Force link alias-army= Royal Netherlands Army flag alias-naval = Flag of the Netherlands.svg link alias-naval = Royal Netherlands Navy flag alias-navy = Naval Jack of the Netherlands.svg link alias-navy=Royal Netherlands Navy flag alias-marines = Naval Jack of the Netherlands.svg link alias-marines = Netherlands Marine Corps size = name = altlink = national football team variant =

}} ||align="center"| 2–2 ||align="center"| 2–2 || 1982 FIFA World Cup qualification

7 14 October 1981 Lansdowne Road, Dublin, Ireland {{ Template:Yesno alias = France flag alias = Flag of France.svg flag alias-1790 = Flag of France (1790–1794).svg flag alias-1794 = Flag of France (1794–1815, 1830–1958).svg flag alias-1814 = Flag of the Kingdom of France (1814-1830).svg flag alias-1830 = Flag of France (1794–1815, 1830–1958).svg flag alias-1848 = Drapeau france 1848.svg flag alias-1848a = Drapeau france 1848.svg flag alias-1848b = Flag of France (1794–1815, 1830–1958).svg flag alias-1974 = Flag of France (lighter variant).svg flag alias-naval = Civil and Naval Ensign of France.svg flag alias-naval-1790 = Flag of French-Navy-Revolution.svg flag alias-air force = Flag of France.svg link alias-air force = French Air and Space Force flag alias-coast guard = French Maritime Gendarmerie racing stripe.svg border-coast guard = link alias-coast guard = French Maritime Gendarmerie flag alias-army = Flag of France.svg link alias-army = French Army link alias-naval = French Navy flag alias-navy = Civil and Naval Ensign of France.svg link alias-navy = French Navy size = name = altlink = national football team variant =

}} ||align="center"| 2–1 ||align="center"| 3–2 || 1982 FIFA World Cup qualification

8 13 October 1982 Lansdowne Road, Dublin, Ireland {{ Template:Yesno alias = Iceland flag alias = Flag of Iceland.svg flag alias-old = Hvítbláinn.svg flag alias-coast guard = Flag of Iceland (state).svg flag alias-naval = Flag of Iceland (state).svg border-naval = flag alias-1918 = Flag of Iceland (1918-1944).svg flag alias-state = Flag of Iceland (state).svg border-state = flag alias-navy = Flag of Iceland (state).svg link alias-naval = Icelandic Coast Guard border-navy = link alias-navy = Icelandic Coast Guard border-coast guard = link alias-coast guard = Icelandic Coast Guard size = name = altlink = national football team variant =

}} ||align="center"| 1–0 ||align="center"| 2–0 || UEFA Euro 1984 qualifying

9 17 November 1982 Lansdowne Road, Dublin, Ireland {{ Template:Yesno alias = Spain flag alias = Flag of Spain.svg flag alias-1506 = Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg flag alias-1701 = Bandera de España 1701-1748.svg flag alias-1748 = Bandera de España 1748-1785.svg flag alias-1760 = Bandera de España 1760-1785.svg flag alias-1785 = Flag of Spain (1785–1873, 1875–1931).svg flag alias-1873 = Flag of the First Spanish Republic.svg flag alias-1874 = Flag of Spain (1785–1873, 1875–1931).svg flag alias-1931 = Flag of Spain (1931–1939).svg flag alias-civil-1931 = Flag of the Second Spanish Republic (plain).svg flag alias-1936 = Flag of the Bando Nacional (1936–1938).svg flag alias-1938 = Flag of Spain (1938–1945).svg flag alias-1945 = Flag of Spain (1945–1977).svg flag alias-1977 = Flag of Spain (1977–1981).svg flag alias-civil = Flag of Spain (civil).svg flag alias-civil-1785 = BandMercante1785.svg flag alias-navy = Flag of Spain.svg link alias-navy = Spanish Navy flag alias-marines = Flag of Spain.svg link alias-marines = Spanish Marine Infantry flag alias-army = Flag of Spain.svg link alias-army = Spanish Army flag alias-naval = Naval Jack of Spain.svg link alias-naval = Spanish Navy flag alias-air force = Flag of Spain.svg link alias-air force = Spanish Air and Space Force size = name = altlink = national football team variant = 1981

}} ||align="center"| 2–3 ||rowspan="2" style="text-align:center"| 3–3 ||rowspan="2"| UEFA Euro 1984 qualifying

10 3–3
11 30 March 1983 National Stadium, Ta' Qali, Malta {{ Template:Yesno alias = Malta flag alias = Flag of Malta.svg flag alias-1875 = Flag of Malta (1875–1898).svg flag alias-1898 = Flag of Malta (1898–1923).svg flag alias-1923 = Flag of Malta (1923–1943).svg flag alias-1943 = Flag of Malta (1943–1964).svg flag alias-unofficial-1943 = Flag of Malta (1943).svg flag alias-colonial = Flag of Malta (1943-1964).svg flag alias-civil = Civil Ensign of Malta.svg link alias-naval = Maritime Squadron of the Armed Forces of Malta link alias-navy = Maritime Squadron of the Armed Forces of Malta flag alias-navy =Naval Jack of Malta.svg flag alias-1814 = 19th Century Flag of Malta.svg size = name = altlink = national football team variant =

}} ||align="center"| 1–0 ||align="center"| 1–0 || UEFA Euro 1984 qualifying

12 16 November 1983 Dalymount Park, Dublin, Ireland {{ Template:Yesno alias = Malta flag alias = Flag of Malta.svg flag alias-1875 = Flag of Malta (1875–1898).svg flag alias-1898 = Flag of Malta (1898–1923).svg flag alias-1923 = Flag of Malta (1923–1943).svg flag alias-1943 = Flag of Malta (1943–1964).svg flag alias-unofficial-1943 = Flag of Malta (1943).svg flag alias-colonial = Flag of Malta (1943-1964).svg flag alias-civil = Civil Ensign of Malta.svg link alias-naval = Maritime Squadron of the Armed Forces of Malta link alias-navy = Maritime Squadron of the Armed Forces of Malta flag alias-navy =Naval Jack of Malta.svg flag alias-1814 = 19th Century Flag of Malta.svg size = name = altlink = national football team variant =

}} ||align="center"| 2–0 ||align="center"| 8–0 || UEFA Euro 1984 qualifying

13 2 June 1985 Lansdowne Road, Dublin, Ireland {{ Template:Yesno alias = Switzerland flag alias = Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg flag alias-civil = Civil Ensign of Switzerland (Pantone).svg link alias-army = Swiss Army link alias-air force = Swiss Air Force size = size flag alias = 23x16px sizebig flag alias = 25px name = altlink = national football team variant =

}} ||align="center"| 1–0 ||align="center"| 3–0 || 1986 FIFA World Cup qualification

14 13 November 1985 Lansdowne Road, Dublin, Ireland {{ Template:Yesno alias = Denmark flag alias = Flag of Denmark.svg flag alias-state = Flag of Denmark (state).svg border-state = flag alias-naval = Naval Ensign of Denmark.svg link alias-naval = Royal Danish Navy link alias-army = Royal Danish Army flag alias-army = Flag of Denmark (state).svg link alias-air force = Royal Danish Air Force flag alias-air force = Flag of Denmark (state).svg flag alias-navy = Naval Ensign of Denmark.svg link alias-navy = Royal Danish Navy border-army = border-air force = border-naval = border-navy = size = name = altlink = national football team variant =

}} ||align="center"| 1–0 ||align="center"| 1–4 || 1986 FIFA World Cup qualification

15 27 May 1986 Laugardalsvöllur, Reykjavík, Iceland {{safesubst: Template:Yesno alias = Czechoslovakia flag alias = Flag of the Czech Republic.svg flag alias-1918 = Flag of Bohemia.svg flag alias-naval = Naval_Ensign_of_Czechoslovakia_1935-1939_1945-1955.svg link alias-naval = Czechoslovakian Naval Forces link alias-army = Czechoslovak Army flag alias-navy = Naval_Ensign_of_Czechoslovakia_1935-1939_1945-1955.svg link alias-navy = Czechoslovakian Naval Forces size = name = variant = altlink = national football team altvar = football

}} ||align="center"| 1–0 ||align="center"| 1–0 || Iceland Triangular Tournament

16 10 September 1986 Constant Vanden Stock Stadium, Brussels, Belgium {{ Template:Yesno alias = Belgium flag alias = Flag of Belgium (civil).svg flag alias-government = Government Ensign of Belgium.svg flag alias-state = Flag of Belgium.svg flag alias-1830 = Flag of Belgium (1830).svg flag alias-1858 = Royal ensign of Belgium (1858).svg flag alias-army = Flag of the Belgian Land Component.svg link alias-army = Belgian Land Component flag alias-naval = Naval Ensign of Belgium.svg link alias-naval = Belgian Navy flag alias-air force = Air Force Ensign of Belgium.svg link alias-air force = Belgian Air Component flag alias-navy = Naval Ensign of Belgium.svg link alias-navy = Belgian Navy size = name = altlink = national football team variant =

}} ||align="center"| 1–1 ||align="center"| 2–2 || UEFA Euro 1988 qualifying

17 1 April 1987 Vasil Levski National Stadium, Sofia, Bulgaria {{ Template:Yesno alias = Bulgaria flag alias = Flag of Bulgaria.svg flag alias-digital = Flag of Bulgaria (digital).svg flag alias-1878 = Flag of Bulgaria.svg flag alias-1947 = Flag of Bulgaria (1946–1948).svg flag alias-1948 = Flag of Bulgaria (1948–1967).svg flag alias-1968 = Flag of Bulgaria (1967-1971).svg flag alias-1971 = Flag of Bulgaria (1971–1990).svg flag alias-naval-1879 = Naval Ensign of Bulgaria (1878-1944).svg flag alias-naval-1949 = Naval Ensign of Bulgaria (1949-1955).svg flag alias-naval-1955 = Naval Ensign of Bulgaria (1955-1990).svg flag alias-naval-1991 = Naval Ensign of Bulgaria 1991-2005.svg flag alias-naval = Naval Ensign of Bulgaria.svg link alias-naval = Bulgarian Navy flag alias-army = War flag of Bulgaria.svg link alias-army = Bulgarian Land Forces link alias-air force = Bulgarian Air Force flag alias-navy = Naval Ensign of Bulgaria.svg link alias-navy = Bulgarian Navy size = name = altlink = national football team variant = 1971

}} ||align="center"| 1–1 ||align="center"| 1–2 || UEFA Euro 1988 qualifying

18 9 September 1987 Lansdowne Road, Dublin, Ireland {{ Template:Yesno alias = Luxembourg flag alias = Flag of Luxembourg.svg flag alias-civil = Civil Ensign of Luxembourg.svg size = name = altlink = national football team variant =

}} ||align="center"| 1–1 ||align="center"| 2–1 || UEFA Euro 1988 qualifying

19 6 September 1989 Lansdowne Road, Dublin, Ireland {{ Template:Yesno alias = West Germany flag alias = Flag of Germany.svg flag alias-state = Flag of Germany (state).svg flag alias-naval = Naval ensign of Germany.svg link alias-naval = German Navy flag alias-air force =Flag of Germany (state).svg link alias-air force = German Air Force flag alias-army = Colour of Germany.svg link alias-army = German Army flag alias-navy = Naval ensign of Germany.svg link alias-navy = German Navy border-naval = border-navy = link alias-football = Germany national football team link alias-field hockey = Germany national field hockey team link alias-tennis = Germany {{{mw}}} Cup team link alias-basketball = Germany national basketball team link alias-rugby union = Germany national rugby union team size = name = altlink = national football team altvar = football variant =

}} ||align="center"| 1–0 ||align="center"| 1–1 || Friendly

20 2 June 1990 National Stadium, Ta' Qali, Malta {{ Template:Yesno alias = Malta flag alias = Flag of Malta.svg flag alias-1875 = Flag of Malta (1875–1898).svg flag alias-1898 = Flag of Malta (1898–1923).svg flag alias-1923 = Flag of Malta (1923–1943).svg flag alias-1943 = Flag of Malta (1943–1964).svg flag alias-unofficial-1943 = Flag of Malta (1943).svg flag alias-colonial = Flag of Malta (1943-1964).svg flag alias-civil = Civil Ensign of Malta.svg link alias-naval = Maritime Squadron of the Armed Forces of Malta link alias-navy = Maritime Squadron of the Armed Forces of Malta flag alias-navy =Naval Jack of Malta.svg flag alias-1814 = 19th Century Flag of Malta.svg size = name = altlink = national football team variant =

}} ||align="center"| 3–0 ||align="center"| 3–0 ||Friendly

Honours

Arsenal

Manchester United

Individual

References

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External links

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