This article that I wrote about Frank Wrightson previously appeared in the Blue and White Fanzine

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Stuart Rimmer and Gary Talbot may be remembered as Chester’s greatest Football League goalscorers with 127 and 83 goals respectively but, prior to this, the record was held by Frank Wrightson who scored an impressive 73 goals in only 89 league appearances during the 1930s. 

Born in the County Durham town of Shildon in January 1906 Frank, better known as Paddy, joined Chester from Exeter City in June 1936 for a fee of £350 with another £50 payable after 25 appearances. 

Originally employed as a blacksmith Paddy represented Ferryhill Athletic in the Northern League before joining Darlington and making his Football League debut in March 1929 against Stockport County. Sixteen goals in 36 games attracted the attention of Division 1 Manchester City who paid around £2,000 for his services in March 1930. However, he never established himself at Maine Road and after 22 games moved on to Fulham in March 1932. It was the same story at Craven Cottage where he was a peripheral figure and in 12 months only played 18 league games prior to joining Exeter City for a record fee.

From a Chester perspective it is worth noting that Paddy was a member of the Fulham team that lost 5-0 at Sealand Road in an FA Cup 3^rd Round tie in January 1933. At the time the Cottagers were competing in Division Two and it arguably remains one of the club’s greatest victories in the competition. 

A move to Exeter City proved more productive and Paddy found his goalscoring boots with 25 goals in 71 appearances. He was also a member of the Grecians team that won the Division Three South cup against Torquay in 1934. He later had the distinction of featuring in the Chester team that won the Northern equivalent in both 1936 and 1937 scoring an 89^thminute winner in the first of these finals, a 2-1 victory at former club Darlington.

After failing to agree terms with Exeter Paddy joined Chester with his contract specifying a payment of £4 a week in the close season and £6 a week during the playing season. He wasn’t the biggest signing of the summer as Charlie Hewitt also bought in Welsh international Ronnie Williams from Newcastle United for a record fee of £750. Both players featured in the initial game of the campaign with Williams scoring a hat trick in six minutes in an opening day 5-1 mauling of Southport at Sealand Road. While Williams remained in prolific form Paddy struggled to find the back of the net and was dropped at the end of October. 

Relegation to the reserves rejuvenated Paddy who started to score regularly for the Cheshire County League team and when Williams in turn lost his form the north-eastener returned to the first team in the number nine shirt against York. It proved to be a game to remember as Paddy scored four times in a record 12-0 victory. He proved it was no fluke by scoring hat-tricks in the next two games against Barrow and New Brighton. It marked an incredible run of 18 goals in 8 league games during February and March 1936 and factoring in the Welsh Cup and Division Three North Cup Paddy scored 26 goals in 13 games. 

This form continued in to the following season with Paddy comfortably finishing as leading scorer with 32 goals from 38 games as Chester finished 3^rd in Division Three North. The 1937/38 saw Paddy score 13 goals in the first 16 games but after dislocating his shoulder against Oldham and missing a month he picked up a further injury at Rotherham and only managed four more games in the second half of the season. His bad luck with injury continued into the following campaign where he made only one appearance in August and was given a free transfer in summer 1939. 

With war breaking out in September Paddy’s football career appears to have ended and he passed away in 1979.