Fraser Franks became a new addition to our ranks during the 2015 close season; the latest man to join Teddy Sheringham‘s first set of recruits. It came after his contract at League Two rivals Luton Town came to an end one year early through mutual consent. The centre half made just 13 appearances in a Hatters shirt in 2014-5; the player put on the transfer list after the season ended. Sources suggest he and boss John Still weren’t quite on the same page, giving him a chance to make it elsewhere.
With a fair amount of League Two experience and success at the highest level of non-league football, Franks appeared to be a smart move by Boro’. He was available at no initial cost and brought the know-how to add yet more steel to Sheringham’s squad at the Lamex.
Fraser Franks: Before Boro’
Stevenage swooped to give him that chance; Sheringham trying to overhaul our style of play. And with Franks’ record of success, it was a shrewd acquisition. He’d won the Conference with Luton; just one accolade picked up during his career before 2015. This included time at Welling United; Franks winning promotion to the Conference Premier during his time at the Wings. And, perhaps for the first time, the defender had settled at a club where his efforts were rewarded both on solo and team levels.
Franks had started his playing career at Chelsea, before moving to Brentford and turning professional at Griffin Park. A loan spell at Basingstoke Town proved a success too, with a permanent switch to AFC Wimbledon following in 2010. He made a positive start at the Dons before injury struck. Efforts to relaunch his Dons career included loan spells at Hayes & Yeading United and Newport County. Injuries and fitness kept being an issue, however. With just four outings to his name at the Dons in League Two, he left; free to join Welling and rebuild there.
