Tributes paid to Rawmarsh St Joseph's JFC founder Frank Whitehouse
A MAN who helped build a junior football club up from humble beginnings to one of the most buoyant in Rotherham has died, aged 89.
Frank Whitehouse founded Rawmarsh St Joseph’s JFC in 1970 with Father Brady, a local Catholic priest, and was a mainstay as it blossomed into something that has helped countless kids and brought through several future professionals.
"Frank formed the club with Fr Brady when there weren’t many football junior clubs around,” said Bob Cooper, the club’s recently retired secretary.
"From acquiring land from the church to putting up the first clubhouse, Frank drove the club forward and put it in a fantastic place.
"It started off with one team and it slowly increased to the stage we’re at now with around 23 sides, including three girls’ teams. That’s a marvellous accolade to Frank.
"He was a true legend who gave so many children the opportunity to play football for Rawmarsh St Joseph’s JFC.”
RSJ’s growth meant more money was needed to finance them.
Such was the devotion of people connected to the club Frank helped create that they put money in to help, including some who re-mortgaged their homes.
St Joseph’s initially played on local grounds but moved to Stubbin, its current base, in the late 1980s because the club was running out of pitches.
Being a Catholic, Frank was a supporter of Glasgow Celtic and it was no surprise that St Joseph’s played in his favourite team’s famous green and white hoops. They still do to this day.
He saw the likes of Stewart Evans, Ryan Cresswell and Ben Wiles all play in the green and white and then go to represent Rotherham United.
Current Millers boss Matt Hamshaw was another who cut his footballing teeth with Rawmarsh St Joseph’s.
Even though Frank more recently left Rotherham to be near his two sons, his influence lives on.
Added Bob: "The legacy Frank is leaving behind is the amount of kids who have passed through and still continue to do so in increasing numbers.
“People want to play for Rawmarsh St Joseph’s and that was all initiated by two people.
"When you think that Frank was with the club for 50 years, he really was a legend. He was Mr St Joseph’s.”
There were also a string of tributes on social media.
Joseph Green said: “I played in Frank’s team and his guidance was priceless. He was a man of true integrity.”
Matt Szczepkowski remembered: “Frank phoned me a few years ago when I was having some football troubles. He still showed he cared after all these years.”
Ricky Wilson said: “I still remember Frank telling me I’d made the cut for the U10s back in what would have been 1988-89. Such fond memories of playing for him.”
Gary Lynam called him “an absolute legend for the club but more importantly an amazing bloke".
Frank is survived by his two sons, Philip and Andrew, and his wife Brenda.