Heaney: Frank

1911-1912 (Leeds City Player Details)

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Born: Dublin, Ireland: 23-11-1886

Debut: v Wolverhampton Wanderers (a): 16-12-1911

6’0” 13st 0lb (1911)

Frank Heaney started as an Amateur with St James' Gate in Dublin and he playing at full-back for them, along-side his brother John who was almost two years younger. In May of 1911, he joined Leeds City along with his brother John, who was born on 30th April 1885, but never played a game in the first team at Leeds. After Leeds had been soundly beaten, 1-5 by Burnley at Elland Road on 9th December 1911. He was given his debut in a 5-0 drubbing at Molineux by Wolverhampton Wanderers which resulted in him being immediately dropped. Heaney was described as "hesitant, and altogether too slow to cope with the sprightly Wolverhampton forwards and gave home side the chance to get their third goal after he had brought down Harry Parsonage". After that he played one further game on 30th March 1912 in a 0-1 home defeat by Derby County. With the advent of of Herbert Chapman, he and his brother returned to Ireland but never played professionally again. They rejoined St James's Gate before joining Shelbourne and finishing back at St James's Gate. Throughout this period St James's Gate were one of the leading intermediate sides affiliated to the Irish FA and then the leading side in the first season under the FA of the Irish Free State. Frank Heaney also captained them to the League and Cup "Double" in 1922. He had also made the Irish Amateur team on 8th November 1913 in a 0-2 defeat by England, before Internationals were not played due to World War One. It was in that conflict that Heaney served in the Irish Guards. Heaney returned to the international stage after the War had ended. He played again against England on 13th November 1920. He was included in the squad for the first "foreign" trip to France in 1921. He picked up his third cap on 8th February 1921 in a 2-1 win over the host country. In 1924 he was selected for the Free State's squad for the Olympics, but he was not among the party that travelled to Paris. He accumulated many honours with St James's Gate as they were always one of the strongest teams in Dublin or the Irish Free State. His impressive list started in 1919-20, with the Irish Intermediate Cup, Leinster Senior League, Leinster Senior Cup, LFA Metropolitan Cup, followed by Irish Free State League Champions, the Free State Cup-Winners and a second Leinster Senior Cup. He died of stomach cancer on 24th August 1937. His brother John ran the Taravie Hotel in County Wicklow, Ireland, until his death in 1944.