Frank Latimer

Frank Jackson Latimer (3 October 1923 – November 1994) was an English professional football utility player who made over 170 appearances in the Football League for Brentford.

Brentford

A defender, Latimer was signed by Division One side Brentford in November 1945 from non-league club Snowdown Colliery Welfare. He played in the reserve team during the 1945–46 and 1946–47 seasons, making his professional debut at the end of the latter campaign in a 1–0 defeat to Arsenal at Griffin Park on 26 May 1947, which sealed relegation to Division Two. Latimer began the 1947–48 season as a first choice at the back, but was dropped in December 1947 and failed to appear again until September 1949, when he regained his place in the team. Latimer found himself dropped again in January 1951, not appearing in the first team for a year and only managing five appearances in the second half of the 1951–52 season.

Latimer made 33 appearances during the 1952–53 season and was pressed into service as an inside left during the latter part of the campaign, scoring his only goals for the club within the space of a week in March 1953, bagging two in a 3–2 win over Leicester City and a consolation in a 4–1 defeat to West Ham United. Latimer made a career-high 39 appearances during the 1953–54 season, playing left back in a disastrous campaign which ended with relegation to the Division Three South. Latimer played on until the end of the 1955–56 season, playing the final 10 games of the season as a centre half, his final appearance for the club coming in a 2–2 draw with Walsall on 31 March 1956. He made 186 appearances and scored three goals during his decade as a first team player with the Bees.

Non-league football

Latimer dropped into non-league football and joined Southern League side Gravesend & Northfleet. He later returned to Kent League Division One side Snowdown Colliery Welfare.

Latimer worked as a miner before becoming a professional footballer and came to the attention of Brentford manager Harry Curtis when he moved from the Durham coalfield to the Snowdown Colliery in Kent. Latimer returned to his trade after his retirement from football.