Per Frandsen
Encyclopedia
Per Frandsen is a Danish
former professional football player, who won the 1995 Danish Cup
with F.C. Copenhagen
, and played 265 league games as a midfielder
for Bolton Wanderers in England
. Frandsen played 23 matches for the Denmark national football team
between 1990 and 2003, and he represented his country at the 1992 Summer Olympics
and 1998 FIFA World Cup
tournaments.
, Frandsen started playing football with local clubs BK Skjold
and B 93. He made his senior debut with top-flight club B 1903, debuted for the Danish under-21 national team
in April 1989. He was the third best goalscorer of the 1990 Danish 1st Division
, and made his national team debut in May 1990. He played three national team games under national manager Richard Møller Nielsen
, until his national team career went on a hiatus in September 1991. In November 1990, he was sold to French
club Lille OSC
, in a Lille club record transfer deal.
Frandsen joined fellow Danish international Jakob Friis-Hansen
at Lille, and played four years at the club. While at Lille, he represented Denmark at the 1992 Summer Olympics
, where he played full time in Denmark's three games before elimination. When Lille faced economical difficulties in the summer 1994, Frandsen returned home to Denmark to play for F.C. Copenhagen
(FCK). Frandsen stated his intention to only play in Denmark temporarily, and having won the 1995 Danish Cup
with FCK, he moved abroad once again in August 1996. He was sold to English
club Bolton Wanderers for £1.25million. Playing in the second tier of English football
, he made his debut for the club in a 1–1 draw at Port Vale
before scoring his first goal for Bolton in the following game against Manchester City.
He soon earned a reputation as one of the best players in English football, playing outside the top-flight FA Premier League
championship, and it was assumed that it would only be a matter of time before one of the bigger clubs came in for him. Instead, he helped Bolton win promotion
back to the Premier League in the 1996–97 season
. Frandsen's national team career was revived in November 1996, when he was recalled by new national manager Bo Johansson, after more than five years of absence from the Danish national team. He was one of the few bright spots of Bolton's second Premier League campaign, which ended in swift relegation back into the Nationwide League
. He was included in the Danish squad for the 1998 FIFA World Cup
, where he was used as a substitute in two games.
In September 1999, Frandsen joined Bolton's league rivals Blackburn Rovers for £1.75million. The decision was against the wishes of Bolton manager Colin Todd
, who subsequently resigned. Frandsen's stay at Ewood Park
for Blackburn was far from happy. He failed to settle at the club, and at the end of the season he returned to Bolton for £1.6m. In his final year at Bolton, the club reached the 2004 League Cup final, though they were beaten 1–2 by Middlesbrough
. He played 304 first team games for the club in all competitions, scoring 38 goals in the process. Frandsen left Bolton Wanderers to join Wigan Athletic on a free transfer in June 2004, helping them get promoted to the Premiership, scoring once in the process against Brighton. After playing well in his first time at the club, he received a severe cruciate ligament
injury and he decided to retire in January 2005.
After his retirement Frandsen worked as a football agent in Denmark
, until he was named new assistant manager at HB Køge
in June 2009.
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
former professional football player, who won the 1995 Danish Cup
Danish Cup
The Danish Cup is the official "knockout" cup competition in Danish football, run by the Danish Football Association. The cup has been contested annually since 1955...
with F.C. Copenhagen
F.C. Copenhagen
F.C. Copenhagen is a professional Danish football club in Copenhagen, Denmark. It is part of the Parken Sport & Entertainment....
, and played 265 league games as a midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
for Bolton Wanderers in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Frandsen played 23 matches for the Denmark national football team
Denmark national football team
The Denmark national football team represents Denmark in association football and is controlled by the Danish Football Association , the governing body for the football clubs which are organized under DBU...
between 1990 and 2003, and he represented his country at the 1992 Summer Olympics
1992 Summer Olympics
The 1992 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event celebrated in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, in 1992. The International Olympic Committee voted in 1986 to separate the Summer and Winter Games, which had been held in the same...
and 1998 FIFA World Cup
1998 FIFA World Cup
The 1998 FIFA World Cup, the 16th FIFA World Cup, was held in France from 10 June to 12 July 1998. France was chosen as host nation by FIFA on 2 July 1992. The tournament was won by France, who beat Brazil 3-0 in the final...
tournaments.
Biography
Born in CopenhagenCopenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, Frandsen started playing football with local clubs BK Skjold
BK Skjold
Boldklubben Skjold af 1915 is a Danish football club from Østerbro, Copenhagen founded in 1915. They currently play in the Danish 2nd Division West. The club has over 1,400 members making it one of Denmark's greatest populated football clubs...
and B 93. He made his senior debut with top-flight club B 1903, debuted for the Danish under-21 national team
Denmark national under-21 football team
The Denmark national under-21 football team has played since 1976 and is controlled by the Danish Football Association. Before 1976, the age limit was 23 years.-U-21 European Championship:*1978 – Quarterfinals*1980 to 1984 – Did not qualify...
in April 1989. He was the third best goalscorer of the 1990 Danish 1st Division
Danish 1st Division 1990
The 1990 Danish 1st Division season was the 45th season of the Danish 1st Division, and the last in which it was the country's top flight. At the end of the season the new Danish Superliga was formed as the country's new top division....
, and made his national team debut in May 1990. He played three national team games under national manager Richard Møller Nielsen
Richard Møller Nielsen
Richard Møller Nielsen , nicknamed Ricardo, is a Danish former football player and football manager. His greatest triumph came when he coached the Danish national football team which surprisingly won the 1992 European Championship tournament. In 1995, he was knighted as Knight 1st Degree of the...
, until his national team career went on a hiatus in September 1991. In November 1990, he was sold to French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
club Lille OSC
Lille OSC
LOSC Lille Métropole is a French association football club based in Lille. The club was founded in 1944 as a result of a merger and currently play in Ligue 1, the first division of French football. Lille plays its home matches at the Stade Lille-Metropole in nearby Villeneuve-d'Ascq. In 2012, the...
, in a Lille club record transfer deal.
Frandsen joined fellow Danish international Jakob Friis-Hansen
Jakob Friis-Hansen
Jakob Friis-Hansen is a Danish former international football player.He is an old friend of former England forward Teddy Sheringham.He was formerly a scout for Liverpool FC....
at Lille, and played four years at the club. While at Lille, he represented Denmark at the 1992 Summer Olympics
1992 Summer Olympics
The 1992 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event celebrated in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, in 1992. The International Olympic Committee voted in 1986 to separate the Summer and Winter Games, which had been held in the same...
, where he played full time in Denmark's three games before elimination. When Lille faced economical difficulties in the summer 1994, Frandsen returned home to Denmark to play for F.C. Copenhagen
F.C. Copenhagen
F.C. Copenhagen is a professional Danish football club in Copenhagen, Denmark. It is part of the Parken Sport & Entertainment....
(FCK). Frandsen stated his intention to only play in Denmark temporarily, and having won the 1995 Danish Cup
Danish Cup
The Danish Cup is the official "knockout" cup competition in Danish football, run by the Danish Football Association. The cup has been contested annually since 1955...
with FCK, he moved abroad once again in August 1996. He was sold to English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
club Bolton Wanderers for £1.25million. Playing in the second tier of English football
Football in England
Association football is a national sport in England, where the first modern set of rules for the code were established in 1863, which were a major influence on the development of the modern Laws of the Game...
, he made his debut for the club in a 1–1 draw at Port Vale
Port Vale F.C.
Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...
before scoring his first goal for Bolton in the following game against Manchester City.
He soon earned a reputation as one of the best players in English football, playing outside the top-flight FA Premier League
FA Premier League
The Premier League is an English professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the English football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with The Football League. The Premier...
championship, and it was assumed that it would only be a matter of time before one of the bigger clubs came in for him. Instead, he helped Bolton win promotion
Promotion and relegation
In many sports leagues around the world, promotion and relegation is a process that takes place at the end of each season. Through it, teams are transferred between divisions based on their performance that season...
back to the Premier League in the 1996–97 season
1996-97 in English football
The 1996–1997 season was the 117th season of competitive football in England.Arrival into the league and exit out of the league returns in the fourth tier for the first time after its 3 season absence with only 1 relegation spot.- Premier League :...
. Frandsen's national team career was revived in November 1996, when he was recalled by new national manager Bo Johansson, after more than five years of absence from the Danish national team. He was one of the few bright spots of Bolton's second Premier League campaign, which ended in swift relegation back into the Nationwide League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
. He was included in the Danish squad for the 1998 FIFA World Cup
1998 FIFA World Cup
The 1998 FIFA World Cup, the 16th FIFA World Cup, was held in France from 10 June to 12 July 1998. France was chosen as host nation by FIFA on 2 July 1992. The tournament was won by France, who beat Brazil 3-0 in the final...
, where he was used as a substitute in two games.
In September 1999, Frandsen joined Bolton's league rivals Blackburn Rovers for £1.75million. The decision was against the wishes of Bolton manager Colin Todd
Colin Todd
Colin Todd is an English football manager and former player. As a player, he made more than 600 appearances in the Football League, playing for Sunderland, Derby County, Everton, Birmingham City, Nottingham Forest, Oxford United and Luton Town, and also played in the North American Soccer League...
, who subsequently resigned. Frandsen's stay at Ewood Park
Ewood Park
Ewood Park is a football stadium in the English town of Blackburn, Lancashire, and is the home of Blackburn Rovers Football Club — one of the founder members of the Football League and Premier League. Rovers have played there since they moved from Leamington Street in the summer of 1890. The...
for Blackburn was far from happy. He failed to settle at the club, and at the end of the season he returned to Bolton for £1.6m. In his final year at Bolton, the club reached the 2004 League Cup final, though they were beaten 1–2 by Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
. He played 304 first team games for the club in all competitions, scoring 38 goals in the process. Frandsen left Bolton Wanderers to join Wigan Athletic on a free transfer in June 2004, helping them get promoted to the Premiership, scoring once in the process against Brighton. After playing well in his first time at the club, he received a severe cruciate ligament
Cruciate ligament
Cruciate ligaments are pairs of ligaments arranged like a letter X. They occur in several joints of the body, such as the knee...
injury and he decided to retire in January 2005.
After his retirement Frandsen worked as a football agent in Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, until he was named new assistant manager at HB Køge
HB Køge
HB Køge is a professional Danish football club based primal in the town of Herfølge, and secondly in the town of Køge, both in the Køge Municipality, part of 'Region of Zealand', in the eastern part of Zealand, south of Copenhagen...
in June 2009.