Frank Sinclair

Frank Mohammed Sinclair (born 3 December 1971 in Lambeth, London) is an England-born Jamaican Association football, who currently plays for Football League Two side Lincoln City F.C..

Club career

Chelsea

Sinclair started his club career with Chelsea F.C., joining as an apprentice in April 1988 and turning professional in May 1990. He had a short loan spell at West Bromwich Albion F.C. in the middle of the 1991-92 in English football. He impressed on his Albion debut, which came in a 1–1 draw away at Bradford City A.F.C. on 14 December, 1991, but was sent off in his second match for the club two weeks later in another 1–1, this time at Exeter City F.C.. This was caused initially by two own goals in consecutive weekends in 1999. The first was a great leap at Arsenal Stadium to give Arsenal F.C. a 2-1 win. He managed to refrain from putting through his own net against Coventry City F.C. the following Wednesday, but then scored another at home to former club Chelsea, where he beat Tore André Flo to the ball to smash it into his own net and lose Leicester their one goal lead. The importance of these goals was accentuated by the fact that both came in the last minute of the match, and both caused Leicester to drop points.

Sinclair was fined two weeks wages by Leicester in September 2001 for his part in an incident at a London Heathrow Airport hotel. Sinclair, along with four Chelsea players, had gone on a five-hour Binge drinking and had stripped off, swore and vomited in front of American tourists.

In 2002, Sinclair scored the most bizarre of his own goals. After 3 minutes into a game at Middlesbrough, he slotted the ball past keeper Ian Walker in a seemingly laid-back situation. This resulted in a 1-0 defeat for Leicester. This own goal against Middlesbrough was not to be his last for the club. In March 2004, Sinclair and his Leicester City F.C. teammates, Paul Dickov and Keith Gillespie were arrested in Spain over sexual assault charges, while on a training holiday. The charges were later dropped. Leicester released Sinclair at the end of the 2003-04 in English football season.

Burnley

In June 2004, Sinclair signed for Burnley F.C. on a free transfer. He became an astute Bosman ruling transfer signing for the Clarets, and made numerous appearances across the defence, impressing throughout both the 2004-05 in English football and 2005-06 in English football campaigns. This culminated in his appointment as club captain, a role he seemed to relish but of which he was relieved for the 2006-07 in English football in favour of Wayne Thomas. He scored his first Burnley goal in a 2-1 home win against Rotherham United F.C. on 12 March, 2005.

Huddersfield Town

On February 8, 2007, he moved to Huddersfield Town on an emergency loan deal. On March 24, he was sent off against Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. in a match which finished 0-0. Upon his return to Burnley, he was released on a free transfer. Sinclair signed a one year contract at Huddersfield Town on 14 May. He cited manager Andy Ritchie (English footballer) as a reason for staying on: "he's been successful in League One before", he told HTAFC.com. On October 6, 2007, he received his second red card of his short career at the Galpharm Stadium, in Town's 4-0 drubbing at the hands of Walsall F.C. at the Bescot Stadium. He received his third during Town's 4-1 defeat by Southend United F.C. at Roots Hall on December 5, 2007. Huddersfield released Sinclair at the end of his contract in May 2008.

Lincoln City

Sinclair signed a one year contract for Football League Two side Lincoln City F.C. on 1 July 2008, reuniting with manager Peter Jackson (footballer born 1961) who originally brought him to Huddersfield Town F.C.. Jackson hailed Sinclair's "determination, his personality and his will to win", and said that both Wycombe Wanderers and Brighton & Hove Albion had been interested in signing the player.

International career

Sinclair was one of a group of English-born players who were selected for the Jamaican national team in the run-up to the 1998 FIFA World Cup. He then played in the tournament and has appeared 28 times for his adopted country.

Honours

Chelsea
- Winner
- - FA Cup: 1997 FA Cup Final
- - Football League Cup: 1998 Football League Cup Final

Leicester City
- Winner
- - Football League Cup: 2000 Football League Cup Final