[4] On one occasion, Barson's hard tackling resulted in a seven-month ban; after a game, he often needed a police escort to protect him from angry opposition fans.

Before he could start his first game for the Tykes he had to serve a two-month suspension following an ugly brawl with some Birmingham City players in a pre-season friendly.

[6][5] On one occasion Barson had to be smuggled out of Goodison Park to avoid a large crowd who had gathered outside the ground to discuss with him his behaviour in an FA Cup tie with Everton.

[citation needed] After a very public fall out with the Barnsley directors over travelling expenses, he joined Aston Villa in October 1919.

In fact, he was appointed captain in succession to Andy Ducat, although it is not known whether he merely decided he wanted the job and nobody dared argue with him.

[citation needed] He celebrated his first game as captain by scoring a header from thirty yards out against Sheffield United.

[6] One story about Frank Barson concerned the 1920 FA Cup Final, when he was warned about his behaviour by referee Jack Howcroft in the dressing room before the match started.

At the time he was regarded as a hero, but Barson was so sick of such attention that on the opening night of his pub he gave the business to his head waiter.

His signing was considered a coup for the club, as Barson's availability had caused "20 managers to lounge round outside the defender's house.

Watford's chairman, John Kilby, spoke out against the decision, citing that a player had recently been suspended for three months for striking a referee.

[10] Barson's case was argued for in local and national newspapers, but the revelation that the petition had been burnt at the FA headquarters caused the affair to die down.

Opposing crowds loathed him, forcing Barson to publicly defend himself on the grounds that he had been "brought up to play hard and saw nothing wrong with an honest to goodness shoulder charge.

He was never ashamed of numbering amongst his friends the notorious Fowler brothers, who were hanged for murder.Before becoming a full-time footballer, Barson was an iron hoop maker.