Frank Sinclair

Leicester City Sinclair was sold to Leicester City in August 1998 for a fee of £2 million. During his time at Filbert Street Sinclair developed an unfortunate reputation for scoring own goals. This was caused initially by two own goals in consecutive weekends in 1999. The first was a great leap at Highbury to give Arsenal a 2–1 win. He managed to refrain from putting through his own net against Coventry City 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. Both caused Leicester to drop points, although it wasn't enough to prevent him from remaining a first-team regular.

He scored two goals in 39 appearances throughout the 1998–99 season, helping Martin O'Neill's "Foxes" to a 10th-place finish. Six of his appearances came in the League Cup, though he was not in the matchday squad for the final, a 1–0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur. He appeared 44 times in the 1999–2000 campaign, and this time, was part of the team that played in the League Cup final, and collected his second winner's medal in the competition as Leicester triumphed 2–1 over Tranmere Rovers thanks to a brace from centre-back partner Matt Elliott.

However, he was limited to 19 appearances by manager Peter Taylor during the 2000–01 season. He was then fined two weeks' wages by Leicester in September 2001 for his part in an incident at a Heathrow hotel. Sinclair, along with four Chelsea players, had gone on a five-hour drinking binge and had stripped off, swore and vomited in front of American tourists just hours after the September 11 attacks, which killed nearly 3,000 people in America. He did though go on to re-establish himself in the starting eleven under new manager Dave Bassett. On 2 March 2002, Sinclair scored the most bizarre of his own goals. After three minutes into a game at Middlesbrough, he coolly slotted the ball past keeper Ian Walker in a seemingly laid-back situation in what proved to be the game's only goal. He held the Premier League records for most own goals until his record was overtaken by Richard Dunne. Leicester made an immediate return to the top-flight in 2002–03, crowning their maiden season at the Walkers Stadium with a second-place finish in the First Division, Sinclair featuring in 37 games. In March 2004, Sinclair and his Leicester City 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 following the club's relegation at the end of the 2003–04 season.

Burnley In June 2004, Sinclair joined Championship side Burnley on a free transfer, signing a one-year contract. He made his debut for the club on 7 August in the opening match of the 2004–05 season against Sheffield United. He struck up an impressive partnership at the centre of the defence with fellow new recruit John McGreal at the start of the season, starting in most games. On 24 December, Sinclair signed a new two-year contract extension until June 2007, with "Clarets" manager Steve Cotterill stating that "he has been an integral part of our defence". In January 2005, he was appointed as captain following the departure of Robbie Blake to Birmingham City. His first goal for the club came from a header on 12 March, in a 2–1 win over Rotherham United at Turf Moor. Towards the end of the season he received plaudits for his impressive partnership with young loan signing Gary Cahill and made a total of 42 appearances in his first season with the club as the side finished in mid-table. However, both players later denied that the incident happened. Whilst suspended and injured he lost his place in the side and struggled to regain it. Upon his return to Burnley, he was released on a free transfer and went on to sign a one-year contract at Huddersfield Town on 14 May. He cited manager Andy Ritchie as a reason for staying on: "he's been successful in League One before", he told the club's media team. On 6 October, he received his second red card of his short career at the Galpharm Stadium, in Town's 4–0 drubbing at Walsall. He received his third sending off during Town's 4–1 defeat at Southend United on 5 December. Huddersfield released Sinclair at the end of his contract in May 2008.

Lincoln City Sinclair signed a one-year contract with League Two side Lincoln City on 1 July 2008, reuniting with manager Peter Jackson who originally brought him to Huddersfield Town. Jackson hailed Sinclair's "determination, his personality and his will to win", and said that both Wycombe Wanderers and Brighton & Hove Albion were interested in signing the player. On 26 March 2009, Sinclair made the surprise move to Wycombe Wanderers on loan from Lincoln City; former Leicester manager Peter Taylor was in charge at Adams Park. His presence helped the "Chairboys" to achieve promotion from League Two. He left Sincil Bank after being released in May 2009.

Non-league Both Wycombe and Bury had expressed interest in signing Sinclair for the 2009–10 season, but he eventually signed a one-year deal with Conference Premier club Wrexham. On 9 March 2010, he was sent off after breaking the leg of Tom Kearney in a 1–1 draw with Altrincham, though said the challenge didn't warrant a red card. He was sent off again 21 days later, and also scored an own goal and gave away a penalty in a 2–2 draw at AFC Wimbledon. He played a major role for the "Red Dragons" in the 2010–11 season, he played in the play-off semi-final against Luton Town, where Wrexham lost 3–0 in the first leg and 2–1 in the second (5–1 on aggregate). He left the Racecourse Ground in July 2011 after failing to agree a new contract on reduced terms with manager Dean Saunders.

Sinclair signed for Hendon of the Isthmian League Premier Division on 11 November 2011, as a favour to Junior Lewis. On 6 January 2012, he joined up with Conference North side Colwyn Bay. He made his debut the next day and scored an injury-time winning goal as the "Seagulls" beat Altrincham 4–3. He was appointed player-manager at Llanelian Road on 11 February 2013.

International career Sinclair was eligible to represent England through birth and also qualified for Jamaica through his parents, who were born in the country. Following on from his impressive form for Chelsea in the 1994–95 season, he was called up by Terry Venables to the England squad for the Umbro Cup final match against Brazil in June 1995. However, he failed to make an appearance and this proved to be his only call-up to the side. Manager René Simões had called up several English-born players such as Deon Burton, Robbie Earle, Paul Hall, and Fitzroy Simpson in the qualification matches and wanted Sinclair to join the group. He played in the remaining two group stage games as Jamaica qualified for the knockout stage with wins over Guatemala and El Salvador. However, Sinclair was later re-instated into the side and appeared in four qualifying matches in June and September 2001, but Jamaica failed to qualify for the World Cup after only winning two of their ten matches. He wanted to give the younger players a chance of breaking into the team and wished to focus on his club career with Leicester City, stating that the transatlantic travel could affect his form. The friendly against Brazil in Leicester in October 2003 proved to be his final appearance for Jamaica, with Sinclair earning a total of twenty-eight caps.

Managerial career

Colwyn Bay After being appointed player-manager, Sinclair helped save Colwyn Bay from relegation and was named as Conference North Manager of the Month for April 2013 after overseeing six successive victories. He credited his success to new signings Shelton Payne and Jamie Ellison, as well as veteran midfielder Fraser McLachlan. He signed a new one-year contract in the summer. In July he convinced veteran striker Ade Akinbiyi to join the club. Sinclair was again named as Manager of the Month after winning all five matches in December 2013. He was named as the bookies favourite for the vacant Wrexham management post in February 2014. Sinclair led Colwyn Bay to a 12th-place finish in the 2013–14 season, the highest finish in the club's history. On 5 January 2015, he resigned as manager of Colwyn Bay, a day after a 5–0 defeat to Boston United which left the club 11 points outside the play-off places. He went on to work as a youth team coach at Oldham Athletic.

Brackley Town He featured intermittently for struggling Conference North side Brackley Town in the 2014–15 season. After the resignation of Jon Brady, Sinclair was appointed as the club's caretaker manager on 8 September 2015, until Kevin Wilkin was appointed 12 days and three draws later.

Hednesford Town On 15 December 2015, Sinclair was appointed manager of Conference North club Hednesford Town. On 2 March 2016, he resigned with the "Pitmen" bottom of the division having won only two of his 13 league matches in charge. However, he was reinstated just two days later after chairman Steve Price persuaded him to reconsider his resignation. Town lost just two of their first six games of his second spell in charge, but Sinclair left the club permanently on 15 April, just days after stating his intention to stay on at Keys Park for the following season.

Coaching spells Sinclair began working as Stoke City's under-23 assistant manager in December 2016. He joined Radcliffe as assistant to manager Jon Macken in September 2017. He began coaching at Port Vale in March 2020, following an invite from assistant manager Dave Kevan. He was appointed as the club's head of coaching development five months later, saying that "I see a key part of my role as bridging the gap between the younger players and the first team". Interim manager Danny Pugh had to start self-isolation after testing positive for COVID-19 on 18 January 2021, leaving Sinclair, Billy Paynter and Anthony Griffith to take over first-team duties in his absence. The team lost both games in Pugh's absence, much to Sinclair's frustration. Sinclair left Vale Park at the end of the 2020–21 season. He joined Doncaster Rovers as an academy coach in October 2021. He became a professional development phase coach at Doncaster in January 2023. He left the club in July 2024. He joined the Academy at Burnley as a Youth Development Phase Coach in June 2025.

Personal life Sinclair has a son, Tyrese (born 2001). Tyrese previously played in the youth team of Blackburn Rovers but was released in 2017. Tyrese turned professional with Mansfield Town in July 2019.

In September 2005, Sinclair, then living in Lostock, Bolton was found guilty of drink driving at Bolton Magistrates' Court. He was banned from driving for three years and given a £2,000 fine.

Career statistics Club

Managerial

Honours As a player Chelsea FA Cup: 1996–97; runner-up: 1993–94 Football League Cup: 1997–98 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup: 1997–98

Leicester City Football League Cup: 1999–2000; runner-up: 1998–99 Football League First Division second-place promotion: 2002–03

Wycombe Wanderers Football League Two third-place promotion: 2008–09

Individual Chelsea Player of the Year: 1992–93

As a manager Colwyn Bay Conference North Manager of the Month: April 2013, December 2013