Frank Sibley (footballer)

{{Short description|English footballer (1947–2024)}}

{{other people|Frank Sibley}}

{{Sources|date=May 2024}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2024}}

{{Use British English|date=May 2016}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Frank Sibley

| image =

| caption =

| full_name = Frank Phillip Sibley

| birth_date = {{birth date|1947|12|4|df=y}}

| birth_place = Uxbridge, England

| death_date = {{death date and age|2024|5|10|1947|12|4|df=y}}

| height =

| position = Defender

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 = Queens Park Rangers

| years1 = 1963–1971

| clubs1 = Queens Park Rangers

| caps1 = 143

| goals1 = 3

| totalcaps =

| totalgoals =

| medaltemplates =

| manageryears1 = 1977–1978

| managerclubs1 = Queens Park Rangers

| manageryears2 = 1979

| managerclubs2 = Walsall

| manageryears3 = 1984–1985

| managerclubs3 = Queens Park Rangers (caretaker manager)

}}

Frank Phillip Sibley (4 December 1947 – 10 May 2024) was an English footballer and manager. He was a member of the QPR double winning side that captured both the Third Division Championship in 1966–67 and the League Cup on 4 March 1967.

A defender, Sibley was the youngest player to play in the QPR first team at the age of 15 on 3 September 1963 away to Aldershot in a League Cup tie.{{cite web | last=Wilkes | first=Neil | title=Club information: Queens Park Rangers | website=Sports Mole | date=21 May 2019 | url=https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/qpr/information/club-information-queens-park-rangers_359874.html | access-date=13 May 2024}} He retired from playing early, at the age of 23, after suffering a knee injury. He joined the coaching staff at QPR, and later became manager in the summer of 1977 at the age of 29, the youngest ever QPR manager.

He was appointed as manager of Walsall in February 1979 replacing Alan Ashman 1979. He remained in charge for only two months before being replaced by Alan Buckley, who was returning to Walsall having been player–manager at Birmingham City.{{cite web | title=PAST MANAGERS | website=Walsall FC | date=25 May 2014 | url=https://www.saddlers.co.uk/news/2014/may/past-managers/ | access-date=13 May 2024}}

Sibley was chief scout for Watford.

Sibley was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2004. He died on 10 May 2024, at the age of 76.{{cite news |title=Frank Sibley RIP |url=https://www.qpr.co.uk/news/2024/may/11/frank-sibley-rip/ |access-date=12 May 2024 |publisher=QPR F.C. |date=11 May 2024}}