Frank Stanton

Loyal Manly clubman Frank ‘Biscuits’ Stanton played for NSW in 1963 and toured with the Ashes-winning Kangaroos (playing in 18 minor matches). A fine halfback who shifted to the centres during his career, he played in Manly's grand final loss to Souths in 1968 but was to have great success as a coach. Stanton won premierships with Manly in 1976 and 1978 and was national coach from 1978-82. After the 1978 Kangaroo tour (which lost the series against France), Australia was unbeaten under Stanton's guidance. He drew criticism for his stringent training routines on the 1982 Kangaroo tour but was vindicated when the 'Invincibles' became the first Kangaroo tour to go through England and France unbeaten. Stanton coached Redcliffe in 1980 but returned from Brisbane in the 1980s to coach Balmain and Norths with mixed success. In December 1992, he took over as Manly Chief Executive after the retirement of Doug Daley and was the inaugural Chief Executive of the N’Eagles’ joint merger in 1999. Stanton resigned in 2000, the victim of political in-fighting, but was appointed caretaker Chief Executive of the embattled Nth Queensland North Queensland in May 2001.