Barry Fry Expresses Pride in Son’s FA Cup Achievement

English football veteran Barry Fry has conveyed his pride regarding his son’s FA Cup accomplishment with Kettering Town. Frankie Fry was a member of the Poppies’ coaching staff that supervised the team’s first-round victory against local rivals Northampton Town on 2 November. His father, a director at Peterborough United, visited Latimer Park on Friday to assist in fundraising for the seventh-tier club. In an interview with BBC Look East, Barry Fry stated: “[Frankie] deserves his chance to be first team coach and they’ve done a great job.” Kettering is scheduled to host League Two opposition Doncaster Rovers in the cup’s second round, broadcast live on BBC Two from 11:45 GMT on Sunday. This will mark the first occasion the Northamptonshire side has competed at this stage of the tournament since 2009. Barry Fry, who has managed clubs including Peterborough United, Southend United, and Birmingham City, remarked that victories such as Kettering’s over Northampton were crucial for the financial stability of many lower league teams. “I’m very proud of him,” Fry said of his son, who previously scouted teams at Peterborough. “He’s totally different to me – I’m off the cuff and he’s very serious.” “He’s done a lot of reports for me on teams and individual players, and his reports are second to none.” The 79-year-old Fry expressed his hope that Kettering’s advancement in the FA Cup would generate financial opportunities for the club. Supporters have dedicated efforts to prepare Latimer Park across three separate volunteer days, assisting with painting and refurbishing the ground ahead of Sunday’s fixture. Frankie Fry conveyed that everyone involved with the club was eagerly awaiting the match to commence. “For the fans, for the club, for the volunteers, this is what the magic of the FA Cup is all about,” he said. “They deserve it. We’ve got a great support here and we have done for years, so to have an occasion like this and bring them back here is what it’s for.” For updates on East of England news, connect via X, Instagram, and Facebook: BBC Beds, Herts & Bucks, BBC Cambridgeshire, BBC Essex, BBC Norfolk, BBC Northamptonshire, or BBC Suffolk. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for material found on external websites. Information regarding our policy on external links is available.