Franco Sacco – November 2022

Thanks to Richard Dray for putting together this ‘life story’. Our subject this time is: Franco Sacco.

‘T Total Franco’ as he is currently known is the son of Maria and Tony. His parents moved to the ‘Lower Salvington’ area of Worthing from Sicily in 1963. Dad working as a tomato packer and baker.
“Oh no its Franco” (another of his nicknames) was born in 1973 in Southlands Hospital and is the youngest of 2 sons. He attended St Mary’s primary school before moving on to Chatsmore secondary School. Leaving with very few qualifications he went on via the YTS training scheme to train as a carpenter, in particular a kitchen / bathroom fitter with Alexander’s which lasted a couple of years. He soon decided to leave this position to ‘Live life to the max’.
He stayed living at home enjoying his mothers home cooking and washing skills until the age of 28. During these years he drank too much, went on holidays and generally did nothing except streaking around a swimming pool whilst on holiday. This was because England had won a world cup football match. The pool area was packed so it would not have been a very nice sight for the poor holidaying kids who have probably been tainted for life.
After he calmed down, he found himself a job at the Arundel brewery (a job he was very well suited to) but in 2000 he moved again to a job as a porter at Worthing Hospital. After treading those corridors for thousands of steps per day he decided that another change was needed and in 2007 he joined the health care assistance department where he met his long suffering wife Louise. Franco stalked her for weeks and after succumbing to his tea his tea-making skills once, they starting dating. They went on to get married in 2012. This multi-talented NHS stalwart found himself in 2010 working in the radiography department as an assistant before moving in 2015 to his current position in the equipment library.
The Mad Italian (another nickname) has been a member of the tourists since 2006 and has been on 12 tours. He took up bowls in 2005 after watching the film Blackball. Joining Worthing Pavilion his first game was against the West Sussex Tourists and in particular Bill Bryder. Bill must have done a good job selling the club as a month or so later he had contacted our Secretary, requested to join and was on the tour party to Ilfracombe in May 2006. That tour was captained by Steve Hawkes, probably not the best introduction to the club. However, surprisingly he wasn’t put off attending more tours.
He grew into the tourists and has become a valued member and not only because he has been the luggage manager on tour assisting in getting the luggage from the rooms and back on to the coach on departure day. Unfortunately he has resigned from this job during the last few months.
Franco was once suspended from the club. His misdemeanor was being drunk and very annoying whilst playing a game at Worthing Pavilion with the late and great Chiffo and Clunky. He was on a week of drinking to celebrate his 40th birthday. He has now become Clunky’s man bitch looking after him on our last tour to Torquay.
Aside from bowls Franco likes to ride his BMX with his mates on the sea front, looking in charity shops, collecting corgi and matchbox cars and bikes.