He was appointed in June 1971, leaving Leicester City weeks after they came top of the Second Division. The son of an engine driver from Cork, O'Farrell had a long playing career with West Ham before being appointed player-coach at Weymouth.

He took them to the fourth round of the FA Cup in 1962, then became manager of Torquay in 1965, winning promotion from Division Four. Two years later he replaced Matt Gillies at Leicester.

In the first part of the 1971/72 season, his United side won all but two of 20 League games, but from 1st January had just five more victories. Q'Farrell brought Martin Buchan to the club but United's performance early in the 1972/73 season was pretty disastrous, and the final straw was a 5-0 defeat at the hands of Crystal Palace on 16th December.

Frank Q'Farrell was dismissed just three days lataer, on 19th December, 1972.