Moreover, both the brothers would move from Celtic in 1935 and to Preston North End, Frank after seventy-seven appearances, but throughout second-fiddle to Jimmy McGrory, and Hugh after just two fewer. But it was to be at Deepdale that their paths were finally to diverge to a degree. Frank would stay two seasons, Hugh four. Hugh would never represent Scotland. Frank would do it six times, four whilst in Lancashire before in 1937 transferring to Aston Villa and two more caps. But it also meant that Frank would be in Preston's 1937 FA Cup-losing team, whilst Hugh would be in the one to take the trophy and a winners' medal the following campaign.

It might then have seemed that the war would end their careers as Frank joined the RAF. In neither case did it happen with Hugh post-war stepping down two divisions but still managing two more seasons and Frank a single year more but with Nottingham Forest in the Second Division. And by then Frank had in 1941 also married back in Preston, his bride Eileen Gregson, with whom he would have four children.

However, the marriage would sadly only last eleven years. On retirement from playing in England he would return to Scotland briefly to Raith Rovers in KIrkcaldy for an unsuccessful trial but then become player-manager at Buxton in Derbyshire. And it would be whilst still there in the summer of 1952 that was forced to resign because of ill-health, be operated upon but never recover, passing away in September at the age of just 40. He was of course, survived by Eileen and for over half a century. She would not die until 2007 at the age of ninety-three.