Wikipedia

Frank Broome

This article is about the English footballer and manager. For the English pilot, see Frank Broome (pilot).

Frank Broome (11 June 1915 – 10 September 1994) was an English professional footballer and manager. He played for Aston Villa during his professional career and won seven caps as an England striker, scoring three times, including once against Germany on his debut in 1938.[3]

Frank Broome
Personal information
Full name Frank Henry Broome[1]
Date of birth (1915-06-11)11 June 1915
Place of birth Berkhamsted, England
Date of death 10 September 1994(1994-09-10) (aged 79)[1]
Place of death Exeter, England
Height 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)[2]
Position(s) Forward
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1932–1933 Boxmoor United
1933–1934 Berkhamsted Town (53)
1934–1946 Aston Villa 136 (78)
1946–1949 Derby County 112 (45)
1949–1952 Notts County 105 (35)
1953 Brentford 6 (1)
1953–1954 Crewe Alexandra 36 (16)
1954–1955 Shelbourne ? (0)
International career
1938–1949 England 7 (3)
Managerial career
1955–1958 Notts County (assistant)
1957 Notts County (caretaker)
1958–1960 Exeter City
1960 Southend United
1961–1962 Bankstown
1962–1967 Corinthian
1967 Melita Eagles
1967–1969 Exeter City
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Frank Broome attended Victoria  School, Berkhamsted, Herts where he excelled as centre forward in the school team. He began playing for Berkhamsted Town in 1933 and soon began to attract the attention of scouts from Charlton, Chelsea, Luton, Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham.[4] In Jan and Feb 1934, Broome scored five goals in two consecutive matches, including against Aylesbury Utd in the Bucks Senior Cup, further enhancing his profile.[5] In October 1934 Broome was selected to play for a team representing the Spartan League against a Tottenham Hotspur Combination 11 at Maidenhead. He scored both goals in a 3–2 defeat.[6] He played again for the Spartan League team a couple of weeks later against an Isthmian League team at Chesham. His place in the Berkhamsted team was taken by his brother Reg.[7]

His impressive form earned him a trial for Aston Villa. He scored six goals for the Villa Colts side in a 15–0 victory over Moor Green on 31 Oct.[8] The performance was enough to convince for Villa to sign him up professionally in Nov 1934 and he duly scored another four goals against Stoke City. A report of the match stated that although Broome was on the "small side, he has a fine turn of speed and can trick an opponent cleverly".[9]

Broome made his Villa debut in an away match at Portsmouth in April 1935.[10] He then scored twice on his home debut in a 4–2 defeat of Liverpool.[11] Broome continued to excel in leading Villa's attack during the 1935–36 season including two goals in the home derby match against Birmingham City but it wasn't enough to prevent the club being relegated for first time in its history.[12]

During the 1936–37 season, Villa did well for three quarters of the season but finished 9th due to a drastic post-Easter slump in form which concluded with a 2–1 defeat at West Ham, their sixth successive loss.[13]

In their second season in Division 2, Broome sometimes operated as a winger to make way for new signing James Clayon at centre forward.[14] He scored two at Plymouth Argyle in October in front of 40,000 spectators.[15] He scored another two in a 7–1 rout of Stockport County in December.[16] Goals continued for Broome in the new year including a 3–0 victory at home to Man Utd on 2 April which maintained their hopes of promotion.[17] This was followed by another brace of goals against Tottenham in a hard-fought 2–0 victory on 16 April.[18] Villa duly secured promotion back to Division One on 27 April 1938 with a 2–0 win over Bradford.[19]

Broome was selected to represent England as a reserve in a game against Scotland in April 1938 at Wembley.[20] He then joined England for a post season Continental Tour with first match against Germany at the Olympic Stadium in Berlin on 14 May 1938.[21] The match was notable for the English team giving the Nazi salute during the opening formalities as instructed to do so by the FA. England were triumphant running out 3–6 winners in front of a crowd of 110,000 in stifling hot conditions. Bastin, Broome and Stanley Matthews tormented the German defence and Broome scored his first international goal.[22] Coincidentally, Villa also embarked on a post season three week tour of Germany. They won 2–3 against a German FA side in front of 100,000 spectators on 15 May with Broome netting two. According to Villa manager James Hogan, 'The German people think Frank Broome is really marvellous.'[23]

Broome rejoined the England touring party and was part of the team which lost to Switzerland in Zurich 2–1 on 21 May.[24] England concluded its tour with a 2–4 win against France at Colombes Stadium, Paris in front of 70,000 spectators on 26 May. Broome scored again in the opening five minutes.[25]

The 1938–39 season began badly for Broome when he tore a ligament in his right ankle in a match against Grimsby.[26] He returned in September despite not fully recovered in a 5–0 home win against Brentford.[27] He was selected again for England against Norway but as inside-right rather than centre forward or right wing.[28] The game was played at Newcastle on 9 November with England winning 4–0 but Broome clearly struggled in an unfamiliar position.[29] He was back among the goals for Villa in a 6–3 demolition of Chelsea on 19 November.[30] He also scored in a 1–1 draw at home to Sunderland on 27 December.[31] His sparkling form continued in the new year bagging two goals in a 2–4 victory away at Brentford;[32] and another two in a 2–0 defeat of Liverpool at home.[33]

In March 1939, he found time to marry Elsie Williams of Handsworth at the parish church in Berkhamsted. The bride was given away by Frank's brother Reg.They set up home in Handsworth Wood.[34] On 13 May he represented England on the left wing in a 2–2 away draw against Italy in Milan on 13 May.[35]

Broome guested for Nottingham Forest during WW2, making 3 appearances (1 goal) in 1939–40, 1 appearance (4 goals) in 1940–41 and 10 appearances (4 goals) in 1941–42. He also guested for Wolves during wartime, playing and scoring in the 1942 War Cup Final.

In 1955 Broome signed for Shelbourne,[1] making his League of Ireland debut on 27 February. The nearest he came to scoring was when he had a penalty saved at Glenmalure Park on 27 March in the FAI Cup.

Approaching 40 years of age and coupled with the expense of weekly flights to Dublin he ended up only playing 6 games for Shels.

After retiring from playing, he went on to manage both Exeter City, Southend United and in Australia.[1][36]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "England Players – Frank Broome". www.englandfootballonline.com. Retrieved 23 December 2018.
  2. ^ "Villa have talent to succeed". Sunday Dispatch Football Guide. London. 23 August 1936. p. vi – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ Englandfc.com. "Frank Broome statistics". Archived from the original on 5 February 2012. Retrieved 25 January 2007.
  4. ^ "Broome and Berkhamsted". Bucks Herald. 23 February 1934. p. 7.
  5. ^ "Broome's Five Goals for Berkhamsted". Buckinghamshire Examiner. 9 February 1934. p. 8.
  6. ^ "Honour for Frank Broome". Buckinghamshire Examiner. 5 October 1934. p. 12.
  7. ^ "Broome's Six Goals". Buckinghamshire Examiner. 2 November 1934. p. 7.
  8. ^ "Broome for Aston Villa". Bucks Herald. 9 November 1934. p. 7.
  9. ^ "Broome's Ten Goals". Evening Despatch. 13 December 1934. p. 15.
  10. ^ "Frank Broome and the Villa". Buckinghamshire Examiner. 12 April 1935. p. 7.
  11. ^ "Villa Discover Another Centre Forward". Birmingham Daily Gazette. 15 April 1935. p. 11.
  12. ^ "The Passing Hour". Sports Argus. 4 April 1936. p. 6.
  13. ^ "Villa's Sixth Successive Defeat". Birmingham Daily Gazette. 27 April 1937. p. 12.
  14. ^ "Villa Workmanlike Side". Birmingham Daily Gazette. 18 October 1937. p. 11.
  15. ^ "Frank Broome Causes Ohs at Plymouth". Sports Argus. 2 October 1937. p. 2.
  16. ^ "She'll Inspires Villa". Birmingham Weekly Mercury. 12 December 1937. p. 17.
  17. ^ "Villa's Big Jump Towards Promotion". Sports Argus. 2 April 1938. p. 1.
  18. ^ "Villa Have Hard Battle for Vital Points". Evening Despatch. 16 April 1938. p. 12.
  19. ^ "Aston Villa Virtual Champions". Nottingham Journal. 28 April 1938. p. 11.
  20. ^ "England Fancied For Match of the Year". Birmingham Daily Gazette. 9 April 1938. p. 4.
  21. ^ "Broome England's Centre Forward". Birmingham Daily Gazette. 30 April 1938. p. 14.
  22. ^ "Grand Team-work by England". Birmingham Daily Gazette. 16 May 1938. p. 11.
  23. ^ "Berlin Win Fine Start to German Tour". Birmingham Daily Gazette. 16 May 1938. p. 11.
  24. ^ "A Swiss Shake for England". Dundee Courier. 23 May 1938. p. 10.
  25. ^ "Grand Wing Play by Broome for England". Birmingham Daily Gazette. 27 May 1938. p. 13.
  26. ^ "Bad News From Villa Park". Birmingham Daily Gazette. 30 August 1938. p. 10.
  27. ^ "Spectator Held Up Brentford Game". Reynold's Newspaper. 18 September 1938. p. 14.
  28. ^ "Broome Inside Right Against Norway". Birmingham Daily Gazette. 3 November 1938. p. 12.
  29. ^ "England Were Too Polite To Score More". Daily Herald. 10 November 1938. p. 17.
  30. ^ "Chelsea Swamped By New Villa". Sunday Mirror. 20 November 1938. p. 34.
  31. ^ "Mapson Foiled Villa". Birmingham Daily Gazette. 28 December 1938. p. 10.
  32. ^ "Villa's Polished Display". Birmingham Daily Gazette. 9 February 1939. p. 12.
  33. ^ "Villa Keep Up the Good Work". Sports Argus. 18 February 1939. p. 1.
  34. ^ "Kinematograph Secretary Weds". Kinematograph Weekly. 9 March 1939. p. 22.
  35. ^ "England Draw With Italy". Weekly Despatch. 14 May 1939. p. 24.
  36. ^ "Broome Frank Image 1 Aston Villa 1939". Vintage Footballers. Retrieved 23 December 2018.
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