| 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 | 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 (11 June 1915 – 10 September 1994) was an English professionalfootballer andmanager. He played forAston Villa during his professional career and won seven caps as anEngland striker, scoring three times, including once againstGermany on his debut in 1938.[3]
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 fromCharlton,Chelsea,Luton,Tottenham Hotspur andWest 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 theSpartan 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 anIsthmian 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 overMoor 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 againstStoke 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 againstBirmingham 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 atWest Ham, their sixth successive loss.[13]
In their second season in Division 2, Broome sometimes operated as a winger to make way for new signingJames Clayon at centre forward.[14] He scored two atPlymouth Argyle in October in front of 40,000 spectators.[15] He scored another two in a 7–1 rout ofStockport County in December.[16] Goals continued for Broome in the new year including a 3–0 victory at home toMan Utd on 2 April which maintained their hopes of promotion.[17] This was followed by another brace of goals againstTottenham 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 overBradford.[19]
Broome was selected to representEngland as a reserve in a game againstScotland in April 1938 atWembley.[20] He then joined England for a post season Continental Tour with first match againstGermany at theOlympic Stadium inBerlin 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 andStanley Matthews tormented the German defence and Broome scored his first international goal.[22] Coincidentally, Villa also embarked on a post season three week tour ofGermany. 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 managerJames 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 toSwitzerland inZurich 2–1 on 21 May.[24] England concluded its tour with a 2–4 win againstFrance atColombes 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 againstGrimsby.[26] He returned in September despite not fully recovered in a 5–0 home win againstBrentford.[27] He was selected again for England againstNorway 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 ofChelsea on 19 November.[30] He also scored in a 1–1 draw at home toSunderland on 27 December.[31] His sparkling form continued in the new year bagging two goals in a 2–4 victory away atBrentford;[32] and another two in a 2–0 defeat ofLiverpool at home.[33]
In March 1939, he found time to marry Elsie Williams ofHandsworth at the parish church inBerkhamsted. The bride was given away by Frank's brother Reg.They set up home inHandsworth Wood.[34] On 13 May he represented England on the left wing in a 2–2 away draw againstItaly inMilan 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 forWolves during wartime, playing and scoring in the1942 War Cup Final.
In 1955 Broome signed forShelbourne,[1] making hisLeague of Ireland debut on 27 February. The nearest he came to scoring was when he had a penalty saved atGlenmalure Park on 27 March in theFAI Cup.
Approaching 40 years of age and coupled with the expense of weekly flights toDublin he ended up only playing 6 games for Shels.
After retiring from playing, he went on to manage bothExeter City,Southend United and inAustralia.[1][36]
