Frank Soo: England’s first participant of Asian descent to be inducted into Nationwide Soccer Museum Corridor of Fame

The primary Asian heritage footballer ever to symbolize England, Frank Soo, can be inducted into The Nationwide Soccer Museum Corridor of Fame, Sky Sports activities Information can solely reveal.

Buxton-born former Stoke Metropolis participant Soo, whose father was Chinese language, grew to become the primary participant of Asian heritage to symbolize England when he appeared in a wartime worldwide in opposition to Wales at Ninian Park in 1942. Raised in Liverpool, Soo turned out for Prescott Cables as an adolescent and went on to play 9 England wartime matches between 1942 and 1945.

The Stoke Metropolis legend was additionally the primary individual of East or South East Asian (ESEA) heritage to seem within the Soccer League, making greater than 250 appearances for the Potters the place he was a former team-mate and captain of Sir Stanley Matthews.

Soo would later play for Leicester Metropolis, Luton City and Chelmsford Metropolis. Soo, who died in 1991 on the age of 76, additionally performed with Matthews in England wartime matches and can now posthumously be a part of his former team-mate in The Nationwide Soccer Museum Corridor of Fame.

Frank’s story is ‘extremely inspiring’

CEO of The Nationwide Soccer Museum, Tim Desmond, to Sky Sports activities Information:

“On the Nationwide Soccer Museum, we’re delighted to induct Frank Soo into our Corridor of Fame celebrating not solely his achievements on the pitch but additionally his function as a pioneer for being England’s first-ever participant of Asian descent.

“The National Football Museum is proud to be representative of football in all its diversity and Frank must have overcome a lot of social barriers to achieve at the highest level in the game. His story is incredibly inspiring and we hope this induction contributes to his legacy.”

The Nationwide Soccer Museum Corridor of Fame goals to have fun and spotlight the achievements of those that have made an excellent contribution to English soccer. Different gamers to be honoured with a spot within the Corridor of Fame embrace Steven Gerrard, Bobby Moore, Vincent Kompany, Hope Powell, Eric Cantona and Dennis Bergkamp.

The announcement comes throughout East and South East Asian Heritage Match and a ceremony will happen on the bet365 Stadium forward of Stoke Metropolis vs Derby County on November 2, reside on Sky Sports activities Soccer.

‘We hope this may encourage the following technology’

Frank Soo Basis co-founder and chair Alan Lau to Sky Sports activities Information:

“It is wonderful to see Frank Soo honoured with induction into the National Football Museum Hall of Fame. This highlights the positive effect that people from ESEA and Pan-Asian communities have had on football and we hope this will inspire the next generation.

“It means quite a bit to us, our communities, and likewise the Soo household, who’re but to see Frank Soo awarded his England cap.”

Soo by no means acquired an England cap, with the FA telling Sky Sports activities Information {that a} important variety of gamers who represented England throughout wartime didn’t get caps because the fixtures weren’t recognised as official internationals.

However earlier final 12 months, a posthumous honorary cap was introduced to the household of former Plymouth Argyle footballer Jack Leslie by the FA, regardless of the actual fact Leslie didn’t truly get the prospect to play for England.

Leslie, who scored 137 objectives for Argyle, was the primary Black footballer to be chosen by England, again in 1925 – however was denied the chance to play for the nation due to the color of his pores and skin.

Recognition got here after widespread efforts – significantly from The Jack Leslie Marketing campaign – which campaigned for a statue to be inbuilt tribute to the previous Plymouth Argyle captain. Leslie performed greater than 400 matches for the membership.

A Jack Leslie statue in his honour was unveiled outdoors Argyle’s House Park stadium final 12 months. The honorary cap introduced to Leslie’s household was handed on to Plymouth Argyle the place it has gone on show on the membership’s House Park stadium contained in the Jack Leslie boardroom.

‘Time to recognise pioneers like Frank Soo’

Jack Leslie Marketing campaign co-founder Matt Tiller to Sky Sports activities Information:

“Just as Jack Leslie’s illustrious club career was coming to a premature end after an eye injury in the winter of 1933, Frank Soo burst onto the scene at Stoke City.

“Each trailblazers, Jack was denied the prospect to play for his nation because of the color of his pores and skin, whereas Frank did symbolize England a number of occasions.

“Their stories are, however, similar in one striking manner. Both were largely forgotten for decades.

“Frank’s talent won him appearances for England through the Second World War, which meant his international career was ‘unofficial.’

“However his achievements are outstanding and need to be identified far and extensive. It’s time to recognise pioneers like Frank Soo, significantly when gamers of Asian heritage stay under-represented in our nationwide sport.”

‘We’re not simply round now – we have been round for years’

Kick It Out chair Sanjay Bhandari to Sky Sports activities Information:

“It’s really important to celebrate these icons from our history and Frank Soo is one of those icons.

“The boundaries that somebody like that will need to have overcome to achieve success within the sport. That in itself is large and must be celebrated.

“It’s part of a broader trend we’re seeing of players who have played many, many years ago now being celebrated. We’ve seen it with Plymouth Argyle and Jack Leslie, and it sends a really important message to people today that we’re not just around now – we’ve been around for years.

“It will be incredible [for Frank Soo to be awarded an honorary England cap]. I occurred to be at Wembley for the Ukraine sport the place Jack Leslie’s honorary England cap was given, and it means an unlimited quantity to the household and likewise to the golf equipment as a recognition for them as properly.”

Representation ‘is so important’

Frank Soo’s nice niece, Jacqui Soo, to Sky Sports activities Information:

“Frank Soo should be recognised with an England cap. But I am not surprised that it hasn’t already happened – you only need to look at women’s football and what it has taken [after it was banned in England for 50 years until the early 1970s] to get it where it is.

“My great uncle Frank played nine times for England and he still hasn’t got a cap. He also made guest appearances for other teams during the war and he played in front of enormous crowds.

“Race has change into such an enormous problem in the previous couple of years. Illustration of minorities on this nation is so vital. We’re a multi-racial nation with women and men who play sports activities, so let’s try to get Frank Soo his cap.

“If you have got an Asian and someone from a Chinese background, who has played for England and can now get an England cap, imagine what that would do for kids growing up?

“A cap for Frank Soo may very well be an inspiration for thus many children. Let’s begin the popularity of Asian gamers with Frank Soo. He is performed for England. Let him be the primary and allow us to transfer on from there. He was an absolute trailblazer.”

Soo would additionally go on to take pleasure in a profitable managerial profession, taking cost of Italian facet Padova, teaching Norway on the 1952 Olympic Video games in Helsinki, and profitable the Swedish Allsvenskan title as Djurgardens IF supervisor. He additionally managed in England at Scunthorpe United and St Albans Metropolis.

British South Asians in Soccer

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