Bromilow Tom Image 3 Liverpool 1923

Description

West Derby, Liverpool born left half Tom Bromilow began his football career with West Dingle prior to the First World War, during which he served in the Army and also played for United West Dingle Presbyterians in 1918,  and signed for First Division Liverpool after a trial in 1919, making his Football League debut at Burnley that October.

He was a regular in the Liverpool first team over all but the last of the next eleven seasons. He was a virtual ever present in both of Liverpool’s 1922 and 1923 League Championship triumphs, and formed a powerful half back trio with Jock McNab and Walter Wadsworth. Bromilow was said to be “more dainty and artistic than either of his two colleagues, but is eminently efficient none the less.” He was capped by England 5 times between 1921 and 1925, making his England debut in a 0-0 draw against Wales at Ninian Park, Cardiff in March 1921, as well as playing 6 times for The Football League.

He was an ever present for Liverpool in 1927-28 and in total he played 375 times for Liverpool scoring 11 goals, playing his final game in May 1930.

After retiring from playing, Bromilow took up coaching in Amsterdam, Netherlands, before being appointed the manager of Burnley on 8th October 1932 and led the Clarets to the 1934 FA Cup semi final. He was then appointed the secretary-manager of Crystal Palace on 17th July 1935 but stayed only one season, until June 1936. He applied for the vacant manager’s job at his beloved Liverpool in 1936, but alongside 51 other applicants, he was disappointed to hear the job went to George Kay.

Instead, he returned to Palace, managing them from December 1936 until July 1939 finishing runners-up in Third Division South before the outbreak of The Second World War. He managed Leicester City from 14th July 1939 throughout the War, until June 1945. He then became manager of Newport County in May 1946 until his resignation on 24th January 1950. He turned up at Leicester City again in 1950, this time as a scout.