Frank Soo: England’s first player of Asian descent to be inducted into National Football Museum Hall of Fame

The first Asian heritage footballer ever to represent England, Frank Soo, will be inducted into The National Football Museum Hall of Fame, Sky Sports News can exclusively reveal.

Buxton-born former Stoke City player Soo, whose father was Chinese, became the first player of Asian heritage to represent England when he appeared in a wartime international against Wales at Ninian Park in 1942. Raised in Liverpool, Soo turned out for Prescot Cables as a teenager and went on to play nine England wartime matches between 1942 and 1945.

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The Stoke City legend was also the first person of East or South East Asian (ESEA) heritage to appear in the Football League, making more than 250 appearances for the Potters where he was a former team-mate and captain of Sir Stanley Matthews.

Soo would later play for Leicester City, Luton Town and Chelmsford City. Soo, who died in 1991 at the age of 76, also played with Matthews in England wartime matches and will now posthumously join his former team-mate in The National Football Museum Hall of Fame.

Frank’s story is ‘incredibly inspiring’

CEO of The National Football Museum, Tim Desmond, to Sky Sports News:

“At the National Football Museum, we are delighted to induct Frank Soo into our Hall of Fame celebrating not only his achievements on the pitch but also his role as a pioneer for being England’s first-ever player 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 National Football Museum Hall of Fame aims to celebrate and highlight the achievements of those who have made an outstanding contribution to English football. Other players to be honoured with a place in the Hall of Fame include Steven Gerrard, Bobby Moore, Vincent Kompany, Hope Powell, Eric Cantona and Dennis Bergkamp.

The announcement comes during East and South East Asian Heritage Month and a ceremony will take place at the bet365 Stadium ahead of Stoke City vs Derby County on November 2, live on Sky Sports Football.

‘We hope this will inspire the next generation’

Frank Soo Foundation co-founder and chair Alan Lau to Sky Sports News:

“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 a lot to us, our communities, and also the Soo family, who are yet to see Frank Soo awarded his England cap.”

Soo never received an England cap, with the FA telling Sky Sports News that a significant number of players who represented England during wartime did not get caps as the fixtures were not recognised as official internationals.

But earlier last year, a posthumous honorary cap was presented to the family of former Plymouth Argyle footballer Jack Leslie by the FA, despite the fact Leslie did not actually get the chance to play for England.

Leslie, who scored 137 goals for Argyle, was the first Black footballer to be selected by England, back in 1925 – but was denied the opportunity to play for the country because of the colour of his skin.

Recognition came after widespread efforts – particularly from The Jack Leslie Campaign – which campaigned for a statue to be built in tribute to the former Plymouth Argyle captain. Leslie played more than 400 matches for the club.

A Jack Leslie statue in his honour was unveiled outside Argyle’s Home Park stadium last year. The honorary cap presented to Leslie’s family was passed on to Plymouth Argyle where it has gone on display at the club’s Home Park stadium inside the Jack Leslie boardroom.

‘Time to recognise pioneers like Frank Soo’

Jack Leslie Campaign co-founder Matt Tiller to Sky Sports News:

“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.

“Both trailblazers, Jack was denied the chance to play for his country due to the colour of his skin, while Frank did represent England several times.

“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.’

“But his achievements are remarkable and deserve to be known far and wide. It is time to recognise pioneers like Frank Soo, particularly when players of Asian heritage remain under-represented in our national game.”

‘We’re not just around now – we’ve been around for years’

Kick It Out chair Sanjay Bhandari to Sky Sports News:

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

“The barriers that someone like that must have overcome to be successful in the game. That in itself is huge and should 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 would be fantastic [for Frank Soo to be awarded an honorary England cap]. I happened to be at Wembley for the Ukraine game where Jack Leslie’s honorary England cap was given, and it means an enormous amount to the family and also to the clubs as a recognition for them as well.”

Representation ‘is so important’

Frank Soo’s great niece, Jacqui Soo, to Sky Sports News:

“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 become such a big issue in the last few years. Representation of minorities in this country is so important. We are a multi-racial country with men and women who play sports, so let’s try and 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 could be an inspiration for so many kids. Let’s start the recognition of Asian players with Frank Soo. He’s played for England. Let him be the first and let us move on from there. He was an absolute trailblazer.”

Soo would also go on to enjoy a successful managerial career, taking charge of Italian side Padova, coaching Norway at the 1952 Olympic Games in Helsinki, and winning the Swedish Allsvenskan title as Djurgardens IF manager. He also managed in England at Scunthorpe United and St Albans City.

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