The football federation is invited to award War Frank with an honorary cap after the East Asian pioneer was inducted into the Stoke-on-Trent Sports Hall of Fame.
So, whose Chinese father, became the first player of Asian descent to be England when he took part in a wartime foreign match against Wales in 1942. So, who grew up in Liverpool and came to Prescott Cables as a teenager, played in nine games in England. War Fites between 1942 and 1945.
The Stoke City legend and also the first player of East or Southeast Asian (ESEA) descent to appear in the Football League, with over 250 appearances for the Potters, where he was a former teammate and captain to Sir Stanley Matthews.
Matthews even pinned England in warmines matches, which he would later play for Leicester City, Luton Town and Chelmsford City.
He died in 1991 at the age of 76, but has just been celebrated in the city of Stoke-on-Trent to coincide with the 90th anniversary of his deyet with the Potters. Sky Sports News exclusively revealed that he will be joining former players. of the team, his partner Matthews, 1966 World Cup winner Gordon Banks, and darts legend Phil “The Power” Taylor in the city’s Sports Hall of Fame.
The FA told Sky Sports News: “A significant number of players who represented England in wartime were decided because the matches were recognised as official internationals. “
But earlier this year, the FA presented a posthumous honorary cap to the family of former Plymouth footballer Argyle Jack Leslie, despite Leslie not getting the chance to play for England.
Leslie, who scored 137 goals for Argyle, England’s first black international footballer, in 1925 but was denied the opportunity to play for the country because of the colour of his skin.
Popularity came after much effort, from the campaign of Jack Leslie, who campaigned vehemently for a statue to be erected in honour of the former captain of the Plymouth Argyle. Leslie played over 400 games for the club.
A statue of Jack Leslie in his honor was unveiled last year outside Argyle’s Home Park. The honorary cap presented to Leslie’s family was unveiled last month at Plymouth Argyle, where it was displayed in the stadium’s Jack Leslie Convention Hall.
Matt Tiller, co-founder of the Jack Leslie campaign, Sky Sports News:
Just as Jack Leslie’s illustrious career at the club came to an untimely end after an eye injury in the winter of 1933, Frank burst onto the scene at Stoke City.
“Both pioneers, Jack denied the chance to play for his country because of the colour of his skin, while Frank represented England on several occasions.
“However, their stories are similar in one striking respect. Both were largely forgotten for decades.
“Frank’s skill earned him appearances for England in World War II, which meant his overseas career was ‘unofficial’.
“But his achievements are and deserve to be known everywhere. It’s time to recognise pioneers like Frank, especially when players of Asian descent continue to be underrepresented in our national football. “
Sanjay Bhandari, President of Kick It Out, Sky Sports News:
“It’s vital to celebrate those icons of our history and Frank is one of those icons.
“The hurdles that someone like him has to overcome to succeed in the game. That in itself is huge and should be celebrated.
“It’s part of a wider trend that we’re seeing that now celebrates players who played many years ago. We’ve noticed it with Plymouth Argyle and Jack Leslie, and it sends a very vital message to other people today: we’re not just here now, it’s been around for years.
“It would be [for Frank Soo to get an honorary England cap]. I happened to be at Wembley for the Ukraine game where the honorary England cap was handed to Jack Leslie, and that means enormously to the family and also to the clubs as a popularity for them too.
Frank so’s great-niece, Jacqui so, Sky Sports News:
“Frank will be recognizable with an England cap. But I’m not surprised it hasn’t happened before; just take a look at women’s football and what it took [after it was banned in England for 50 years until the early 1970s] to get there. “to where it is.
“My great-uncle Frank has played nine times for England and is still uncapped by the cap. He also made appearances in other war bands and played in front of massive crowds.
“Race has been a major factor in recent years. The representation of minorities in this country is very important. We’re a multiracial country with men and women playing sports, so we’re going to give Frank his cap.
“If you have an Asian and someone of Chinese descent, who played for England and can now play an international match for England, do you think what that would be like for children growing up?
“A cap for Frank can be an inspiration to many children. Let’s start with the popularity of Asian gamers with Frank. He played for England. Let him be the first and let’s move on. He’s a true pioneer. “
Alan Lau, co-founder and chairman of the Frank so Foundation, speaking to Sky Sports News:
“Frank So is a pioneer and an iconic figure, as he was the first Asian to form an English team, and the popularity of his achievements is long overdue.
“Frank is a pillar of football’s diverse ethnic communities. Other players have been recognized, but we have yet to see national popularity for any players of Asian descent.
“It’s time for Frank So’s family to get their English cap. “
Stoke City celebrated So’s career at bet365 last week, and the Cardiff native came precisely 90 years after his debut for the Potters, against Middlesbrough on November 4, 1933.
The club’s chief operating officer, Simon King, also joined through club legends George Berry, Dennis Smith and John Ruggiero in the civic rite to nominate him to the city’s Sports Hall of Fame a day early.
Stoke City boss Simon King told Sky Sports News:
“Frank’s induction into the Hall of Fame is a fitting tribute and a wonderful way to keep his story alive.
“Stoke City seeks to be as inclusive as possible with others from all walks of life, celebrating and welcoming diversity within our fanbase, network and club.
“Even all those years of his debut and career, Frank’s accomplishments remain an inspiration in this regard and his legacy should be loved and preserved. “
Cardiff had in-form full-back Perry Ng, who spoke exclusively to Sky Sports News about the opportunity ahead of the game.
Perry Ng, Cardiff City footballer Sky Sports News:
“It’s exciting to play for Cardiff City this weekend against our opponents, Stoke City, having been Frank’s club for most of his playing career.
“I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the Frank so Foundation on their paintings and on this historic weekend for the communities of East and Southeast Asia marking 90 years since Frank made his Football League debut for Stoke.
“As we know, Frank is the first player of Chinese or East Asian descent to play in the Football League and I am proud to follow in his footsteps, being of Singaporean descent myself. “
He went on to have a successful coaching career, taking charge of the Italian team Padua, coaching Norway at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki and earning the Swedish Allsvenskan name as coach of Djurgardens IF. He also controlled in England at Scunthorpe United and St. Petersburg. City of Albanians.
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