Players - Tom Bromilow

Tom Bromilow
Birthdate: 7 October 1894
Birthplace: Liverpool, England
Date of death: 4 March 1959
Other clubs: West Dingle, United West Dingle Presbyterians
Signed from: Local
Signed for LFC: 1919
International debut: 14.03.1921 vs. Wales
International caps: 5/0 - 24.10.1925
Liverpool debut: 25.10.1919
Last appearance: 03.05.1930
Debut goal: 24.01.1920
Last goal: 24.11.1928
Contract expiry: 1930
Win ratio: 42.93% W:161 D:101 L:113
Honours: League Championship 1921/22, 1922/23
Wartime games/goals: 1 / 0
League games / goals: 341 / 11
Total games / goals: 375 / 11

Player Profile

Bromilow who had just left the Army, asked Liverpool for a trial at the end of the World War I, a lucky catch if there ever was one as then Secretary George Patterson recalled, "I should think that it is one of the luckiest signings I have made." The club programme from 18 February 1920 noted that Bromilow had "not yet figured on the losing side with the Reds. In all he has taken part in fourteen engagements, including two cup ties which have resulted in ten victories and four drawn games, with a goal record in his side's favour of 23 and only five against. Bromilow's advent and McKinlay's retirement to full-back has proved a most judicious move in the re-arrangement of the club's resources." The team lost eventually with Bromilow playing two games later but had greatly improved finishing fourth after being as low as eighteenth in December.

Bromilow played in a total of 28 games during his debut season and would miss only five matches over the next three seasons, which included the club's third and fourth League Championships in successive seasons, 1921/22 and 1922/23. Bromilow played usually at left-half 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." Bromilow made his final appearance for the club at Blackburn on the last day of the 1929/30 season after an immensely successful career at the Reds. He was fondly remembered by Liverpool fans and a poll among them in 1939 revealed he came fifth when they were asked to name the best-ever Liverpool player.

Bromilow started his coaching career in the summer of 1930 in Amsterdam, Holland, which was an unusual place to start. In October 1932 he was appointed manager of Burnley who had been relegated to the Second Division two years earlier. The highlight of his time there being when the Clarets reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup in the 1933/34 season. Bromilow left in July 1936 for third division south's Crystal Palace after a series of mid-table finishes in the second tier of League football. Liverpool was never far from his thoughts and when the role of manager at Liverpool became vacant he applied with 51 others but George Kay was appointed in August 1936. Bromilow left the Eagles after only one season taking charge of Newport County in 1936/37, then returning to Palace, finishing runners-up in Third Division South before the outbreak of World War II. He managed Leicester City during the war, winning the League South title and Midland Cup. He returned to Newport for a couple of years, before joining Leicester again, this time as scout. Bromilow died suddenly on a train in Nuneaton on 4 March 1959 while scouting a cup game between Wrexham and Merthyr Tydfil for Leicester.
Appearances per season
Season League FA LC Europe Other Total
Totals 341 33 0 0 1 375
1919-1920 23 5 0 0 0 28
1920-1921 40 3 0 0 0 43
1921-1922 40 3 0 0 1 44
1922-1923 41 4 0 0 0 45
1923-1924 27 5 0 0 0 32
1924-1925 21 2 0 0 0 23
1925-1926 30 3 0 0 0 33
1926-1927 40 4 0 0 0 44
1927-1928 42 2 0 0 0 44
1928-1929 28 2 0 0 0 30
1929-1930 9 0 0 0 0 9
A more detailed look at the player's appearances
Apps Minutes Opponent
22 1980 Sunderland
20 1830 Bolton Wanderers
20 1800 Sheffield United
17 1530 Huddersfield Town
17 1530 Newcastle United
17 1530 WBA
17 1530 Everton
17 1530 Arsenal
16 1440 Blackburn Rovers
16 1440 Burnley
15 1350 Birmingham City
15 1350 Manchester United
14 1260 Aston Villa
14 1260 Cardiff City
13 1170 Manchester City
11 990 Tottenham
11 990 Middlesbrough
10 900 Preston North End
9 810 Derby
9 810 West Ham United
8 720 Chelsea
8 720 Bury
7 630 Oldham Athletic
7 630 Sheffield Wednesday
6 540 Leeds United
5 450 Southampton
5 450 Bradford City
5 450 Leicester City
4 360 Notts County
4 360 Portsmouth
3 270 Nottingham Forest
2 180 Bournemouth
2 180 Stoke City
2 180 Bradford Park Avenue
2 180 Gateshead
1 90 Darlington
1 90 Luton Town
1 90 Southport
1 90 Fulham
1 90 Wolves
Total Venue
190 Away
184 Home
1 Neutral
Total Competition
341 League
33 FA Cup
1 Charity Shield
Total W D L Win % Manager
176 67 46 63 38.1% Matt McQueen
132 69 37 26 52.3% David Ashworth
51 13 14 24 25.5% George Patterson (2nd term)
14 10 4 0 71.4% Caretaker Manager
2 2 0 0 100% George Patterson
Goals per season
Season League FA LC Europe Other Total
Totals 11 0 0 0 0 11
1919-1920 1 0 0 0 0 1
1920-1921 0 0 0 0 0 0
1921-1922 2 0 0 0 0 2
1922-1923 3 0 0 0 0 3
1923-1924 0 0 0 0 0 0
1924-1925 0 0 0 0 0 0
1925-1926 1 0 0 0 0 1
1926-1927 0 0 0 0 0 0
1927-1928 3 0 0 0 0 3
1928-1929 1 0 0 0 0 1
1929-1930 0 0 0 0 0 0
A more detailed look at the player's goalscoring
Wartime Appearances / Goals
Season Appearances Goals
1918-1919 1 0
Milestone Appearances
# Date Against Stadium Competition
1 25.10.1919 Burnley Turf Moor League
50 01.01.1921 Aston Villa Villa Park League
100 28.01.1922 WBA Anfield FA Cup
150 17.03.1923 Manchester City Hyde Road League
200 18.10.1924 Sheffield United Anfield League
250 30.08.1926 Aston Villa Villa Park League
300 01.10.1927 Portsmouth Anfield League
350 24.11.1928 The Wednesday Hillsborough League
Milestone Goals
# Minute Date Against Stadium Competition
1 57 24.01.1920 Bolton Wanderers Burnden Park League
Related Articles
Mr Bromilow's Phosferine Advert

Dating from circa 1920, this advert for Phosferine features a quote from Tom Bromilow.

Related Quotes

"He was a seriously cultured player and a great signing because we signed him for nothing after he literally just knocked on the door one day. I just love his story!"

Liverpool FC museum curator Stephen Done on Tom Bromilow

"His signature was obtained in the strangest manner. He came to the ground in uniform during the war and asked for a game. I asked George Fleming, who was in charge of the second team then, how he was fixed and he said he could do with another player, Bromilow played at outside right and was an instant success. When the war ended he signed as a professional. Eventually he took his place in the first team when Lacey was playing an international match for Ireland. I should think that it is one of the luckiest signings I have made."

George Patterson on Tom Bromilow

"Quite a good impression was created by the local lad Bromilow at right half-back; it was asking a great deal of him to place him against such a clever pair as Lindsay and Mosscrop, but he came out of the ordeal with distinct credit."

Tom Bromilow made his debut on 25 October 1919 at Burnley's Turf Moor. Liverpool won 2-1. From the club programme's report.

Scrapbook
An own goal and a penalty decide FA Cup replay on 12 January 1938 against Bromilow's Palace
An own goal and a penalty decide FA Cup replay on 12 January 1938 against Bromilow's Palace
Bromilow was a real derby winner (sketch) - October 1934
Bromilow was a real derby winner (sketch) - October 1934