Bromage: Henry (Harry)

1905-1911 (Leeds City Player Details)

Goalkeeper

Born: Derby: 17-05-1879

Debut: v Bradford City (a): 02-09-1905

5’10” 12st 8lb (1905)

After playing with Derby Constitutional, Bromage joined his home-town team, First Division Derby County, in October 1898. He made little headway as the Derby first-choice keeper of that time was Jack Fryer, who was a virtual ever-present for the six seasons from 1897-1903. He had made just five League appearances for the Rams in two seasons. He saw no future there and moved to Second Division Burton United in 1903. He began to make a reputation for himself and had played sixty-seven League games before the newly-elected Leeds City came along recruiting new players for their immanent entry to the Football League. He duly signed for Leeds in August 1905 and was between the posts when the club made its Football League debut at Valley Parade on 2nd September 1905. He was a reliable and almost permanent presence in the Leeds goal, making thirty-five of thirty-eight games in the League and six in the F.A. Cup in the 1905-06 season. Thirty-four of thirty-eight in the League and the only game in the F.A. Cup in the 1906-07, and the first ten of the 1907-08 season before giving way to Tom Naisby and only playing one further League game in that season. He was dropped after a 1-6 thrashing at the Basebakk Ground by Derby County on 19th October 1907, when he gave way to Tom Naisby, who had been signed from Sunderland. He was unable to get back into the first team on a permanent basis until the start of the 1909-1910 season, but when he did, he remained the regular choice until he left the club at the end of the 1910-1911 season. While a good and brave goalkeeper, he was often left exposed by a City defence, which leaked goals at an alarming rate. The papers of the day often told of his heroics between the posts, either saving the day, or keeping the score to a respectable level. "Bromage gave a really fine exhibition, and but for his clever goalkeeping the home team would have won by a larger margin," was just one of many typical quotes from a local newspaper after a 2-0 defeat at Bradford Park Avenue on 27th April 1909. He left, along with City reserve player Tommy Astill, to join Doncaster Rovers and, at that time, held the Leeds City record, with one hundred and forty-three, for League appearances. He had also made another nine appearances in the FA Cup. At Doncaster he joined his brother Billy, who was the Rovers’ Captain and played for them in the Midland League until joining Bentley Colliery in 1913, where he played until he retired. He came from a sporting family and apart from his brother Billy, who played nearly fifty League games for Gainsborough Trinity and Sheffield United before joining Non-League Doncaster Rovers, several other relatives also played football professionally. His Uncle Enos played most of his career with Derby Junction, but did played seventeen League games for Derby County before the turn of the century. This had inspired the young Harry Bromage to become a goalkeeper and try to emulate his Uncle. But he wanted to improve on his League fame, which hardly extended beyond the Rams’ Reserves. Enos Bromage Junior had no ambitions to become a goalkeeper but did make the grade as an Outside-Left, playing less than Forty League games in a seven year career, which saw service with Sheffield United, Derby County, Gillingham, West Bromwich Albion and Nottingham Forest. George Bromage also had five years professional experience as an Outside-Left. While his total League appearances were just five, with Sheffield United, he also was on the books of Derby County, Doncaster Rovers and Buxton. George Edward Bromage played three games with Doncaster Rovers as a goalkeeper in 1925 but had already played with Bentley Colliery and Barnsley, but not at senior level, and later saw service with Frickley Colliery and Scunthorpe United.