Teddy Roseboom

Edward Roseboom (24 November 1896 – 27 February 1980), commonly known as Teddy or Ted Roseboom, was a Scottish professional footballer who scored 45 goals from 189 Football League matches playing as an inside forward for Blackpool, Nelson, Clapton Orient, Rochdale and Chesterfield.[3] He began his career in junior football with Strathclyde, was on the books of Fulham and Cardiff City without appearing for their league side, played in the Southern League for Ton Pentre, and appeared for Midland League clubs Mansfield Town, Newark Town and Mexborough Athletic.[4]

Teddy Roseboom
Personal information
Full name Edward Roseboom[1]
Date of birth (1896-11-24)24 November 1896
Place of birth Govan, Scotland
Date of death 27 February 1980(1980-02-27) (aged 83)[1]
Place of death Kensington, England
Height 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)[2]
Position(s) Inside forward
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
Strathclyde
1919–1920 Fulham 0 (0)
1920–1921 Ton Pentre
Pontypridd
1921 Cardiff City 0 (0)
1921–1923 Blackpool 20 (2)
1923–1924 Nelson 12 (1)
1924 Clapton Orient 3 (0)
1924–1925 Rochdale 30 (4)
1925–1929 Chesterfield 124 (38)
1929–1930 Mansfield Town
1930–1931 Newark Town
1931–193? Mexborough Athletic
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Life and career

Early life and career

Roseboom was born in Govan, Lanarkshire, in 1896.[1] He played junior football with Strathclyde and worked as a telephone cable jointer.[5] During the First World War, he served with the Gordon Highlanders, married, and fathered a daughter.[5]

After demobilisation, he came to England and joined Fulham of the Football League Second Division. Although he never played for their league side, he earned himself a good reputation, and in the 1920 close season he signed for Ton Pentre of the Southern League's Welsh Section.[6] He scored regularly, including five goals in an 8–0 defeat of Llanelly,[7] and was selected in April 1921 for the Welsh Section's representative team to face their English counterparts.[8] A couple of weeks later, amid interest from established Football League clubs including Everton, he signed for Cardiff City, who were on the verge of promotion to the top flight.[9]

Not long afterwards, Roseboom was arrested and charged with neglect of his four-year-old daughter, who was living in Dunfermline with his estranged wife, by "failing to provide her with adequate food and clothing". Pointedly described by the Evening Telegraph's reporter as a "well-dressed young man", Roseboom pleaded guilty at Dunfermline Sheriff Court. His argument that a custodial sentence would be a "hardship upon him" by interrupting his football training did not impress the sheriff, who sentenced him to two months' imprisonment.[5] He returned to Cardiff, and appeared for their Welsh League side but not for the first team.[3][10]

The Football League

In December 1921, he was sold to Blackpool of the Second Division for an undisclosed fee.[11] He went straight into the league eleven for a draw with Bradford Park Avenue, and the Lancashire Daily Post's "Perseus" was complimentary: "Roseboom played football of a more collected and finished type. He has a sound eye for position, has more than one way of achieving the same end, and is not afraid to work the ball, and if I mistake not, he ought to be a distinct asset".[12] Despite the promising start, he never established himself as a regular selection, and in the 18 months that he spent with Blackpool he played 20 Second Division matches and scored twice.[3]

Listed for transfer at a fee of £150,[13] Roseboom joined Nelson in August 1923 for what was to be their only season in the Second Division. They were expecting "a craftsman who works good openings for others",[2] and Roseboom did indeed prove himself both creative and technically clever, but his workrate was not of comparable quality.[14] In February 1924, after twelve appearances and a single goal, Roseboom joined Clapton Orient in exchange for Harry Higginbotham.[15] He made a "sparkling display" on his first-team debut a month later, in a goalless draw at home to Southampton. The Athletic News' correspondent highlighted how "the newcomer played with great judgment, and he rarely gave Smith a poor pass, while the way he hooked the ball into the goalmouth was a lesson to some his colleagues."[16] He played twice more before being granted a free transfer and returning to Lancashire with Third Division North club Rochdale.[3][17]

For the first time in his Football League career, Roseboom was a regular first-team selection. He scored in a 3–2 win against Wigan Borough in the second match of the season and produced winning goals against Chesterfield in October and in the last minute of the match against Tranmere Rovers two weeks later.[18] He played in 30 of the 42 league matches, and scored four goals.[3] Nevertheless, he was placed on the transfer list,[19] and signed for another Northern Section club, Chesterfield.

Chesterfield

Roseboom started his Chesterfield career with their reserves in the Midland Combination, opening the scoring in a 2–2 draw away to Halifax Town's reserves,[20] and made his first-team debut against Bradford Park Avenue on 31 August, standing in at inside left for the injured Norman Whitfield.[21] When Whitfield returned to fitness Roseboom returned to the reserves, but after recovering from pleurisy to score four times in a 7–0 defeat of Doncaster Rovers' reserves,[22] he took over the inside-right position in the first team and held it to the end of the season. He scored 14 times in 42 appearances in league and FA Cup,[23] reaching double figures of goals in a season for the first time in his Football League career.[3] A highlight of his season was the 5–2 defeat of Hartlepools United, in which he scored twice in the first 12 minutes, struck the crossbar, and left the field to a "storm of applause";[24] according to the Sheffield Daily Telegraph, the first goal "was a masterpiece. He beat three opponents by delightful footcraft, and hooked the ball into the net with such speed that Cowell scarcely saw it."[25] When not scoring, he "contributed materially towards his team's success by his clever scheming and delightful passes" in support of the prolific Jimmy Cookson and others.[26]

Roseboom began the new season in fine form, scoring two "clever" goals, hitting the woodwork twice, and producing some "very pretty" scheming in a 5–1 win against Southport in mid-September,[27] but the after-effects of an injury sustained two weeks later meant he was in and out of the team for some months, and not fully fit while in it.[28] In December, he was dropped to the Midland Combination team for two matches, and submitted a transfer request.[29] Having returned to the league side, he was omitted again,[30] this time for a four-match spell, in March, but regained a place at inside left to accommodate Harold Roberts on the right and returned to form.[31][32] He finished the season with 12 goals from 36 appearances in league and FA Cup.[31]

He appeared only intermittently at the start of the 1927–28 season, and when dropped early in December as one of seven changes made to the team, did not return until April.[33][34] He made 18 appearances in league and FA Cup and scored four goals.[33] In Ollie Thompson's benefit match, played against Northern Nomads, Roseboom converted a penalty in unusual style: he "gently kicked the ball, and it lightly sailed over and dropped into the back of the net, apparently much to the surprise of the goalkeeper" – nearly 50 years before the original Panenka kick.[35]

Roseboom signed on for a fourth season with Chesterfield and resumed his status as a first-team regular. He scored in each of the first four matches, and took his total to eight from nine, including a last-minute winner away to his former club, Nelson. By Christmas, he had ten league goals and two in the FA Cup.[36][37] While out injured, he was tasked with watching their third-round opponents, First Division team Huddersfield Town;[38] Chesterfield lost the Cup tie 7–1.[36] Once fit and back in the side, he played regularly until the end of the season, apart from a bout of influenza in March.[39] His 15 goals from 37 matches took his totals for the club to 45 goals from 133 appearances in league and FA Cup over a four-year spell,[36] during which time he "built up a great reputation for cleverness and shrewd positioning".[40] After Chesterfield chose not to retain his services for a fifth season, the Sheffield Independent published a tribute to "an artist with the ball and a clever schemer" who had played a major part in the development of Cookson as a goalscorer, and suggested that the 1929 eleven would have had a good chance of promotion "if only they had had a centre forward who could have turned his true passes to account."[41]

Later life and career

Reigning Midland League champions Mansfield Town signed Roseboom on for the 1929–30 season.[40] He played regularly but was not retained,[42] spent the following season with another Midland League team, Newark Town,[43] and signed for yet another, Mexborough Athletic, in October 1931.[44] Roseboom still lived in Chesterfield while playing Midland League football, but when his career ended through injury in 1932, he left the area and went to work in the building industry in London.[41][45]

Roseboom died in Kensington, London, in 1980 at the age of 83.[1]

Career statistics
Source:[4]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Fulham 1919–20 Second Division000000
Cardiff City 1920–21 Second Division00—00
1921–22 Second Division00—00
Total 00—00
Blackpool 1921–22 Second Division701081
1922–23 Second Division13200132
Total 20210212
Nelson 1923–24 Second Division12120141
Clapton Orient 1923–24 Second Division30—30
Rochdale 1924–25 Third Division North30420324
Chesterfield 1925–26 Third Division North3913314214
1926–27 Third Division North339233512
1927–28 Third Division North18311194
1928–29 Third Division North3413323715
Total 124389713345
Career totals 1894514720352

References
  1. "1921–2018". CFCHistory.com. Stuart Basson. 5 May 2018. Retrieved 20 September 2019.
  2. "New forward for Nelson". Burnley News. 1 August 1923. p. 2.
  3. Joyce, Michael (2004). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: SoccerData. p. 227. ISBN 978-1-899468-67-6.
  4. "Player search: Roseboom, E (Teddy)". English National Football Archive. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
  5. "Neglect of his child at Dunfermline. Fulham footballer's war wedding". Evening Telegraph and Post. Dundee. 1 July 1921. p. 3.
  6. "Ton Pentre". Sports Special. Sheffield. 17 July 1920. p. 3.
  7. "Southern League. An orgy of goals at Ynys Park". Western Mail. Cardiff. 7 December 1920. p. 10.
  8. "Inter-league duels". Athletic News. Manchester. 4 April 1921. p. 4.
  9. "City's latest capture. Roseboom, of Ton Pentre, signed on". Western Mail. Cardiff. 23 April 1921. p. 5. Several leading English clubs, including Everton, had made unsuccessful overtures to secure Roseboom, and on Thursday offers from Bristol and Liverpool were turned down.
  10. "Welsh National League. Len Davies' five goals against County colts". Western Mail. Cardiff. 19 September 1921. p. 4.
  11. "Roseboom goes to Blackpool". Western Mail. Cardiff. 15 December 1921. p. 3.
  12. Perseus (19 December 1921). "Blackpool's grievance". Lancashire Daily Post. p. 4.
  13. "Football League meeting". Yorkshire Post. 9 July 1923. p. 4.
  14. "Seedhillites' success over Stoke". Burnley Express. 3 October 1923. p. 6. Roseboom did many clever things, often had his opponents guessing, and some of his passes were very brainy. What he wants is speeding up and more direct work in front of goal. A forward's duty, needless to spy, is in the forward position, and not languishing or lagging behind.
    "Boxing Day visitors". Derby Daily Telegraph. 24 December 1923. p. 2. Was first associated with Fulham, then found his way to Pontypridd, later played with Cardiff City, and then bobbed up at Blackpool; a gifted dribbler and ball juggler, but overdoes the embroidery work as most clubs have found.
    "Notes on sport. Football". Burnley Express. 9 February 1924. p. 10. If Roseboom would only follow up his work and keep in line with the advance when it is made, his position would be secure. He can control a ball, but hitherto his failings have been those of hanging back too far and not giving much evidence as a goal scorer.
  15. "Sporting notes and news". Daily Echo. Northampton. 23 February 1924. p. 7.
  16. "Clapton's recruit. The Orient yield point to the "Saints"". Athletic News. Manchester. 31 March 1924. p. 6.
  17. "The English League. Fixing transfer fees". Larne Times. 12 July 1924. p. 4.
  18. "Rochdale defeat Wigan Borough by a single goal". Yorkshire Post. 8 September 1924. p. 4.
    "Early chances missed". Sheffield Daily Telegraph. 13 October 1924. p. 10.
    "Rochdale recover. Beat Tranmere after being a goal down". Athletic News. Manchester. 3 November 1924. p. 6.
  19. "The transfer lists". Lancashire Daily Post. 7 May 1925. p. 5.
  20. "Midland Combination. Chesterfield force draw in last minute". Sheffield Daily Telegraph. 31 August 1925. p. 8.
  21. "Smelt to lead Chesterfield". Sheffield Daily Telegraph. 3 September 1925. p. 8.
  22. "Chesterfield's trial". Sheffield Daily Telegraph. 17 September 1925. p. 8.
    "Midland Combination. Chesterfield's seven goals against Doncaster". Sheffield Daily Telegraph. 21 September 1925. p. 6.
  23. "1925–6" (XLSX). CFCHistory.com. Stuart Basson. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
  24. "Roseboom's day". Athletic News. Manchester. 1 February 1926. p. 5.
  25. "Third Division. Chesterfield 'keeper's first miss in two years. The craft of Roseboom". Sheffield Daily Telegraph. 1 February 1926. p. 8.
  26. "New Brighton humbled. Chesterfield's excellent scoring record at Saltergate". Sheffield Daily Telegraph. 8 March 1926. p. 8.
  27. "Third Division. Cookson's seventh "hat-trick" for Chesterfield". Sheffield Daily Telegraph. 14 September 1926. p. 8.
  28. Argus (30 October 1926). "Chesterfield chat. Jim Cookson always a 'marked man'". Sports Special ("Green 'Un"). Sheffield. p. 2. Roseboom was handicapped through feeling the effects of the injury he received at Rotherham on September 25th ... Roseboom is clearly in need of a rest, so as to give him a chance of thoroughly recovering from the injury he received some weeks ago.
    "Barrow visit promotion candidates". Lancashire Daily Post. 12 November 1926. p. 9. Roseboom, their clever inside right, has not been fit for several weeks, but it is proposed to pick him in place of Ralphs
  29. "Roseboom's relegation. Chesterfield forward asks to be put on transfer list". Sheffield Daily Telegraph. 29 December 1926. p. 8.
  30. "Roseboom deposed". Sheffield Independent. 24 February 1927. p. 9. Roseboom has been dropped from the forward line, the directors having come to the conclusion that re-arrangement of the attack is necessary in order that some weight may be taken off Cookson.
  31. "1926–7" (XLSX). CFCHistory.com. Stuart Basson. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
  32. Argus (7 May 1927). "Chesterfield chat. Town residence a condition for re-signing". Sports Special ("Green 'Un"). Sheffield. p. 2. Roseboom has also latterly been moved across to inside-left to make way for Roberts. There was a time when the club looked like losing Ted's services, but in view of the return to form he has shown in recent months, mutual satisfaction has been felt that the threatened parting did not materialise.
  33. "1927–8" (XLSX). CFCHistory.com. Stuart Basson. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
  34. "Chesterfield to try Oxley". Sheffield Daily Telegraph. 30 September 1927. p. 10. The Chesterfield directors decided last night to bring in Bernard Oxley at inside-right to the exclusion of Roseboom, for the home game with Barrow.
    "Experiments fail. Chesterfield lucky to bring point from Ashington". Sheffield Daily Telegraph. 31 October 1927. p. 10. Chesterfield have had to make frequent changes in their team since the season began. The most recent of them, unfortunately, was the not very successful experiment of playing Thompson at inside-right in place of Roseboom.
    "Drastic Chesterfield changes". Sheffield Daily Telegraph. 9 December 1927. p. 10.
  35. "Miscellaneous". Derbyshire Times. 28 April 1928. p. 11. Chesterfield's third goal was scored by Roseboom, whose craft and resource in taking a penalty kick for a foul on Clayson, highly amused the crowd, and must have made the visitors' goalkeeper feel a perplexed man. When the ball was placed on the "spot" and the inside-right stepped back preparatory to getting in the customary little run, everybody anticipated a fast direct shot, particularly as he had previously forcibly struck the crossbar. But no, for once, the expected did not happen—Roseboom gently kicked the ball, and it lightly sailed over and dropped into the back of the net, apparently much to the surprise of the goalkeeper.
    "The cult of the Panenka penalty". FIFA. 25 June 2012. Retrieved 24 September 2019.
  36. "1928–9" (XLSX). CFCHistory.com. Stuart Basson. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
  37. "Well won victory. Chesterfield 'all out' against Nelson". Sheffield Daily Telegraph. 8 October 1928. p. 10.
  38. "Attraction at Chesterfield". Sheffield Independent. 29 December 1928. p. 10.
    "Chesterfield down. Attack too close against strong defence". Sheffield Daily Telegraph. 2 January 1929. p. 8. The team was the same as that which defeated Wrexham so decisively, Roseboom, who is still an absentee, being engaged in watching Huddersfield Town, their Cup opponents of Saturday week, against Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough.
  39. Salter (18 March 1929). "The stamp of champions. Bradford City's dash at Chesterfield". Sheffield Independent. p. 10.
  40. "Mansfield capture. Roseboom secured from Chesterfield". Nottingham Evening Post. 11 June 1929. p. 5.
  41. "World of sport". Sheffield Independent. 4 May 1929. p. 14.
  42. "Additions to Field Mill staff". Nottingham Evening Post. 12 May 1930. p. 5.
  43. "High hopes of Mansfield, Newark, Shirebrook and Wombwell". Sheffield Independent. 27 August 1930. p. 10.
  44. "Mexborough capture". Sheffield Independent. 23 October 1931. p. 10.
  45. Salter (1 March 1932). "Chesterfield outlook. Munday in infirmary". Sheffield Independent. p. 10.
    "Mainly about people". Derbyshire Times. 22 June 1945. p. 1.
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