Vintage Vinners

Just over a year older is Harry Baldwin who kept goal at the Goldstone on August 31, 1946 when life started returning to normal after seven years of improvised competition not to mention a world war.

That period may prompt a dwindling number of Albion fans to identify with Broomfield but an even older generation will perhaps remember the phoney war and when Des made his first team debut on December 30, 1939.

A few of the countless thousands who comprise followers of the club, fair weather or foul, may have a problem going back 62 years, but I reckon some will recollect what life was like then. It certainly bore no comparison to today's society and the football club wouldn't be recognisable with its wooden west stand and primitive facilities.

Des Broomfield was an amateur when given his baptism in what turned out to be an uproarious romp when Southampton were despatched 9-4 at the Goldstone before a crowd of just under 1,000.

Football then was conducted on a regional basis and down here at any rate had little appeal for a public with more important matters to think about.

The nation had just been given a boost by the German pocket battleship Graf Spee scuttling herself outside Montevideo harbour and all an 18-year-old Broomfield could think about was applying for a short service commission with the RAF. His academic qualifications on leaving Shoreham Grammar were good enough: a distinction in mathematics on passing the School Certificate but he was an outstanding games player and in particular a footballer of promise.

At least Charlie Webb, Albion's manager thought so and he gave Des his chance while other players were called up and fresh faces with nearby service units appeared on a guest basis. As the Albion old-stagers dominated that rout of Saints with hat-tricks apiece for Joe Wilson, Bobby Farrell and Jock Davie.

Des is the only player now living to have played in that match. He was happy to be on amateur forms and his career ambitions did not include becoming a pro with his local club although he had watched them from the North Stand since wearing short trousers. How he arrived at the Goldstone is a bit of a mystery. The most likely explanation Des can offer is that he accompanied Vic Saunders, also a Shoreham GS old boy who got the call.

"Vic was a bit older than me and a very good outside-left but I don't think he went on to play in the first team," said Des.

"I just went along with him and evidently somebody thought I might have something to offer. I hadn't left school long and I wanted to be an officer in the RAF and get my wings as a pilot. Most of the youngsters I knew wanted to be pilots. Then the system was scrapped and I volunteered and joined up as an AC2."

Des was working for a firm of accountants in Brighton and also played for Shoreham at wing half and inside forward. Vic Saunders was less fortunate. He was shot down and taken prisoner and died shortly after the end of the war.

"As a youngster I thoroughly enjoyed my football," added Des. "I liked a moving ball, that's what appealed about soccer and tennis rather than a stationary ball although after the war I took to golf. Brighton had some very good players before and just after the war. Bobby Farrell, whom I played alongside, was very useful so were Len Darling, Bert Stephens, Peter Trainor and Stan Willemse. Bert was a fine winger who could go round them all while Willemse was master of the sliding tackle and sometimes he took the man as well as the ball.

"I got on well with Bobby Farrell and also Jock Sim. I remember Bobby, who later took the Nevill hotel, was always joking."

It was Farrell who chaperoned Des in that bizarre game with Saints together with Ernie Marriott and the veteran Sam Cowan. Also keeping a watching brief on the new boy was Joe Wilson and Jack Stevens, a centre-half whom Des rated highly.

"I played on the wing and was frightened to death. I'd never played in that position before. I only ever scored one goal for the first team and that was a tap-in on the line. I shouldn't think anyone remembers me."

Before Des lined up for the goalless draw with Port Vale that kicked-off the post-war season, a lot of water in every sense of the word had passed under the bridge.

"Once in the RAF I volunteered for aircrew and applied for pilot training but that channel was blocked and I became a navigator. The one day of my life I'll never forget dawned very early in Tunisia."

Sergeant Broomfield was serving with Coastal Command and the Hudson crew were alerted that a submarine had been spotted on the surface. It was December 27, 1942.

"When the wake of the sub was spotted I took up my position in the nose of the aircraft and we made our approach. Then the sub opened fire and we replied from about 500 feet. Suddenly we were hit and I stopped one in the hand and soon became aware that my head was bleeding. I got back to my position at the chart table only for the blood to spill on to the maps and I passed out.

"I didn't know at the time that we had dropped our depth charges but the aircraft was in trouble and our pilot, who was very brave, did well to ditch. I dreamt I was drowning and as the plane settled in the water my crewmates pulled me to safety. But the inflatable dinghy didn't automatically release and our skipper dived back into the plane and got it to float. I was bitterly cold and in a poor way and things didn't look too good.

"One aircraft flew over but didn't see us and, with our last flare, we were spotted by a Walrus and picked up. The sub escaped. I'll never forget Pilot Officer Pugh who saved us. He was killed later."

Factfile.

Born: Hove, October 6, 1921.

Educated: Shoreham GS.

Albion:1939-40, and 1945-1948: appearances: 26; goals: 1.

Other clubs: Hastings United, Shoreham.