'Trailblazing' England player gets posthumous honour

Frank Soo played for England nine times between 1942 and 1945

The first non-white footballer to play for England has been honoured at a special ceremony at Wembley Stadium.

Frank Soo, who was born in Buxton, Derbyshire, in 1914, played for his country nine times but as it was during World War Two, he was not awarded any official caps.

But ahead of England's game against Wales, his family were presented with an honorary cap to mark his achievements.

Jacqui Soo, 63, who can remember her great uncle visiting her home in Liverpool after he retired as a player, was at the presentation.

Jacqui Soo was presented with the honorary cap to mark her great uncle's achievements

"To use a football expression, I'm over the moon. I am very happy," she said. "It's just a shame that my dad is still not alive to see it."

The footballer, who had an English mother and a Chinese father, lived on Lightwood Road in Buxton.

He signed for Stoke City for £400 where he stayed for 12 years, playing alongside Sir Stanley Matthews.

He made his England debut on 9 May 1942 at Cardiff's Ninian Park and went on to play nine times for his country up to 1945.

After retiring as a player, Soo went into management and he coached the Norwegian national side at the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki.

"I think it needs to be recognised, just to give people from diverse backgrounds that story that there was somebody before you, that he was a trailblazer," said Ms Soo.

'Immense contribution'

His family were presented with the cap in one of the Wembley suite's ahead of the match.

Maxwell Min, lead project co-ordinator for the Frank Soo Foundation, said it had taken nearly a decade to make it happen.

"His was a household name back in the 30s and 40s yet it has remained largely forgotten for many years now, so we are trying to revive that legacy," he said.

Dal Darroch, head of diversity and inclusion strategic programmes at the FA, said: "Frank Soo's immense contribution to English football deserves lasting recognition.

"A player of great skill on the pitch, and of determination and resilience off it, his story lives on today."