Edward Roseboom (24 November 1896 – 27 February 1980) 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. 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.
Life and career
Early life and career
Roseboom was born in Govan, Lanarkshire, in 1896. He played junior football with Strathclyde and worked as a telephone cable jointer. During the First World War, he served with the Gordon Highlanders, married, and fathered a daughter.
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. He scored regularly, including five goals in an 8–0 defeat of Llanelly, and was selected in April 1921 for the Welsh Section's representative team to face their English counterparts. 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.
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 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. He returned to Cardiff, and appeared for their Welsh League side but not for the first team.
The Football League
In December 1921, he was sold to Blackpool of the Second Division for an undisclosed fee. He went straight into the league eleven for a draw with Bradford Park Avenue, and the Lancashire Daily Post "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". 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.
Listed for transfer at a fee of £150, 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", and Roseboom did indeed prove himself both creative and technically clever, but his workrate was not of comparable quality. In February 1924, after twelve appearances and a single goal, Roseboom joined Clapton Orient in exchange for Harry Higginbotham. 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." He played twice more before being granted a free transfer and returning to Lancashire with Third Division North club Rochdale.
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. He played in 30 of the 42 league matches, and scored four goals. Nevertheless, he was placed on the transfer list, and signed for another Northern Section club, Chesterfield.