Daisy Cooper, MP for St Albans, has tabled a parliamentary motion celebrating the achievements of Frank Soo – the first football player of Asian descent to play for England and a former manager of St Albans City FC – and the Football Association’s decision to award him a posthumous England Cap.
Frank Soo played for England during the Second World War, during which time he also captained the RAF team. After this he continued onto an impressive football career, playing for a number of clubs and managing teams including our very own St Albans City FC.
In November of last year St Albans City FC held a match (as part of the National League South) against Chelmsford City – a club at which Frank Soo previously played – to celebrate his induction into The National Football Museum Hall of Fame. This was attended by his family, Daisy, and representatives of the Hertfordshire and Essex Football Association (FA).
However, his achievements as an England player and trailblazer in the sport have not, up until now, received official recognition given that FIFA do not recognise wartime matches.
As a result, the FA have now decided to award him a posthumous England Cap to recognise his immense contributions to the sport, which was presented to his family at Wembley stadium on 9 October 2025.
Daisy said:
“It was great to meet members of Frank Soo’s family last year at a St Albans City match against Chelmsford City, to discuss and remember his life and legacy.
“I’m really pleased to see him recognised and honoured for his legacy – in St Albans and beyond – through the award of this cap.”
The full parliamentary motion reads as follows:
“That this House celebrates the award of an honorary posthumous England Cap for Frank Soo by the Football Association, to his family and the Frank Soo Foundation; recognises that Frank Soo was the first player of Asian descent to play for England, making his debut against Wales in 1942, and that he went on to play for England a further eight times in addition to captaining the RAF team during the Second World War; regrets that, while Frank was one of the best footballers of his generation, that until now his story has often been forgotten; notes that because wartime matches aren’t internationally recognised by FIFA as official fixtures, the presentation of a posthumous honorary cap has allowed the Football Association the opportunity to acknowledge Frank as a trailblazer in English football; further notes that Frank was born in Derbyshire to a Chinese father and English mother, that he grew up in Liverpool and had a successful club football career including with Stoke City as captain, Leicester City and Luton Town; commends Frank’s success in his later career as manager at St Albans City, and as the 1952 Helsinki Olympics coach of the Norwegian national team; recognises how fitting the announcement of Frank’s honorary cap is during East and South East Asian heritage month, which celebrates the positive contributions these communities have had on the UK; and wishes Frank’s family and the Frank Soo foundation well for the presentation of the honorary cap on 9 October at Wembley Stadium.”
The Frank Soo Foundation is a non-profit organisation working to raise awareness of and honour Frank Soo’s legacy, as well as support community involvement in football and diversity and equality within the sport. You can find out more about their work here: https://www.thefranksoofoundation.org.uk/
Daisy at a match held at St Albans City to celebrate Frank Soo’s induction into The National Football Museum Hall of Fame, in November 2024.