Geoff Coombes
Encyclopedia
Geoffrey "Jeff" Coombes (April 23, 1919 in Lincoln, Lincolnshire
, England
– December 5, 2002 in Rockledge, Florida
) was a U.S. soccer player who was a member of the U.S. team at the 1950 FIFA World Cup
.
, England where he was a multi-sport prep athlete. His club team went to the Berks & Bucks Minor Cup. Despite being offered a trial with Nottingham Forest F.C.
, he never played above the youth level in England. In 1935, he moved to the United States with his family.
which won the league title that year. In 1947, new ownership changed the team’s name to the Detroit Pioneers. The Pioneers finished fifth in the spring 1947 season. In the fall of 1947, the league folded and Coombes returned to the Chicago Vikings which now competed in the National Soccer League of Chicago. In 1948, the Vikings won the league title.http://www.sover.net/~spectrum/year/1948.html He remained with the Vikings through at least the 1950 season.
, he never entered a game.
Coombes was inducted, along with the rest of the 1950 U.S. World Cup team, into the National Soccer Hall of Fame
in 1976.
Lincoln, Lincolnshire
Lincoln is a cathedral city and county town of Lincolnshire, England.The non-metropolitan district of Lincoln has a population of 85,595; the 2001 census gave the entire area of Lincoln a population of 120,779....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
– December 5, 2002 in Rockledge, Florida
Rockledge, Florida
Rockledge is the oldest city in Brevard County, Florida, United States. The population was 20,170 at the 2000 census. As of 2008, the estimated population according to the U.S. Census Bureau is 24,747. It is part of the Palm Bay–Melbourne–Titusville Metropolitan Statistical...
) was a U.S. soccer player who was a member of the U.S. team at the 1950 FIFA World Cup
1950 FIFA World Cup
The 1950 FIFA World Cup, held in Brazil from 24 June to 16 July, was the fourth FIFA World Cup. It was the first World Cup since 1938, the planned 1942 and 1946 competitions having been canceled owing to World War II...
.
Youth
Coombes grew up in High WycombeHigh Wycombe
High Wycombe , commonly known as Wycombe and formally called Chepping Wycombe or Chipping Wycombe until 1946,is a large town in Buckinghamshire, England. It is west-north-west of Charing Cross in London; this figure is engraved on the Corn Market building in the centre of the town...
, England where he was a multi-sport prep athlete. His club team went to the Berks & Bucks Minor Cup. Despite being offered a trial with Nottingham Forest F.C.
Nottingham Forest F.C.
Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship...
, he never played above the youth level in England. In 1935, he moved to the United States with his family.
Playing career
Coombes played soccer in Michigan, gaining enough recognition to be selected to a Michigan All Star team in 1939.http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http://www.geocities.com/br1anmccoll/sfatour1939.htm&date=2009-10-25+13:54:01 While he served in the U.S. Army during World War II, he never deployed overseas. After the war, he returned to Michigan, settling in Detroit. In 1946, he joined the Chicago Vikings as they won the U.S. Open Cup.http://vikingsaa.com/history_1.html However, he did not play with the Vikings in the 1946 North American Soccer Football League season but joined the Detroit WolverinesDetroit Wolverines
The Detroit Wolverines were a 19th century baseball team that played in the National League from 1881 to 1888 in the city of Detroit, Michigan. In total, they won 426 games and lost 437, taking their lone pennant in 1887. The team was disbanded following the 1888 season.-Franchise...
which won the league title that year. In 1947, new ownership changed the team’s name to the Detroit Pioneers. The Pioneers finished fifth in the spring 1947 season. In the fall of 1947, the league folded and Coombes returned to the Chicago Vikings which now competed in the National Soccer League of Chicago. In 1948, the Vikings won the league title.http://www.sover.net/~spectrum/year/1948.html He remained with the Vikings through at least the 1950 season.
National team
While Coombes was selected to the U.S. roster for the 1950 FIFA World Cup1950 FIFA World Cup
The 1950 FIFA World Cup, held in Brazil from 24 June to 16 July, was the fourth FIFA World Cup. It was the first World Cup since 1938, the planned 1942 and 1946 competitions having been canceled owing to World War II...
, he never entered a game.
Non soccer career
When Coombes returned to Detroit after World War II, he was hired by the Palmer Bee Company. He later worked as a soccer promoter, a newspaper columnist and soccer league president.Coombes was inducted, along with the rest of the 1950 U.S. World Cup team, into the National Soccer Hall of Fame
National Soccer Hall of Fame
The National Soccer Hall of Fame is a private, non-profit institution established in 1979 that honors soccer achievements in the United States.-History:...
in 1976.