Ex-Files: Marlon Broomes
Starting out at Blackburn Rovers, Marlon Charles Broomes the sweeper arrived on the Ewood Park season with a great deal of promise. Having had a successful loan spell with Swindon Town, Broomes was deemed as ready to make the step up to feature for the Rovers first team.
His debut, funnily enough, came against Preston in a 6-0 League Cup win on 17th September 1997. During that season, Broomes went on to make a total of 5 appearances including 4 in the Premier League. Having then got his foot in the door, Broomes had an even more successful season the following year where he more than doubled his appearance tally from the year previous and was beginning to establish himself as a first team regular at Ewood.
The 1999/2000 saw Blackburn relegated to the First Division where Broomes was hoping to further cement his place in the team. However this was not to be the case and was instead used as a bit part player for the next two seasons and so was sent out on loan to Grimsby and QPR. Having not been able to get himself back in the contention with the Rovers first team, Broomes was later transferred to Sheffield Wednesday in 2001 having been released on a free.
Spending just under one year with the Owls, Broomes joined Preston North End on a free transfer having been released by Sheffield Wednesday where he made 20 appearances.
Broomes signed a three year contract for Preston where he went on to make 104 appearances for the club and enjoyed lengthy spells in the side, especially in the 2004/2005 season when Preston reached the play-off final under Billy Davies, only to be beaten by West Ham and a Bobby Zamora goal.
With Eddie Lewis leaving for pastures new, Preston were in need of a left sided midfielder and so a deal was arranged where Marlon Broomes went to Stoke and Lewis Neal came to Deepdale.
Whilst at the Britannia Stadium, the former Blackburn centre half who has been largely used as a left back since his Rovers days, never really managed to force his way into Tony Pulis' first team plans and only managed a total of 41 appearances for the Potters.
Broomes has recently joined Blackpool, Preston's bitter rivals and so should expect no favours when he returns to Deepdale this season.