For many football fans, ‘The Bogotá Affair’ is a reference to the arrest – and later release and complete exoneration – of England captain, Bobby Moore, on suspicion of stealing a bracelet before the 1970 World Cup.
However, 20 years before, the phrase had a different meaning, which was associated with another England captain, Stoke City’s Neil Franklin (1922-96).
In May 1950 Franklin was one of seven British footballers offered lucrative contracts to play in Colombia. The others were: George Mountfield (also of Stoke), Charlie Mitten (Manchester United and father of Leicester City’s John Mitten), Billy Higgins (Everton), Roy Paul (Swansea Town) and Jack Hedley (Everton). Hearts’ Bobby Flavell also went while Jock Dodds of Lincoln City acted as an agent on behalf of Colombian clubs.
Why did they go to a country on the other side of the world to play football?
Firstly, English footballers were becoming increasingly resentful of their working conditions in the form of the maximum wage and the retain-and-transfer system. At a time when attendances had reached record levels, footballers were restricted to a £12 weekly wage and any desire to move to another club was at the whim of directors.
Secondly, in 1950 Colombia had entered its second year of civil war, which created instability within Colombian football. While the Colombian FA was affiliated to FIFA its professional league was not, opening up a financial opportunity to induce foreign players to break their contracts. Importantly, Colombian clubs were able to sign players without having to pay a transfer fee. Most were recruited from Argentina, including Alfredo di Stefano who joined Millionarios.
Franklin claimed that his club, Santa Fé of Bogotá, offered him a £1,500 signing on fee, which compared to the then £10 in the Football League, plus a monthly wage of £150 plus bonuses. Charlie Mitten’s total annual income was £5,000 and he claimed he made more in one year than in all his 14 years as a professional.
Although it was easy to see why footballers were attracted, moving to a foreign country of which most Britons knew very little about brought its own problems, such as the language and getting the family settled. Yet the standard of living was relatively high, compared to Austerity Britain. In the end Franklin only stayed two months and played six games. He followed his pregnant wife back to Britain, reneging on his promise to return to Colombia following the birth of their child.
Reaction amongst the public and the press was mildly sympathetic. The football authorities predictably took a different view, and Mountfield, Mitten, Franklin and Higgins received lengthy bans. Franklin later resumed his career with Hull, but never played for England again.
In an ironic twist of fate, Mitten was later the manager of Newcastle when it denied George Eastham a transfer. In 1963 Eastham successfully sued the club and it eventually led to the end of the retain-and-transfer system; the same one that Mitten and Franklin had secretly travelled to Bogotá to avoid.