During the Second World War he completed 500 flying hours in Royal Air Force Wellingtons and Lancasters, although he was never on a bombing mission.
Alongside the likes of England internationals Len Shackleton, Dickie Davis, Willie Watson and Wales' Trevor Ford, Broadis scored 27 goals in 84 Sunderland appearances.
"[8] In Sunderland's highest post war finish they ended up 1 point behind retaining champions Portsmouth and also runners up Wolves.
It was there Broadis gained his first England cap and wrote his first newspaper column thanks to the Manchester Evening News.
The team already included players like Jackie Milburn, Len White, Scotsmen Bobby "Dazzler" Mitchell and Frank Brennan and Welshman Ivor Allchurch.
Broadis did not play in the 3–1 final defeat of ex-club Man City, however, after a disagreement with trainer Norman Smith.
[2] Queen of the South, under Jimmy McKinnell Junior, signed Broadis to the Dumfries side for the last of his playing days in 1959.
With his passing ability and goal threat[11] Broadis clearly enjoyed his time at Queens, later saying, "The two seasons I spent at Palmerston Park were the best of my career'.
[2] With Jim Patterson and Bobby Black already at the club when Broadis arrived, they were joined by George Farm in February 1960.
[2] In his time at QoS he hit four goals on Boxing Day 1959 in a 7–1 home win over Queen's Park.
The consolation goal for Queen's Park was scored by future Aberdeen and Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson.
[14] Broadis earned fourteen caps for the England national football team, scoring eight goals.
In his three games against Scotland (twice against future Queen of the South team-mate George Farm), Broadis was unbeaten (two wins, one draw).
[2] On a tour of South America, Argentina v England was abandoned at 0–0 after 22 minutes due to a rain storm.
In reply, the speed, skill and movement of the Hungary 'Golden Team' featuring Ferenc Puskás, Sándor Kocsis, Zoltán Czibor, Nándor Hidegkuti and József Bozsik scored seven.
After the game, bewildered England centre half Syd Owen said, "It was like playing people from outer space".
Tom Finney commented of Broadis, "I remember when he had taken his boots off after the Budapest match, he warned everyone, "Don't touch them unless you're wearing gloves, they're red hot".
Broadis was thus also part of the first England team to play in the World Cup quarter finals.
[5] At the time of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Broadis was the oldest living England international footballer.