A pupil at Shoreham Grammar School, Des Broomfield arrived at the Goldstone as a sixteen-year-old amateur in 1938 and appeared briefly for the club during the war, making his entry into the senior team in a 9-4 defeat of Southampton in December 1939. He spent most of the war years in the R.A.F., attaining commissioned rank, but returned to the Albion in 1946 upon his release from the Forces, and made his peacetime debut as an amateur on the right wing in the initial post-war League fixture.
Signed as a part-time professional in January 1947, Des sub-sequentially played in both wing half berths before being released to join Hastings United during the close season of 1948. He later signed for Shoreham, where he played a major role in the “Musselmen’s” County League championship successes of 1951-52 and 1952-53.
Des played 26 matches for the Seagulls between 1938 and 1948 scoring 1 goal.