Sammy Brooks (footballer)

Samuel Ernest Brooks (28 March 1890 – 13 January 1960) was an English footballer who spent the majority of his career with Wolverhampton Wanderers. He played for the club in the 1921 FA Cup Final. After 13 years with Wolves, he joined Tottenham Hotspur in 1922, and later played for Southend United, Cradley Heath, and Kidderminster Harriers, before retiring in 1927.

Sammy Brooks

Personal information
Full name	Samuel Ernest Brooks
Date of birth	28 March 1890
Place of birth	Brierley Hill, England
Date of death	13 January 1960 (aged 69)
Place of death	Brierley Hill, England
Height	5 ft 2 in (1.57 m)
Position(s)	Winger
Youth career
	Brierley Hill Corinthians
	Brierley Hill Alliance
	Bilston United
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1909–1922	Wolverhampton Wanderers	224	(50)
1922–1924	Tottenham Hotspur	10	(1)
1924–1925	Southend United	12	(2)
Total		246	(53)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Career

Brooks was born in Brierley Hill, and played local non-league football before he joined Wolverhampton Wanderers in July 1909. He eventually made his debut on 11 April 1911, in a goalless draw with Bradford Park Avenue.[1] He made only sporadic appearances in his first few seasons before establishing himself in the 1912–13 season, as Wanderers posted a tenth-place finish in the Second Division. He finished the 1913–14 season as the club's top goalscorer with 11 goals. His best season came in 1914–15 when he missed just one game and scored 18 times, his best seasonal tally; the club pushed for promotion, but ended the campaign in fourth place.

During the war he guested for Birmingham, Port Vale and Coventry City.[2] He won a cap from his country in a Victory International in October 1919 and also represented the Football League against the Irish League. He returned to Molineux after the war, as the club struggled at the foot of the Second Division table in 1919–20 and 1920–21. Despite their poor league form, the club put together a series of results in the FA Cup and went on to reach the final. Brooks won a runners-up medal in the 1921 FA Cup Final after a 1–0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge. Their cup run proved to be a flash-in-the-pan, as they exited the cup in the First Round and continued to struggle in the league in 1921–22.

Brooks signed with Tottenham Hotspur in 1922, having scored 53 goals in 246 league and cup appearances in total for Wolves. However he struggled at White Hart Lane, and scored one goal in only ten First Division appearances in the 1922–23 and 1923–24 seasons.[3][4] He spent the 1924–25 campaign at Southend United, and scored two goals in 12 Third Division South appearances. He soon dropped into non-league with clubs such as Cradley Heath and Kidderminster Harriers, before retiring in 1927.

Statistics

Source:[5]

Club	Season	Division	League		FA Cup		Total
			Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Wolverhampton Wanderers	1910–11	Second Division	6	0	0	0	6	0
	1911–12	Second Division	14	1	4	2	18	3
	1912–13	Second Division	34	6	2	0	36	6
	1913–14	Second Division	32	11	3	0	35	11
	1914–15	Second Division	37	18	2	0	39	18
	1919–20	Second Division	34	6	3	0	37	6
	1920–21	Second Division	33	6	8	1	41	7
	1921–22	Second Division	34	2	0	0	34	2
	Total		224	50	22	3	246	53
Tottenham Hotspur	1922–23	First Division	7	1	0	0	7	1
	1923–24	First Division	3	0	0	0	3	0
	Total		10	1	0	0	10	1
Southend United	1924–25	Third Division South	12	2	0	0	12	2
Career total			246	53	22	3	268	8

Honours

Wolverhampton Wanderers

• FA Cup runner-up: 1921

References

• Matthews, Tony (2006). The Legends of Wolverhampton Wanderers. Derby: Breedon Books. ISBN 1-85983-518-X.

1. "Hero". wolvesheroes.com. Retrieved 16 December 2012.
2. Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 45. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
3. A-Z of Tottenham Hotspur players Retrieved 22 April 2009
4. Brooks' stats at Southend United Retrieved 22 April 2009
5. Sammy Brooks at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)