Eric Brook
Encyclopedia
Eric Fred Brook was an English footballer
who played in the outside left position. He is the all time record goalscorer for Manchester City
in all competitions and was an England international. Brook was a muscular player with 'one of the fiercest shots in pre-war football' and was a good penalty taker. Brook is regarded as one of Manchester City's and England's greatest ever players He has been described 'as a brilliant roving
forward for Manchester City and England' and 'one of the great names of British soccer'.
town of Mexborough
in 1907. After playing amateur football for Wath Athletic, Brook began his professional football career with nearby Barnsley
, playing in the outside left position. Brook has been described as an 'unorthodox' outside left 'with a licence to roam'. Brook treated the left wing as 'a home to look in on'. Brook could play anywhere on the pitch if the need required, including in goal. He replaced an injured goalkeeper on at least three occasions over the course of his career. One such game in which he played in goal was when Manchester City played Chelsea
. The then City goalkeeper Frank Swift
claimed that 'before helping to tuck the blankets over me (on the stretcher) Brookie had pulled my jersey off-about two sizes too big for him- and was ready to keep goal'. Brook played 78 times for Barnsley and scored 18 goals. His performances provoked interest from teams in the First Division.
were transferred to Manchester City for a combined fee of £6,000, the pair making their debuts on 17 March against Grimsby Town
. Brook and Tilson joined a strong forward line at the club that included two England internationals in Tommy Johnson, Billy Austin
and Frank Roberts. The team also included the England international centre half Sam Cowan
and the Scotland
captain Jimmy McMullan
. Brook scored his first goal for his new team in a 5–3 victory against Clapton Orient
. Frank Roberts scored a hat trick in this game. In his first season for Manchester City Brook played 12 times and scored two goals helping the team to earn promotion to the First Division.
In the 1928–29 football season he made 42 appearances and scored 14 times. His team mate, Tommy Johnson, scored a club record of 38 league goals that season. Brook's 'workmanlike' club form earned him a call up to the England
in 1929 and he made his first appearance for his nation against Ireland. Brook was part of a strong England forward line which included Middlesbrough
's George Camsell
, Leicester City
's Hugh Adcock
and Ernie Hine
and Birmingham City
's Joe Bradford
. England won the match by three goals to nil with two goals from George Camsell
and one from Ernie Hine
. Brook went on to play for England a total of 18 times, scoring 10 goals. He may have played more times for his country but faced competition from Arsenal
's Cliff Bastin
. However, the versatility of both players meant that they often played together for England, usually with Bastin playing in the inside left position. Despite the rivalry, Brook and Bastin were in the latter's words 'always the greatest of friends'. The only players to have scored more goals for England, prior to the second world war, who did not play in the centre forward or inside forward positions were Cliff Bastin
and Charles Bambridge
. Only twelve players in total scored more goals for England than Brook prior to the second world war. In addition to playing eighteen times for England, Brook often competed in trial matches for the Rest of England against the national team.
In the 1929–30 football season Brook helped Manchester City to third in the league. The City team had been strengthened by the acquisition of the outside right Ernie Toseland
and the wing half Matt Busby
. In the 1930–31 football season City bought the prolific Scottish centre forward Dave Halliday
from Arsenal
as a replacement for Tommy Johnson. Despite this Brook was the club's top scorer that season with 16 goals. He was also the club's top scorer in the 1935–36 football season. He often played in the centre forward position for his club and has been compared to Don Revie
in this position. Revie was a deep lying centre forward in the Nandor Hidegkuti
mould and Brook roamed the pitch in a similar manner when adopting this position. His passing ability enabled him to play in the position with aplomb. In the 1931–32 season the City team, which now included the Scottish centre forward Alec Herd
, managed to reach the semi-final of the FA Cup but were defeated by Arsenal
by 1–0 with a goal from Brook's England team mate Cliff Bastin
. Brook had scored a brace in a 6–1 demolition of Brentford
in the fourth round of that year's competition. Greater success for Manchester City in the FA Cup would follow in subsequent seasons.
Brook played in consecutive FA Cup
finals in the mid 1930s, collecting a winners medal on the second occasion. In the 1933 FA Cup Final
he was part of the Manchester City team that was defeated three goals to nil by Everton
, who were captained by his England team mate Dixie Dean
. The Everton team also included former City player Tommy Johnson. Brook was in fine form in that year's competition, scoring two against Walsall
in the fourth round and a hat-trick against Bolton Wanderers
in the fifth round. In the semi-final against Derby County
he set up two goals in a 3–2 victory. For the first goal, he 'beat international full-back Cooper
and centred for right winger Toseland
to score from close range'. He then 'lobbed beautifully for Tilson to run between two defenders and head the second The third goal was scored by Jimmy McMullan
. Brook was the first player to wear the number 12 shirt in an FA Cup final as Everton wore 1–11 and City wore 12–22. In the 1934 FA Cup Final Brook set up the winning goal, which was scored by his friend Fred Tilson, to earn City a 2–1 victory over Portsmouth
. Brook had scored a 'wonder goal' in front of a record crowd of 84,569 against Stoke City
in the sixth round of that years competition. According to Gary James, 'many fans from the 1930s claimed it was the greatest City goal ever scored at Maine Road
'. The FA Cup winning City team included goalkeeper Frank Swift
and left half Jackie Bray
, who would both emulate Brook by going on to appear for England.
In the 1934 British Home Championship
, Brook scored in every one of England's matches. England came second that year to Wales
, who had defeated them 2–1 with goals from Dai Astley
and Thomas Mills. Brook also scored once for the Rest of England in a 7–1 victory in a trial match against the England team (which included Wilf Copping
and Cliff Bastin
) at Roker Park
in March 1934. Raich Carter
scored four of the other goals and Bobby Gurney
scored twice. Ken Willingham
scored England's goal. In Sunderland 'the scoreline became more popularly known as England 1 Sunderland 6' as 6 of the rest's goals were scored by Sunderland players.
In the same year, Brook was involved in the famous Battle of Highbury
international against the world champions Italy
. The England team had not competed in the 1934 World Cup and were considered, in England, to be the real world champions. Seven of the eleven players who played for England that day played for Arsenal (Frank Moss
, George Male
, Eddie Hapgood
, Wilf Copping
, Ray Bowden
, Ted Drake
and Cliff Bastin
). Brook, Cliff Britton
, Jack Barker
and a young Stanley Matthews
were the other four England players. The only other occasion when seven players from the same club have been on the pitch for England was in a game in 2001 when seven Manchester United
players appeared against Albania
(though two of the United players, namely Teddy Sherringham and Wes Brown
, had come on as substitutes). Jack Barker
purportedly commented to Brook before the game 'You've got to take off your hats to these Arsenal players. If one of us were to drop out, another Arsenal man would step in'. In the match Brook and Bastin caused the Italians 'an infinite amount of trouble by their passing and quick shooting'. Brook missed a penalty in the match but redeemed himself by scoring two goals to help England to a 3–2 victory. He scored his first goal by heading the ball past Carlo Ceresoli
after a precise cross from Stanley Matthews. He scored his second goal of the game from a free kick which Stanley Matthews described as being like a 'thunderbolt'. England's third goal was scored by Arsenal
's Ted Drake
. Italy's two goals came in the second half and were both scored by Giuseppe Meazza
. Stanley Matthews remembered the game as the most violent that he had been involved in, in his long career. Brook finished the first half with a broken arm while Drake had two black eyes. After the game, Brook 'returned to Manchester with his arm in a sling'. Brook is only one of four England players to have scored more than one goal in a game against Italy, the others being Mick Channon
, Gerry Hitchens
and Tom Finney
.
In the 1934–35 football season Brook scored 17 goals and City finished fourth in the league, ten points behind champions Arsenal
. In the 1935 British Home Championship
Brook scored once and Tilson scored twice for England in a 4–0 victory against Wales
at Ninian Park
. England won the Home Championship that year despite suffering a 2–0 defeat against Scotland
. Brook was one of three City players who appeared for England against Wales
and then Ireland, the other two being Jackie Bray
and Fred Tilson
. This would not occur again until 1972 when Colin Bell
, Francis Lee
and Rodney Marsh
all played for England against West Germany. This record was emulated in 1976, when Joe Corrigan
, Mike Doyle and Joe Royle
played for England against Italy
(a game which England won 3-2) and in 1978 when Joe Corrigan
, Peter Barnes
and David Watson played for England in a 1-1 draw against Brazil
. The record was surpassed in 2010 when six Manchester City players (Joe Hart
, Joleon Lescott
, Gareth Barry
, James Milner
, Shaun Wright-Phillips
and Adam Johnson) appeared in a 3-1 victory against Switzerland
. Brook also scored for the Rest of England in a trial match against the national team in March 1935. The result was a 2–2 draw, with Ted Drake
scoring a brace for England and Bobby Gurney
scoring the other goal for the rest.
In the following season, Brook was Manchester City's top scorer with 13 goals. Matt Busby
and Sam Cowan
had left the City team in this season but Sam Barkas
had been brought in from Bradford City. City's forwards had had an unsuccessful season and the team finished ninth in the league. Peter Doherty
was bought from Blackpool
to address the lack of goals. Doherty had an immediate impact on the team. Doherty scored two goals and Brook scored a hat trick as City defeated Bolton Wanderers
7–0 in March of that season. In the British Home Championship of 1936, Brook and Matthews both scored once and Tilson scored twice in a 3–1 victory over Ireland at Windsor Park
. In the game against Scotland
, Brook was part of a England forward line which included Sammy Crooks
, Bobby Barclay
, George Camsell
and Cliff Bastin
. The result was a 1–1 draw, with Camsell scoring his sixteenth goal for England. The draw meant that Scotland
won the championship that season. In the same year, Brook scored in the 6–2 demolition of Hungary
. Ted Drake
scored a hat-trick and Raich Carter
and Cliff Britton
scored the other goals.
In the 1936–37 football season Brook was an ever present in the first Manchester City side to win the League Championship
. The team went on an unbeaten run after Christmas
, winning 14 times and drawing 6 games. The championship was won at Maine Road
with a 4–1 victory over Sheffield Wednesday
. Brook scored the first of his two goals in this game with a 'sizzling drive' which was described by one report as 'not so much a goal as a piece of forked lightning'. Brook scored 20 goals in this season and was the club's second highest scorer behind Peter Doherty
who scored 30. He was also the highest scoring winger in the league that season. In the 1938 British Home Championship Brook played alongside City team mate Sam Barkas
in a 5–1 victory over Ireland. Brook's goal in the 75th minute was to be the last for his national team. The other goals were scored by George Mills
(who scored a hat trick) and Willie Hall
. Brook made his final appearance for England in a 2–1 victory over Wales
. England won the championship that season.
In the 1937–38 football season Brook was part of the City team that were relegated from the First Division despite scoring more goals than any other team. Brook scored 16 goals that season. Brook made his last appearance for Manchester City in the 1939–40 football season. He scored his last goal for City in a 6–1 victory against Wrexham in the Western Regional League in 1939, the Second World War having disrupted the normal league programme. In over eleven years with Manchester City, Brook scored 178 goals in 494 appearances, making him the all-time highest Manchester City goalscorer, ahead of Tommy Johnson who scored 166 in all competitions and Colin Bell
who scored 152 goals in all competitions. Only five players have appeared for Manchester City more times than Eric Brook: Alan Oakes
, Joe Corrigan
, Mike Doyle, Bert Trautmann
and Colin Bell
. Of the 157 league goals Brook scored for City, 145 were scored in the first division. The only left wingers to have scored more goals in the top flight of English football are Cliff Bastin
who scored 150 and Grenville Morris
who scored 153. The highest scoring right winger in the history of the top flight is Tom Finney
who scored 164 goals for Preston North End
. Only 91 players have scored more goals than Brook in the top division of English football.
and South Africa
in 1939. In the match against Wales, Brook played alongside his Manchester City team mates Frank Swift
and Bert Sproston
. The England team also included Joe Mercer
who would go on to manage Manchester City in the 1960s. In 1940, Brook was selected to represent England in a wartime international against Scotland
. Whilst travelling to the match, he and Sam Barkas
were involved in a car crash. Brook suffered a fractured skull. Brook and Barkas were replaced in the England team by Joe Richardson
and the Scottish International Tommy Pearson
. As a consequence of his fractured skull, Brook was unable to head a ball and decided to retire from football. His England team mates Frank Swift
, Raich Carter
, Stanley Matthews
, Cliff Bastin
and Tommy Lawton
were able to continue their careers after the war. In contrast Brook became a coach driver in his home town of Mexborough. Later in his life he also spent time working as a publican in Halifax
, and as a crane operator. He died at home in Wythenshawe
in March 1965.
, Tommy Johnson, Sam Cowan
, Fred Tilson
, Frank Swift
, Peter Doherty
, Roy Clarke
, Bert Trautmann
, Ken Barnes
, Roy Paul
, Alan Oakes
, Neil Young, Mike Summerbee
, Colin Bell
, Tony Book
, Francis Lee
, Joe Corrigan
, Paul Lake
, Niall Quinn
and Uwe Rosler
. In 1977 the Manchester City Council named eleven streets in a new estate in Moss Side
after famous City players including Brook, Frank Swift
, Fred Tilson
, Sam Cowan
, Horace Barnes
, Max Woosnam, Tommy Browell
, Jimmy McMullan
, Sam Cookson, Billy Meredith
and Tommy Johnson. He is listed as the eighth greatest ever City player on the Times
website and seventh in Ian Penney's book The Essential History of Manchester City.
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
who played in the outside left position. He is the all time record goalscorer for Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
in all competitions and was an England international. Brook was a muscular player with 'one of the fiercest shots in pre-war football' and was a good penalty taker. Brook is regarded as one of Manchester City's and England's greatest ever players He has been described 'as a brilliant roving
forward for Manchester City and England' and 'one of the great names of British soccer'.
Early life
Brook was born in the YorkshireYorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
town of Mexborough
Mexborough
Mexborough is a town in the metropolitan borough of Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England, situated on the north bank of the River Don west of its confluence with the River Dearne...
in 1907. After playing amateur football for Wath Athletic, Brook began his professional football career with nearby Barnsley
Barnsley F.C.
Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's...
, playing in the outside left position. Brook has been described as an 'unorthodox' outside left 'with a licence to roam'. Brook treated the left wing as 'a home to look in on'. Brook could play anywhere on the pitch if the need required, including in goal. He replaced an injured goalkeeper on at least three occasions over the course of his career. One such game in which he played in goal was when Manchester City played Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
. The then City goalkeeper Frank Swift
Frank Swift
Frank Victor Swift was an English footballer, who played as a goalkeeper for Manchester City and England. After starting his career with local clubs near his home town of Blackpool, in 1932 he was signed by First Division Manchester City, with whom he played his entire professional career.Swift...
claimed that 'before helping to tuck the blankets over me (on the stretcher) Brookie had pulled my jersey off-about two sizes too big for him- and was ready to keep goal'. Brook played 78 times for Barnsley and scored 18 goals. His performances provoked interest from teams in the First Division.
Manchester City
In 1928 Brook and team mate Fred TilsonFred Tilson
Samuel Frederick "Fred" Tilson was an association football player for Manchester City and England. He was born in Swinton, South Yorkshire. He was part of the City team that won both the FA Cup and the League Championship in the 1930s...
were transferred to Manchester City for a combined fee of £6,000, the pair making their debuts on 17 March against Grimsby Town
Grimsby Town F.C.
Grimsby Town Football Club is an English football club based in the seaside town of Cleethorpes, in North East Lincolnshire, England, who compete in the Conference National. They were formed in 1878 as Grimsby Pelham and later became Grimsby Town...
. Brook and Tilson joined a strong forward line at the club that included two England internationals in Tommy Johnson, Billy Austin
Billy Austin
Sidney William 'Sam' Austin was a footballer who played professionally for Norwich City, Manchester City and Chesterfield....
and Frank Roberts. The team also included the England international centre half Sam Cowan
Sam Cowan
Samuel Cowan was an English football player and manager. A relative latecomer to the sport, Cowan did not play football until he was 17 and was 22 by the time he turned professional...
and the Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
captain Jimmy McMullan
Jimmy McMullan
Jimmy McMullan was a Scottish football player and manager. McMullan won 16 Scotland caps as a player at half-back and was part of the famous "Wembley Wizards" side of 1928.-Early life:...
. Brook scored his first goal for his new team in a 5–3 victory against Clapton Orient
Leyton Orient F.C.
Leyton Orient F.C. are an English professional football club in East London. They currently play in Football League One and are known to their fans as the O's.Leyton Orient have spent one season in the top flight of English football, in 1962–63...
. Frank Roberts scored a hat trick in this game. In his first season for Manchester City Brook played 12 times and scored two goals helping the team to earn promotion to the First Division.
In the 1928–29 football season he made 42 appearances and scored 14 times. His team mate, Tommy Johnson, scored a club record of 38 league goals that season. Brook's 'workmanlike' club form earned him a call up to the England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
in 1929 and he made his first appearance for his nation against Ireland. Brook was part of a strong England forward line which included Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
's George Camsell
George Camsell
George Henry Camsell was an English football player, most notably for Middlesbrough.Born in Framwellgate Moor, Durham City in 1902, Camsell played for Durham City before signing for Middlesbrough on 6 October 1925 for the sum of £500. His debut was against Nottingham Forest on 31 October 1925...
, Leicester City
Leicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
's Hugh Adcock
Hugh Adcock
Hugh "Hughie" Adcock was an English footballer.-Career:-Club:Adcock played for Ravenstone United, Coalville Town, Loughborough Corinthians Bristol Rovers, Folkestone and Ibstock Penistone Rovers and most famously Leicester City.He made his debut for Leicester on the same day as club record...
and Ernie Hine
Ernie Hine
Ernest "Ernie" William Hine was a professional footballer, who played for Barnsley, Leicester City, Huddersfield Town and Manchester United....
and Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
's Joe Bradford
Joe Bradford
Joseph "Joe" Bradford was an English professional footballer who played as a centre forward. Born in Peggs Green, near Coalville, Leicestershire, Bradford made nearly 450 appearances for Birmingham in all competitions, scoring 267 goals...
. England won the match by three goals to nil with two goals from George Camsell
George Camsell
George Henry Camsell was an English football player, most notably for Middlesbrough.Born in Framwellgate Moor, Durham City in 1902, Camsell played for Durham City before signing for Middlesbrough on 6 October 1925 for the sum of £500. His debut was against Nottingham Forest on 31 October 1925...
and one from Ernie Hine
Ernie Hine
Ernest "Ernie" William Hine was a professional footballer, who played for Barnsley, Leicester City, Huddersfield Town and Manchester United....
. Brook went on to play for England a total of 18 times, scoring 10 goals. He may have played more times for his country but faced competition from Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
's Cliff Bastin
Cliff Bastin
Clifford Sydney Bastin was an English football player.Born in Heavitree near Exeter, Bastin started his career at Exeter City, making his debut for the club in 1928, at the age of 16...
. However, the versatility of both players meant that they often played together for England, usually with Bastin playing in the inside left position. Despite the rivalry, Brook and Bastin were in the latter's words 'always the greatest of friends'. The only players to have scored more goals for England, prior to the second world war, who did not play in the centre forward or inside forward positions were Cliff Bastin
Cliff Bastin
Clifford Sydney Bastin was an English football player.Born in Heavitree near Exeter, Bastin started his career at Exeter City, making his debut for the club in 1928, at the age of 16...
and Charles Bambridge
Charles Bambridge
Edward Charles Bambridge was an English footballer who made eighteen appearances as a left winger for England between 1879 and 1887, being appointed captain twice. He was one of three brothers who played for England....
. Only twelve players in total scored more goals for England than Brook prior to the second world war. In addition to playing eighteen times for England, Brook often competed in trial matches for the Rest of England against the national team.
In the 1929–30 football season Brook helped Manchester City to third in the league. The City team had been strengthened by the acquisition of the outside right Ernie Toseland
Ernie Toseland
Ernie Toseland was an English footballer who played in the outside right position. He has been described as 'a flying winger – football's Jesse Owens'.-Early life:Toseland was born in Northampton in 1905...
and the wing half Matt Busby
Matt Busby
Sir Alexander Matthew "Matt" Busby, CBE, KCSG was a Scottish football player and manager, most noted for managing Manchester United between 1945 and 1969 and again for the second half of the 1970–1971 season...
. In the 1930–31 football season City bought the prolific Scottish centre forward Dave Halliday
Dave Halliday
David "Dave" Halliday was a Scottish footballing prolific goalscorer and trophy winning manager. His 38 goals in 1923-24 made him top scorer in Scotland's top flight that season and 43 goals in 1928–29 gave him the same distinction in England's top flight that season. He scored 376 senior goals as...
from Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
as a replacement for Tommy Johnson. Despite this Brook was the club's top scorer that season with 16 goals. He was also the club's top scorer in the 1935–36 football season. He often played in the centre forward position for his club and has been compared to Don Revie
Don Revie
Donald George 'Don' Revie, OBE, , was an English footballer who played for Leicester City, Hull City, Sunderland, Manchester City and Leeds United as a deep-lying centre forward. After managing Leeds United he managed England from 1974 until 1977...
in this position. Revie was a deep lying centre forward in the Nandor Hidegkuti
Nándor Hidegkuti
Nándor Hidegkuti was a Hungarian football player and manager. He played as a forward or attacking midfielder and spent the majority of his playing career at MTK Hungária FC. During the 1950s he was also a member of the Hungarian National Team team known as the Golden Team...
mould and Brook roamed the pitch in a similar manner when adopting this position. His passing ability enabled him to play in the position with aplomb. In the 1931–32 season the City team, which now included the Scottish centre forward Alec Herd
Alec Herd
Alec Herd was a Scottish professional footballer. Born in Bowhill, Scotland, he played as a forward for Hamilton Academicals, Manchester City and Stockport County.-Early life:...
, managed to reach the semi-final of the FA Cup but were defeated by Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
by 1–0 with a goal from Brook's England team mate Cliff Bastin
Cliff Bastin
Clifford Sydney Bastin was an English football player.Born in Heavitree near Exeter, Bastin started his career at Exeter City, making his debut for the club in 1928, at the age of 16...
. Brook had scored a brace in a 6–1 demolition of Brentford
Brentford F.C.
Brentford Football Club are a professional English football club based in Brentford in the London Borough of Hounslow. They are currently playing in Football League One....
in the fourth round of that year's competition. Greater success for Manchester City in the FA Cup would follow in subsequent seasons.
Brook played in consecutive FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
finals in the mid 1930s, collecting a winners medal on the second occasion. In the 1933 FA Cup Final
1933 FA Cup Final
The 1933 FA Cup Final was a football match between Everton and Manchester City on 29 April 1933 at Wembley Stadium in London. The deciding match of English football's primary cup competition, the Football Association Challenge Cup , it was the 62nd final, and the 11th at Wembley...
he was part of the Manchester City team that was defeated three goals to nil by Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
, who were captained by his England team mate Dixie Dean
Dixie Dean
William Ralph Dean , better known as Dixie Dean, was an English football player. Dean originally started his career with Birkenhead based Tranmere Rovers before moving on to Everton, the club he had supported as a child, where he became one of the most prolific goal-scorers in English football...
. The Everton team also included former City player Tommy Johnson. Brook was in fine form in that year's competition, scoring two against Walsall
Walsall F.C.
Walsall Football Club are an English association football club based in Walsall, West Midlands. They currently play in League One. The club was founded in 1888 as Walsall Town Swifts, an amalgamation of Walsall Town F.C. and Walsall Swifts F.C. The club was one of the founder members of the Second...
in the fourth round and a hat-trick against Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
in the fifth round. In the semi-final against Derby County
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
he set up two goals in a 3–2 victory. For the first goal, he 'beat international full-back Cooper
Tom Cooper (footballer)
Thomas "Tom" Cooper was an England international footballer who played for Derby and Liverpool.-Playing career:Born in Stoke-on-Trent, Cooper played for Longton and then Trentham before being bought by Port Vale for £20 in August 1924...
and centred for right winger Toseland
Ernie Toseland
Ernie Toseland was an English footballer who played in the outside right position. He has been described as 'a flying winger – football's Jesse Owens'.-Early life:Toseland was born in Northampton in 1905...
to score from close range'. He then 'lobbed beautifully for Tilson to run between two defenders and head the second The third goal was scored by Jimmy McMullan
Jimmy McMullan
Jimmy McMullan was a Scottish football player and manager. McMullan won 16 Scotland caps as a player at half-back and was part of the famous "Wembley Wizards" side of 1928.-Early life:...
. Brook was the first player to wear the number 12 shirt in an FA Cup final as Everton wore 1–11 and City wore 12–22. In the 1934 FA Cup Final Brook set up the winning goal, which was scored by his friend Fred Tilson, to earn City a 2–1 victory over Portsmouth
Portsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
. Brook had scored a 'wonder goal' in front of a record crowd of 84,569 against Stoke City
Stoke City F.C.
Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
in the sixth round of that years competition. According to Gary James, 'many fans from the 1930s claimed it was the greatest City goal ever scored at Maine Road
Maine Road
Maine Road was a football stadium in Moss Side, Manchester, England that was home to Manchester City F.C. from its construction in 1923 until 2003...
'. The FA Cup winning City team included goalkeeper Frank Swift
Frank Swift
Frank Victor Swift was an English footballer, who played as a goalkeeper for Manchester City and England. After starting his career with local clubs near his home town of Blackpool, in 1932 he was signed by First Division Manchester City, with whom he played his entire professional career.Swift...
and left half Jackie Bray
Jackie Bray
John Bray was an English football player who played in the left half position. He won 6 caps for England between 1934 and 1937.-Playing career:...
, who would both emulate Brook by going on to appear for England.
In the 1934 British Home Championship
1934 British Home Championship
The 1934 British Home Championship was an annual international football tournament played between the British Home Nations during the 1933–34 football season. It was won by Wales, whose run of form during the 1930s was their last sustained period of international success in the team's history...
, Brook scored in every one of England's matches. England came second that year to Wales
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
, who had defeated them 2–1 with goals from Dai Astley
Dai Astley
David John "Dai" Astley was a Welsh international footballer who played as an inside forward in The Football League in the 1920s and 1930s.-Club career:...
and Thomas Mills. Brook also scored once for the Rest of England in a 7–1 victory in a trial match against the England team (which included Wilf Copping
Wilf Copping
Wilfred "Wilf" Copping was an English footballer who played for Leeds United, Arsenal and the England national team.-Leeds United:...
and Cliff Bastin
Cliff Bastin
Clifford Sydney Bastin was an English football player.Born in Heavitree near Exeter, Bastin started his career at Exeter City, making his debut for the club in 1928, at the age of 16...
) at Roker Park
Roker Park
Roker Park was an English football stadium situated in Roker, Sunderland. The stadium was the home of the English football club Sunderland A.F.C. from 1897 to 1997 before the club moved to the Stadium of Light. Near the end of the stadium's history, its capacity was around 22,500 with only a small...
in March 1934. Raich Carter
Raich Carter
Horatio Stratton "Raich" Carter was one of the greatest English footballers of the pre-war era...
scored four of the other goals and Bobby Gurney
Bobby Gurney
Bobby Gurney was a football forward who is the highest goal scorer in the history of his only senior club as a player, Sunderland.-Early years:...
scored twice. Ken Willingham
Ken Willingham
Charles Kenneth "Ken" Willingham was a professional footballer, born in Sheffield. As a school boy he captained the Yorkshire Schools' team and won the half-mile county running championship.-Football career:...
scored England's goal. In Sunderland 'the scoreline became more popularly known as England 1 Sunderland 6' as 6 of the rest's goals were scored by Sunderland players.
In the same year, Brook was involved in the famous Battle of Highbury
Battle of Highbury
The "Battle of Highbury" was the name given to the football match between England and Italy that took place on 14 November 1934 at Arsenal Stadium, Highbury, London...
international against the world champions Italy
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
. The England team had not competed in the 1934 World Cup and were considered, in England, to be the real world champions. Seven of the eleven players who played for England that day played for Arsenal (Frank Moss
Frank Moss
Frank Edward Moss was a Democratic United States Senator from Utah. He represented Utah in the United States Senate from 1959 until 1977....
, George Male
George Male
Charles George Male was an English footballer.Born in West Ham, London, Male trialled with West Ham United before playing with non-league Clapton. He joined Arsenal as an amateur in November 1929, turning professional in May 1930 and made his debut in a 7-1 victory over Blackpool on December 27,...
, Eddie Hapgood
Eddie Hapgood
Edris Albert "Eddie" Hapgood was an English footballer, who captained both Arsenal and England during the 1930s....
, Wilf Copping
Wilf Copping
Wilfred "Wilf" Copping was an English footballer who played for Leeds United, Arsenal and the England national team.-Leeds United:...
, Ray Bowden
Ray Bowden
Edwin Raymond "Ray" Bowden was an English footballer.Born in Looe, Cornwall, he played for local non-league side Looe; a prolific centre forward, despite his slight frame he scored over 100 goals in a season, including ten in a single match...
, Ted Drake
Ted Drake
Edward Joseph "Ted" Drake was an English football player and manager. As a player, he first played for Southampton but made his name playing for Arsenal in the 1930s, winning two league titles and an FA Cup, as well as five caps for England. He was also a cricketer, but only ever played sparingly...
and Cliff Bastin
Cliff Bastin
Clifford Sydney Bastin was an English football player.Born in Heavitree near Exeter, Bastin started his career at Exeter City, making his debut for the club in 1928, at the age of 16...
). Brook, Cliff Britton
Cliff Britton
Clifford Samuel Britton was a footballer and football manager. He was born 29 August 1909 in Hanham in Bristol and died 1 December 1975.-Playing career:...
, Jack Barker
Jack Barker
John William "Jack" Barker was an English footballer who played 327 league games for Derby County and won 11 England caps...
and a young Stanley Matthews
Stanley Matthews
Sir Stanley Matthews, CBE was an English footballer. Often regarded as one of the greatest players of the English game, he is the only player to have been knighted while still playing, as well as being the first winner of both the European Footballer of the Year and the Football Writers'...
were the other four England players. The only other occasion when seven players from the same club have been on the pitch for England was in a game in 2001 when seven Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
players appeared against Albania
Albania national football team
The Albania national association football team is the national association football team of Albania and is controlled by the Football Association of Albania...
(though two of the United players, namely Teddy Sherringham and Wes Brown
Wes Brown
Wesley Michael "Wes" Brown is an English footballer who plays as a defender for Sunderland. Before joining Sunderland, Brown had spent his entire career at Old Trafford, having joined the Manchester United youth team in 1996...
, had come on as substitutes). Jack Barker
Jack Barker
John William "Jack" Barker was an English footballer who played 327 league games for Derby County and won 11 England caps...
purportedly commented to Brook before the game 'You've got to take off your hats to these Arsenal players. If one of us were to drop out, another Arsenal man would step in'. In the match Brook and Bastin caused the Italians 'an infinite amount of trouble by their passing and quick shooting'. Brook missed a penalty in the match but redeemed himself by scoring two goals to help England to a 3–2 victory. He scored his first goal by heading the ball past Carlo Ceresoli
Carlo Ceresoli
Carlo Ceresoli was an Italian football goalkeeper. Born in Bergamo, he played in the Serie B with Atalanta, and in the Serie A with Inter Milan, Bologna, Genoa and Juventus....
after a precise cross from Stanley Matthews. He scored his second goal of the game from a free kick which Stanley Matthews described as being like a 'thunderbolt'. England's third goal was scored by Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
's Ted Drake
Ted Drake
Edward Joseph "Ted" Drake was an English football player and manager. As a player, he first played for Southampton but made his name playing for Arsenal in the 1930s, winning two league titles and an FA Cup, as well as five caps for England. He was also a cricketer, but only ever played sparingly...
. Italy's two goals came in the second half and were both scored by Giuseppe Meazza
Giuseppe Meazza
Giuseppe "Peppino" Meazza , also known as il Balilla, was an Italian footballer playing mainly for Internazionale in the 1930s, scoring 242 goals in 365 games for the club. He led Italy to win two World Cups: in 1934 and in 1938, winning the Golden Ball Award in 1934. He is widely considered the...
. Stanley Matthews remembered the game as the most violent that he had been involved in, in his long career. Brook finished the first half with a broken arm while Drake had two black eyes. After the game, Brook 'returned to Manchester with his arm in a sling'. Brook is only one of four England players to have scored more than one goal in a game against Italy, the others being Mick Channon
Mick Channon
Michael Roger "Mick" Channon is a sportsman who enjoyed a career as a striker with Southampton and England in the 1970s and later became a hugely successful racehorse trainer.-Southampton:...
, Gerry Hitchens
Gerry Hitchens
Gerald Archibald "Gerry" Hitchens was an English footballer, who played as a centre forward.Hitchens was born in the village of Rawnsley, Staffordshire, near Cannock, and began his career with non-league Kidderminster Harriers in 1953...
and Tom Finney
Tom Finney
Sir Thomas Finney, OBE is a former English footballer, famous for his loyalty to his league club, Preston North End, and for his performances in the English national side....
.
In the 1934–35 football season Brook scored 17 goals and City finished fourth in the league, ten points behind champions Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
. In the 1935 British Home Championship
1935 British Home Championship
The 1935 British Home Championship was a football tournament played between the British Home Nations during the 1934–35 season. Scotland and England shared the trophy after a dramatic final match in which the Scots beat England to claim a share of the cup after having seemingly come adrift...
Brook scored once and Tilson scored twice for England in a 4–0 victory against Wales
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
at Ninian Park
Ninian Park
Ninian Park was a football stadium in Leckwith, Cardiff, Wales. Until 2009, it was the home ground of Cardiff City F.C., who compete in the English Football League Championship...
. England won the Home Championship that year despite suffering a 2–0 defeat against Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
. Brook was one of three City players who appeared for England against Wales
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
and then Ireland, the other two being Jackie Bray
Jackie Bray
John Bray was an English football player who played in the left half position. He won 6 caps for England between 1934 and 1937.-Playing career:...
and Fred Tilson
Fred Tilson
Samuel Frederick "Fred" Tilson was an association football player for Manchester City and England. He was born in Swinton, South Yorkshire. He was part of the City team that won both the FA Cup and the League Championship in the 1930s...
. This would not occur again until 1972 when Colin Bell
Colin Bell
Colin Bell MBE , is a former English football player who was born in Hesleden, County Durham, England. Nicknamed "The King of the Kippax" , and Nijinsky after the famous racehorse , Bell is widely regarded as Manchester City's greatest ever player...
, Francis Lee
Francis Lee
Francis Henry Lee is a former professional footballer, who played in the 1960s and 1970s, including 27 appearances for the England national team. Lee played for Bolton Wanderers, Manchester City, and Derby County...
and Rodney Marsh
Rodney Marsh (footballer)
Rodney William Marsh is an English retired footballer. He was named after HMS Rodney by his father, who served on the battleship. He played for Fulham, Queens Park Rangers, Manchester City, the Tampa Bay Rowdies and the England national team. Lately, he has been a pundit and a commentator on the...
all played for England against West Germany. This record was emulated in 1976, when Joe Corrigan
Joe Corrigan
Joseph Thomas Corrigan , is a former football goalkeeper who played for Manchester City and England.-Career:...
, Mike Doyle and Joe Royle
Joe Royle
Joseph "Joe" Royle is an English football manager. In his club career, he played for Everton , Manchester City, Bristol City, Norwich City, and the England national team...
played for England against Italy
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
(a game which England won 3-2) and in 1978 when Joe Corrigan
Joe Corrigan
Joseph Thomas Corrigan , is a former football goalkeeper who played for Manchester City and England.-Career:...
, Peter Barnes
Peter Barnes
Peter Barnes was an English Olivier Award-winning playwright and screenwriter. His most famous work is the play The Ruling Class, which was made into a 1972 film for which Peter O'Toole received an Oscar nomination....
and David Watson played for England in a 1-1 draw against Brazil
Brazil national football team
The Brazil national football team represents Brazil in international men's football and is controlled by the Brazilian Football Confederation , the governing body for football in Brazil. They are a member of the International Federation of Association Football since 1923 and also a member of the...
. The record was surpassed in 2010 when six Manchester City players (Joe Hart
Joe Hart
Charles Joseph John "Joe" Hart is an English football goalkeeper who plays for Premier League club Manchester City and the England national football team and was previously a regular for the England under-21 team....
, Joleon Lescott
Joleon Lescott
Joleon Patrick Lescott is an English footballer who currently plays for Manchester City. He plays as a centre-back, though he has played in various other positions across the defensive line, in particular left-back....
, Gareth Barry
Gareth Barry
Gareth Barry is an English footballer who plays for Manchester City and the England national football team.Barry moved to Aston Villa from Brighton & Hove Albion as a youngster, and spent 12 years at the club. He captained Aston Villa, and, at the end of his career with the club, lay eighth in...
, James Milner
James Milner
Milner was described as a "first class" student at his school; he left with 11 GCSEs and an award for his performance in physical education. Milner also showed talent in cricket, sprinting and long-distance running...
, Shaun Wright-Phillips
Shaun Wright-Phillips
Shaun Cameron Wright-Phillips is an English footballer who plays for Queens Park Rangers and the England national team. He is the adopted son of former England international, Ian Wright and the half-brother of fellow professional football player Bradley Wright-Phillips...
and Adam Johnson) appeared in a 3-1 victory against Switzerland
Switzerland national football team
The Swiss national football team is the national football team of Switzerland...
. Brook also scored for the Rest of England in a trial match against the national team in March 1935. The result was a 2–2 draw, with Ted Drake
Ted Drake
Edward Joseph "Ted" Drake was an English football player and manager. As a player, he first played for Southampton but made his name playing for Arsenal in the 1930s, winning two league titles and an FA Cup, as well as five caps for England. He was also a cricketer, but only ever played sparingly...
scoring a brace for England and Bobby Gurney
Bobby Gurney
Bobby Gurney was a football forward who is the highest goal scorer in the history of his only senior club as a player, Sunderland.-Early years:...
scoring the other goal for the rest.
In the following season, Brook was Manchester City's top scorer with 13 goals. Matt Busby
Matt Busby
Sir Alexander Matthew "Matt" Busby, CBE, KCSG was a Scottish football player and manager, most noted for managing Manchester United between 1945 and 1969 and again for the second half of the 1970–1971 season...
and Sam Cowan
Sam Cowan
Samuel Cowan was an English football player and manager. A relative latecomer to the sport, Cowan did not play football until he was 17 and was 22 by the time he turned professional...
had left the City team in this season but Sam Barkas
Sam Barkas
Samuel "Sam" Barkas was an English football player and manager who played at left back.-Career:Born in Wardley Colliery, England, Barkas had worked in the pits and farm before leaving his junior club Middle Dock to join Bradford City in 1928...
had been brought in from Bradford City. City's forwards had had an unsuccessful season and the team finished ninth in the league. Peter Doherty
Peter Doherty (footballer)
Peter Dermot Doherty was a Northern Ireland international footballer and manager who played for Manchester City.An inside left, he was one of the top players of his time, winning a league title with Manchester City, an F.A. Cup final with Derby County in which he scored, and gained 16 caps for...
was bought from Blackpool
Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
to address the lack of goals. Doherty had an immediate impact on the team. Doherty scored two goals and Brook scored a hat trick as City defeated Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
7–0 in March of that season. In the British Home Championship of 1936, Brook and Matthews both scored once and Tilson scored twice in a 3–1 victory over Ireland at Windsor Park
Windsor Park
Windsor Park is a football stadium in Belfast, Northern Ireland and the home ground of Linfield F.C. and the Northern Ireland national football team. It is also where the Irish Cup and Irish League Cup finals are played.-History:...
. In the game against Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
, Brook was part of a England forward line which included Sammy Crooks
Sammy Crooks
Samuel "Sammy" Dickinson Crooks was an English footballer who played as outside forwardoutside-right for Derby County in the mid-war era. He was one of the best-known footballers of the 1920s and 1930s and was capped 26 times by England.-Early life:He was one of a family of 17 children...
, Bobby Barclay
Bobby Barclay
Robert "Bobby" Barclay was an English Footballer who played in the position of Inside Forward.-Football career:...
, George Camsell
George Camsell
George Henry Camsell was an English football player, most notably for Middlesbrough.Born in Framwellgate Moor, Durham City in 1902, Camsell played for Durham City before signing for Middlesbrough on 6 October 1925 for the sum of £500. His debut was against Nottingham Forest on 31 October 1925...
and Cliff Bastin
Cliff Bastin
Clifford Sydney Bastin was an English football player.Born in Heavitree near Exeter, Bastin started his career at Exeter City, making his debut for the club in 1928, at the age of 16...
. The result was a 1–1 draw, with Camsell scoring his sixteenth goal for England. The draw meant that Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
won the championship that season. In the same year, Brook scored in the 6–2 demolition of Hungary
Hungary national football team
The Hungary national football team represents Hungary in international football and is controlled by the Hungarian Football Federation....
. Ted Drake
Ted Drake
Edward Joseph "Ted" Drake was an English football player and manager. As a player, he first played for Southampton but made his name playing for Arsenal in the 1930s, winning two league titles and an FA Cup, as well as five caps for England. He was also a cricketer, but only ever played sparingly...
scored a hat-trick and Raich Carter
Raich Carter
Horatio Stratton "Raich" Carter was one of the greatest English footballers of the pre-war era...
and Cliff Britton
Cliff Britton
Clifford Samuel Britton was a footballer and football manager. He was born 29 August 1909 in Hanham in Bristol and died 1 December 1975.-Playing career:...
scored the other goals.
In the 1936–37 football season Brook was an ever present in the first Manchester City side to win the League Championship
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
. The team went on an unbeaten run after Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
, winning 14 times and drawing 6 games. The championship was won at Maine Road
Maine Road
Maine Road was a football stadium in Moss Side, Manchester, England that was home to Manchester City F.C. from its construction in 1923 until 2003...
with a 4–1 victory over Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday F.C.
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the...
. Brook scored the first of his two goals in this game with a 'sizzling drive' which was described by one report as 'not so much a goal as a piece of forked lightning'. Brook scored 20 goals in this season and was the club's second highest scorer behind Peter Doherty
Peter Doherty (footballer)
Peter Dermot Doherty was a Northern Ireland international footballer and manager who played for Manchester City.An inside left, he was one of the top players of his time, winning a league title with Manchester City, an F.A. Cup final with Derby County in which he scored, and gained 16 caps for...
who scored 30. He was also the highest scoring winger in the league that season. In the 1938 British Home Championship Brook played alongside City team mate Sam Barkas
Sam Barkas
Samuel "Sam" Barkas was an English football player and manager who played at left back.-Career:Born in Wardley Colliery, England, Barkas had worked in the pits and farm before leaving his junior club Middle Dock to join Bradford City in 1928...
in a 5–1 victory over Ireland. Brook's goal in the 75th minute was to be the last for his national team. The other goals were scored by George Mills
George Mills (footballer)
George Robert Mills was an English footballer, principally for Chelsea.He signed for Chelsea as an amateur in 1929 from Bromley and stayed at the club for the rest of his career. He was a prolific goal scorer in his time there, notching 125 goals in 239 games...
(who scored a hat trick) and Willie Hall
Willie Hall (English footballer)
George William "Willie" Hall was an English football player who played for Notts County, Tottenham Hotspur and the England national team during the 1930s.-Biography:...
. Brook made his final appearance for England in a 2–1 victory over Wales
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
. England won the championship that season.
In the 1937–38 football season Brook was part of the City team that were relegated from the First Division despite scoring more goals than any other team. Brook scored 16 goals that season. Brook made his last appearance for Manchester City in the 1939–40 football season. He scored his last goal for City in a 6–1 victory against Wrexham in the Western Regional League in 1939, the Second World War having disrupted the normal league programme. In over eleven years with Manchester City, Brook scored 178 goals in 494 appearances, making him the all-time highest Manchester City goalscorer, ahead of Tommy Johnson who scored 166 in all competitions and Colin Bell
Colin Bell
Colin Bell MBE , is a former English football player who was born in Hesleden, County Durham, England. Nicknamed "The King of the Kippax" , and Nijinsky after the famous racehorse , Bell is widely regarded as Manchester City's greatest ever player...
who scored 152 goals in all competitions. Only five players have appeared for Manchester City more times than Eric Brook: Alan Oakes
Alan Oakes
Alan Arthur Oakes is an English footballer who holds Manchester City's all-time record for appearances. Thanks to a further six year stint at Chester , Oakes played 776 Football League matches – the seventh most in history.-Permanent Fixture with Man City:Oakes signed for Manchester City on...
, Joe Corrigan
Joe Corrigan
Joseph Thomas Corrigan , is a former football goalkeeper who played for Manchester City and England.-Career:...
, Mike Doyle, Bert Trautmann
Bert Trautmann
Bernhard Carl "Bert" Trautmann, OBE is a German former professional footballer who played for Manchester City from 1949 to 1964. Brought up during times of inter-war strife in Germany, Trautmann joined the Luftwaffe early in the Second World War, serving as a paratrooper...
and Colin Bell
Colin Bell
Colin Bell MBE , is a former English football player who was born in Hesleden, County Durham, England. Nicknamed "The King of the Kippax" , and Nijinsky after the famous racehorse , Bell is widely regarded as Manchester City's greatest ever player...
. Of the 157 league goals Brook scored for City, 145 were scored in the first division. The only left wingers to have scored more goals in the top flight of English football are Cliff Bastin
Cliff Bastin
Clifford Sydney Bastin was an English football player.Born in Heavitree near Exeter, Bastin started his career at Exeter City, making his debut for the club in 1928, at the age of 16...
who scored 150 and Grenville Morris
Grenville Morris
Arthur Grenville Morris was a Welsh footballer who played for Nottingham Forest and Swindon Town, and who was also capped by Wales. Usually just known as Grenville Morris, he was born in Builth Wells, Wales...
who scored 153. The highest scoring right winger in the history of the top flight is Tom Finney
Tom Finney
Sir Thomas Finney, OBE is a former English footballer, famous for his loyalty to his league club, Preston North End, and for his performances in the English national side....
who scored 164 goals for Preston North End
Preston North End F.C.
Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One...
. Only 91 players have scored more goals than Brook in the top division of English football.
Retirement
Brook, like his City team mate Frank Swift, was selected to represent England in wartime interntaionals. Brook won two wartime caps in games against WalesWales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
and South Africa
South Africa national football team
The South Africa national football team represents South Africa in association football and is controlled by the South African Football Association, the governing body for football in South Africa. South Africa's home ground is Soccer City, known as FNB Stadium due to a naming rights deal, in...
in 1939. In the match against Wales, Brook played alongside his Manchester City team mates Frank Swift
Frank Swift
Frank Victor Swift was an English footballer, who played as a goalkeeper for Manchester City and England. After starting his career with local clubs near his home town of Blackpool, in 1932 he was signed by First Division Manchester City, with whom he played his entire professional career.Swift...
and Bert Sproston
Bert Sproston
Bert Sproston was an English football full back who is remembered for playing both at international level for the England national football team and at club level for , Manchester City F.C., Millwall F.C. and Tottenham Hotspur F.C.....
. The England team also included Joe Mercer
Joe Mercer
Joseph 'Joe' Mercer, OBE was an English football player and manager.-Playing career:Mercer was born in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, the son of a former Nottingham Forest and Tranmere Rovers footballer, also named Joe. Joe Mercer senior died, following health problems resulting from a gas attack...
who would go on to manage Manchester City in the 1960s. In 1940, Brook was selected to represent England in a wartime international against Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
. Whilst travelling to the match, he and Sam Barkas
Sam Barkas
Samuel "Sam" Barkas was an English football player and manager who played at left back.-Career:Born in Wardley Colliery, England, Barkas had worked in the pits and farm before leaving his junior club Middle Dock to join Bradford City in 1928...
were involved in a car crash. Brook suffered a fractured skull. Brook and Barkas were replaced in the England team by Joe Richardson
Joe Richardson
Joseph Richardson was an English professional footballer.Richardson joined Blyth Spartans from local side New Delavel Villa...
and the Scottish International Tommy Pearson
Tommy Pearson
Thomas Usher 'Tommy' Pearson was a Scottish professional footballer and manager.-Playing career:Born in Edinburgh, Pearson played for Murrayfield Amateurs, and had a trial for Heart of Midlothian, but signed professional terms with Newcastle United in March 1933...
. As a consequence of his fractured skull, Brook was unable to head a ball and decided to retire from football. His England team mates Frank Swift
Frank Swift
Frank Victor Swift was an English footballer, who played as a goalkeeper for Manchester City and England. After starting his career with local clubs near his home town of Blackpool, in 1932 he was signed by First Division Manchester City, with whom he played his entire professional career.Swift...
, Raich Carter
Raich Carter
Horatio Stratton "Raich" Carter was one of the greatest English footballers of the pre-war era...
, Stanley Matthews
Stanley Matthews
Sir Stanley Matthews, CBE was an English footballer. Often regarded as one of the greatest players of the English game, he is the only player to have been knighted while still playing, as well as being the first winner of both the European Footballer of the Year and the Football Writers'...
, Cliff Bastin
Cliff Bastin
Clifford Sydney Bastin was an English football player.Born in Heavitree near Exeter, Bastin started his career at Exeter City, making his debut for the club in 1928, at the age of 16...
and Tommy Lawton
Tommy Lawton
Thomas "Tommy" Lawton was an English association footballer who rose to fame a short time before the outbreak of the Second World War and enjoyed a successful career which lasted until well into the 1950s....
were able to continue their careers after the war. In contrast Brook became a coach driver in his home town of Mexborough. Later in his life he also spent time working as a publican in Halifax
Halifax, West Yorkshire
Halifax is a minster town, within the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale in West Yorkshire, England. It has an urban area population of 82,056 in the 2001 Census. It is well-known as a centre of England's woollen manufacture from the 15th century onward, originally dealing through the Halifax Piece...
, and as a crane operator. He died at home in Wythenshawe
Wythenshawe
Wythenshawe is a district in the south of the city of Manchester, England.Formerly part of the administrative county of Cheshire, in 1931 Wythenshawe was transferred to the City of Manchester, which had begun building a massive housing estate there in the 1920s to resolve the problem of its inner...
in March 1965.
Legacy
Brook is regarded as one of the finest players to have graced the English game and has been inducted into the Manchester City FC hall of fame along with Billy MeredithBilly Meredith
William Henry "Billy" Meredith was a Welsh footballer. He was considered one of the early superstars of football due to his performances, notably for Manchester City and Manchester United. He won each domestic trophy in the English football league and also gained 48 caps for Wales, for whom he...
, Tommy Johnson, Sam Cowan
Sam Cowan
Samuel Cowan was an English football player and manager. A relative latecomer to the sport, Cowan did not play football until he was 17 and was 22 by the time he turned professional...
, Fred Tilson
Fred Tilson
Samuel Frederick "Fred" Tilson was an association football player for Manchester City and England. He was born in Swinton, South Yorkshire. He was part of the City team that won both the FA Cup and the League Championship in the 1930s...
, Frank Swift
Frank Swift
Frank Victor Swift was an English footballer, who played as a goalkeeper for Manchester City and England. After starting his career with local clubs near his home town of Blackpool, in 1932 he was signed by First Division Manchester City, with whom he played his entire professional career.Swift...
, Peter Doherty
Peter Doherty (footballer)
Peter Dermot Doherty was a Northern Ireland international footballer and manager who played for Manchester City.An inside left, he was one of the top players of his time, winning a league title with Manchester City, an F.A. Cup final with Derby County in which he scored, and gained 16 caps for...
, Roy Clarke
Roy Clarke (footballer)
Royston James Clarke was a Welsh footballer who played for Cardiff City, Manchester City, Stockport County and Wales as a winger....
, Bert Trautmann
Bert Trautmann
Bernhard Carl "Bert" Trautmann, OBE is a German former professional footballer who played for Manchester City from 1949 to 1964. Brought up during times of inter-war strife in Germany, Trautmann joined the Luftwaffe early in the Second World War, serving as a paratrooper...
, Ken Barnes
Ken Barnes (footballer)
Kenneth Herbert Barnes was an English footballer. He played as a half back for Manchester City and Wrexham. On the books of Birmingham City as a youth, Barnes began his football career at amateur level...
, Roy Paul
Roy Paul
Roy Paul was a footballer who played as a half-back for Swansea Town and Manchester City...
, Alan Oakes
Alan Oakes
Alan Arthur Oakes is an English footballer who holds Manchester City's all-time record for appearances. Thanks to a further six year stint at Chester , Oakes played 776 Football League matches – the seventh most in history.-Permanent Fixture with Man City:Oakes signed for Manchester City on...
, Neil Young, Mike Summerbee
Mike Summerbee
Mike Summerbee is an English former footballer, who played in the successful Manchester City side of the late 1960s and early 1970s....
, Colin Bell
Colin Bell
Colin Bell MBE , is a former English football player who was born in Hesleden, County Durham, England. Nicknamed "The King of the Kippax" , and Nijinsky after the famous racehorse , Bell is widely regarded as Manchester City's greatest ever player...
, Tony Book
Tony Book
Anthony Keith Book is a retired English footballer and manager who was born in Bath, 4 September 1934. Book spent a large part of his career in Non-League football with his home town club Bath City, before entering league football with Plymouth Argyle. At the age of 31, he joined First Division...
, Francis Lee
Francis Lee
Francis Henry Lee is a former professional footballer, who played in the 1960s and 1970s, including 27 appearances for the England national team. Lee played for Bolton Wanderers, Manchester City, and Derby County...
, Joe Corrigan
Joe Corrigan
Joseph Thomas Corrigan , is a former football goalkeeper who played for Manchester City and England.-Career:...
, Paul Lake
Paul Lake
Paul Andrew Lake is an English former footballer, who played for Manchester City.-Early life:Raised in the Denton area of Manchester, he attended St Thomas More School Denton. Lake was spotted by Manchester City scout Ken Barnes as a ten year old, playing against boys two or three years older...
, Niall Quinn
Niall Quinn
Niall John Quinn honorary MBE is a former Irish international footballer, and the ex-chairman of Sunderland AFC. He still works at the club as an overseas manager. He is also heavily involved in the management side of horse racing...
and Uwe Rosler
Uwe Rösler
Uwe Rösler is a German football manager and former player. He is currently the manager of Brentford.Rösler was previously a successful player who played for several clubs, most notably Manchester City , where he was the leading goalscorer for three consecutive seasons from 1995–96 to 1997–98, and 1...
. In 1977 the Manchester City Council named eleven streets in a new estate in Moss Side
Moss Side
Moss Side is an inner-city area and electoral ward of Manchester, England. It lies south of Manchester city centre and has a population of around 17,537...
after famous City players including Brook, Frank Swift
Frank Swift
Frank Victor Swift was an English footballer, who played as a goalkeeper for Manchester City and England. After starting his career with local clubs near his home town of Blackpool, in 1932 he was signed by First Division Manchester City, with whom he played his entire professional career.Swift...
, Fred Tilson
Fred Tilson
Samuel Frederick "Fred" Tilson was an association football player for Manchester City and England. He was born in Swinton, South Yorkshire. He was part of the City team that won both the FA Cup and the League Championship in the 1930s...
, Sam Cowan
Sam Cowan
Samuel Cowan was an English football player and manager. A relative latecomer to the sport, Cowan did not play football until he was 17 and was 22 by the time he turned professional...
, Horace Barnes
Horace Barnes
Horace Barnes was an English Football Inside Forward who played for Derby County, Manchester City, Preston North End andOldham Athletic.-Early life:...
, Max Woosnam, Tommy Browell
Tommy Browell
Thomas "Tommy" Browell was an English footballer who played as a forward for Hull City, Everton, Manchester City and Blackpool. He is the seventh-highest Manchester City goalscorer of all time with 139 goals for the club.Browell was born in Walbottle, Northumberland, in 1892...
, Jimmy McMullan
Jimmy McMullan
Jimmy McMullan was a Scottish football player and manager. McMullan won 16 Scotland caps as a player at half-back and was part of the famous "Wembley Wizards" side of 1928.-Early life:...
, Sam Cookson, Billy Meredith
Billy Meredith
William Henry "Billy" Meredith was a Welsh footballer. He was considered one of the early superstars of football due to his performances, notably for Manchester City and Manchester United. He won each domestic trophy in the English football league and also gained 48 caps for Wales, for whom he...
and Tommy Johnson. He is listed as the eighth greatest ever City player on the Times
Times
The Times is a UK daily newspaper, the original English language newspaper titled "Times". Times may also refer to:In newspapers:*The Times , went defunct in 2005*The Times *The Times of Northwest Indiana...
website and seventh in Ian Penney's book The Essential History of Manchester City.
Career statistics
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Other | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Barnsley Barnsley F.C. Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's... |
1925–26 | ||||||||
| 1926–27 | |||||||||
| 1927–28 | |||||||||
| Total | 78 | 18 | 78 | 18 | |||||
| Manchester City Manchester City F.C. Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894... |
1927–28 | 12 | 2 | 12 | 2 | ||||
| 1928–29 | 42 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 43 | 14 | |||
| 1929–30 | 40 | 16 | 5 | 1 | 45 | 17 | |||
| 1930–31 | 42 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 43 | 16 | |||
| 1931–32 | 42 | 10 | 5 | 3 | 47 | 13 | |||
| 1932–33 | 42 | 15 | 7 | 6 | 49 | 21 | |||
| 1933–34 The Football League 1933-34 The 1933–1934 season was the 42nd season of The Football League.-Final league tables:The tables below are reproduced here in the exact form that they can be found at website and in Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79, with home and away statistics separated.Match results... |
38 | 8 | 8 | 3 | 46 | 11 | |||
| 1934–35 | 40 | 17 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 42 | 17 | |
| 1935–36 | 40 | 13 | 3 | 3 | |43 | 16 | |||
| 1936–37 | 42 | 20 | 4 | 2 | 46 | 22 | |||
| 1937–38 | 36 | 16 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 41 | 17 | |
| 1938–39 | 34 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 37 | 11 | |
| 1939–40 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 8 | 3 | |||
| Total | 450 | 158 | 41 | 19 | 8 | 2 | 499 | 179 | |
| Career total | 528 | 176 | 41 | 19 | 8 | 2 | 577 | 197 | |
International goals
| Date | Venue | Opponent | Result | Competition | Scored |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 October 1933 | Windsor Park Windsor Park Windsor Park is a football stadium in Belfast, Northern Ireland and the home ground of Linfield F.C. and the Northern Ireland national football team. It is also where the Irish Cup and Irish League Cup finals are played.-History:... , Belfast Belfast Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly... |
3–0 | British Home Championship 1934 British Home Championship The 1934 British Home Championship was an annual international football tournament played between the British Home Nations during the 1933–34 football season. It was won by Wales, whose run of form during the 1930s was their last sustained period of international success in the team's history... |
1 (1) | |
| 15 November 1933 | St James' Park St James' Park St James' Park, known for sponsorship reasons as the Sports Direct Arena, is an all-seater stadium in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It is the home of Newcastle United Football Club and is the sixth largest football stadium in the United Kingdom with a capacity of between 52,387 and 52,409.St James'... , Newcastle Newcastle upon Tyne Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne... |
1–2 | British Home Championship 1934 British Home Championship The 1934 British Home Championship was an annual international football tournament played between the British Home Nations during the 1933–34 football season. It was won by Wales, whose run of form during the 1930s was their last sustained period of international success in the team's history... |
1 (2) | |
| 14 December 1933 | White Hart Lane White Hart Lane White Hart Lane is an all-seater football stadium in Tottenham, London, England. Built in 1899, it is the home of Tottenham Hotspur and, after numerous renovations, the stadium has a capacity of 36,230.... , London |
4–1 | Friendly match | 1 (3) | |
| 14 April 1934 | Empire Stadium, Wembley | 3–0 | British Home Championship 1934 British Home Championship The 1934 British Home Championship was an annual international football tournament played between the British Home Nations during the 1933–34 football season. It was won by Wales, whose run of form during the 1930s was their last sustained period of international success in the team's history... |
1 (4) | |
| 29 September 1934 | Ninian Park Ninian Park Ninian Park was a football stadium in Leckwith, Cardiff, Wales. Until 2009, it was the home ground of Cardiff City F.C., who compete in the English Football League Championship... |
4–0 | British Home Championship 1935 British Home Championship The 1935 British Home Championship was a football tournament played between the British Home Nations during the 1934–35 season. Scotland and England shared the trophy after a dramatic final match in which the Scots beat England to claim a share of the cup after having seemingly come adrift... |
1 (5) | |
| 14 November 1934 | Arsenal Stadium Arsenal Stadium Arsenal Stadium was a football stadium in Highbury, North London, which was the home ground of Arsenal Football Club between 6 September 1913 and 7 May 2006... |
3–2 | Friendly match | 2 (7) | |
| 19 October 1935 | Windsor Park Windsor Park Windsor Park is a football stadium in Belfast, Northern Ireland and the home ground of Linfield F.C. and the Northern Ireland national football team. It is also where the Irish Cup and Irish League Cup finals are played.-History:... , Belfast Belfast Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly... |
3–1 | British Home Championship 1936 British Home Championship The 1936 British Home Championship was a football tournament played between the British Home Nations during the 1935–36 season. It was won by Scotland after a close contest between Scotland, Wales and England. England began the tournament the stronger team, with a 3–1 win over Ireland... |
1 (8) | |
| 2 December 1936 | Arsenal Stadium Arsenal Stadium Arsenal Stadium was a football stadium in Highbury, North London, which was the home ground of Arsenal Football Club between 6 September 1913 and 7 May 2006... |
6–2 | Friendly match | 1 (9) | |
| 23 October 1937 | Windsor Park Windsor Park Windsor Park is a football stadium in Belfast, Northern Ireland and the home ground of Linfield F.C. and the Northern Ireland national football team. It is also where the Irish Cup and Irish League Cup finals are played.-History:... , Belfast Belfast Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly... |
5–1 | British Home Championship 1938 British Home Championship The 1938 British Home Championship was a football tournament played between the British Home Nations during the 1937–38 season. The competition was won by England after they defeated Ireland and Wales in their opening games... |
1 (10) |
As a player
Manchester CityManchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
- FA CupFA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
winners: 1934FA Cup Final 1934The 1934 FA Cup Final was won by Manchester City in a 2-1 win over Portsmouth. The cup is most remembered for a young Frank Swift's heroics in goal and the predictions of City forward Fred Tilson. The match was also refereed by future FIFA president Stanley Rous, in his penultimate game as an... - Football League champions: 1936–37