Eric Brook

Eric Fred Brook (27 November 1907 – 29 March 1965) was an English footballer who played in the outside left position.

Brook was also an England international.

He 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 football'.

Brook was born in the Yorkshire town of Mexborough in 1907.

Brook began his football career, as an outside left, playing for local teams including Mexborough and Deame Valley Old Boys.

Brook signed for Wath Athletic, who played in the Midland Football League, in 1925.

Brook began his professional football career with nearby Barnsley in 1926.

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'.

It was stated that Brook had a 'roving commission' and was 'often found in the centre of the field'.

Brook would often take 'throw-ins on both sides of the field'.

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.

He was part of the Barnsley team that were runner-ups in the Sheffield & Hallamshire County Cup in 1926–27.

He quickly became an ever present in the Barnsley team and was described as a young and clever outside-left.

In a 1-3 defeat to Fulham in September 1927, Brook was described as 'easily the pick of the Barnsley forwards'.

His performances provoked interest from teams in the First Division.

In 1927, he was linked with possible moves to Middlesbrough and Newcastle United.

In 1928 Brook and teammate Fred Tilson were transferred to Manchester City for a combined fee of £6,000.

Brook was described as 'on the small side' but 'a clever winger'.

The pair made their debuts for City on 17 March in a 2–0 victory against Grimsby Town.

Brook and Tilson joined a strong forward line at the club that included three 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.

City defeated already promoted Leeds United 1-0 in April 1928 to secure promotion.

City then defeated Southampton 6-1 to take them to the top of the division.

In the 1928–29 football season Brook made 42 appearances and scored 14 times.

His teammate, Tommy Johnson, scored a club record of 38 league goals that season.

Brook scored once, and Johnson scored five times, in a 6-2 defeat of Everton in September that season.

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.

Brook scored a brace in a 6-1 victory against Liverpool in October that season.

One such game in which he played in goal was when Manchester City played Arsenal in February 1938.

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.