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. He later played for Southend United, Cradley Heath, and Kidderminster Harriers, before retiring in 1927.
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. 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. He won a cap from his country in a Victory International in October 1919. Also, he 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.A-Z of Tottenham Hotspur players Retrieved 22 April 2009 Brooks' stats at Southend United Retrieved 22 April 2009 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.
Career statistics
+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competitionClubSeasonLeagueFA CupTotalDivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsWolverhampton Wanderers1910–11Second Division6000601911–12Second Division141421831912–13Second Division346203661913–14Second Division32113035111914–15Second Division37182039181919–20Second Division346303761920–21Second Division336814171921–22Second Division34200342Total2245022324653Tottenham Hotspur1922–23First Division7100711923–24First Division300030Total10100101Southend United1924–25Third Division South12200122Career total2465322326856
Honours Wolverhampton Wanderers FA Cup runner-up: 1920–21
References