Eric Brook
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 27 November 1907 | ||
| Place of birth | Mexborough, England | ||
| Date of death | 29 March 1965 (aged 57) | ||
| Playing position | Outside Left | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Wath Athletic | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1925–1928 | Barnsley | 78 | (18) |
| 1928–1939 | Manchester City | 450 | (158) |
| Total | 528 | (176) | |
| National team | |||
| 1929–1937 | England | 18 | (10) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. |
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Eric Fred Brook (27 November 1907 – 29 March 1965) 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'.
Brook was born in the Yorkshire 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.
In 1928 Brook and team mate Fred Tilson 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.
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