Lee Crooks (rugby league)

Lee Crooks (born (1963-09-18) 18 September 1963 (age 53)) is an English professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s, and 1990s, and current coach, playing at representative level for Great Britain, England, and Yorkshire, and at club level for Hull, Western Suburbs Magpies, Balmain Tigers, Leeds, and Castleford, as a Prop, or Second-row, i.e. number 8 or 10, or, 11 or 12, captain of Hull during the 1985–86, and 1986–87 seasons, and coaching at representative level for Serbia, and at club level for Keighley Cougars, and York Wasps. Lee is the father of current Castleford centre Ben Crooks.

Crooks started his career at Hull, making his début at the age of 17 in 1980, and went on to make 220 appearances for the club. He also played in three Challenge Cup Finals with the club.

Crooks played as a Interchange/Substitute, i.e. number 15, (replacing Left-Second-row Mick Crane on 60-minutes) in Hull's 14-14 draw with Widnes in the 1982 Challenge Cup Final during the 1981–82 season at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 1 May 1982, in front of a crowd of 92,147, played Right-Second-row, i.e. number 12, (Sammy Lloyd having played Right-Second-row in the first match) in the 18-9 victory over Widnes in the 1982 Challenge Cup Final replay during the 1981–82 season at Elland Road, Leeds on Wednesday 19 May 1982, in front of a crowd of 41,171, played played Right-Second-row in the 14-12 defeat by Featherstone Rovers in the 1983 Challenge Cup Final during the 1982–83 season at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 7 May 1983, in front of a crowd of 84,969, and played Left-Prop, i.e. number 8, was captain, and scored 2-conversions in the 24-28 defeat by Wigan in the 1985 Challenge Cup Final during the 1984–85 season at Wembley Stadium, London on Saturday 4 May 1985, in front of a crowd of 99,801, in what is regarded as the most marvellous cup final in living memory, which Hull narrowly lost after fighting back from 12-28 down at half-time.