Sammy Crooks	Derby County FC 26 appearances, 7 goals P 26 W 15 D 4 L 7 F 71: A 36 65% successful 1930-36 captain: none minutes played: 2340
Profile
Full Name	Samuel Dickinson Crooks
Born	16 January 1908 at 28 Dyson Street, Bearpark, County Durham [registered in Durham, March 1908]. Attended Bearpark School. His father died on 29 November 1940.
Census Notes	According to the 1911 census, Samuel Dickinson is the youngest of seven children (another five had died) to Thomas and Mary. They live at 28 Dyson Street in Bearpark. His father is a coalmine hewer. (apparently, he would go on to have sixteen brothers and sisters).
	According to the 1939 register, Samuel D., a professional footballer, is married to Freda G., and they live at 'Jesmond Dene', on Blagreaves Lane in the Littleover area of Derby.
Married:	to Freda Gertrude Stone (b.16 April 1912), on 8 May 1933, at St. Michael's Church, Derby [registered in Derby, June 1933]. Three children, Samuel H. (b.April-June 1937) and twins, Stuart F.T. and Thomas S. (b.10 April 1939 at Queen Mary Nursing Home in Derby). Albert Alderman, a Derby County teammate, was his best man. "The international footballer hid the popular 'Sammy' behind the more imposing title of Samuel Dickinson Crooks of Crewe-street, Derby. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. T. Crooks of Bearpark, Co. Durham. The bride's wedding dress was of ivory ring velvet, pearl trimmed, and she had a tulle veil and carried a sheaf of Harrissi lillies. Mrs. Stone, who gave away her daughter, wore a dress of stone beige velvet trimmed with new pink, with hat to match, and carried a shower bouquet of red roses. The bridesmaids were Miss Jessie Binge, friend of the bride, Miss Cilla Crooks, the bridegrooms sister, Miss Evelyn Hannah, cousin of the bride, Miss Frances Ford, Miss Noreen Kilmartin, and Miss Winne Kilmartin. All wore dresses of Heaven-blue velvet, with appearances and mittens to match, the appearances being trimmed with silver lamé. Their shoes were silver coloured, and they wore Sylvia roses and silver ribbons. All had platinum chains and sapphire pendants, gifts of the bridegroom." - Monday, 8 May, 1933, Derby Evening Telegraph & Daily Express.
Died	5 February 1981 in Belper, Derbyshire, aged 73 years 20 days [registered at Amber Valley, Belper, March 1981].
Height/Weight	5' 7", 10st. 7lbs [1927], 5' 7½", 10st. 9lbs [1928-29], 5' 7", 10st. 7lbs [1936].
Source	Douglas Lammings' An English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990] & FindMyPast.com
Club Career
Club(s)	Was playing inside-right for his local works team, Bearpark Colliery FC, when he was only fifteen years old. Crooks was playing junior football with Brandon FC juniors, and then for Tow Law Town FC. He signed amateur forms with Durham City AFC in 1926, turning professional during the following season. Before that very season was concluded, having completed sixteen Division Three North appearances, scoring four goals, Derby County FC beat Huddersfield Town AFC, Liverpool FC and Sunderland AFC, and paid a £150 transfer fee for Crooks' signature, on 25 April 1927. He was moved to the wing, on account of his small stature. Sunderland AFC tried to sign Crooks in December 1930, as were The Arsenal FC. However, by the end of the season, it was anticpated that Crooks would sign for Everton FC for an £8000 transfer fee. In November 1935, it was certain he would join Aston Villa FC. In February 1939, County requested offers for Crooks, to cover their mounting debts. Newcastle United FC were the principle signing club, however, Crooks re-signed in May. During the war, Crooks guested for Notts County FC for several years, in addition to, on 30 September 1939, he turned out for Spot Athletic FC in a friendly match against Derby Co-operative FC. He also guested with an LMS Carriage XI in April 1940 and Chelmsford City FC the following month, and also for Consett FC (see 'England Tragedy' below). He played for Nottingham Forest FC in the February and then Aston Villa FC in the May of 1942. He also played in various Army representative sides, a National Police side, he was a member of the Military Police, and a Civil Defence team, during the war. But throughout it all, Crooks remained at Baseball Ground player until he retired in April 1946. He was injured in a match in November 1945, and struggled to regain fitness and his place in the team, although he was picked in the Cup sides that eventually made it to Wembley. He did however, return for more Division One matches in September 1946, when County were beset with injuries to take his tally to 408 league appearances, and amassing 105 goals. He was the player-manager at Retford Town FC and signed as a player with Gresley Rovers FC on 23 December 1954, as a 46 year-old and he was still playing and scoring for Gresley in April 1959. He was 51 years old.
Club honours	Football League Division One runners-up 1929-30, 1935-36; FA Cup winners 1945-46 (injured);
Individual honours	Football League (five appearances)
Distinctions	Sammy Crooks was one of the first footballers to endorse their own football boot - The Super Winna! (advert below). On many occassions, Crooks was asked to referee Charity matches. His name to any fund-raising event was sure to attract numbers, including a Heanor veterans' match between a past and present teams, on 24 April 1934, also the Chellaston Carnival football match on 22 August 1936, The Shardlow Cup Final on 27 April 1938, a Riddings Nursing Association Charity match on 5 May 1938. Before the war, Crooks was the chairman of the Players' Union.
Source	Douglas Lammings' An English Football Internationalist Who's Who [1990].
Management Career
Club(s)	Crooks was appointed as Derby County FC's Chief Scout on 2 February 1946, signalling the end of his playing career, until his resignation on 24 August 1949. He wanted a higher position within the club he served for 23 years, but this was denied. He was then appointed him as player-manager of Yorkshire Leagues' new club Retford Town FC on 17 December 1949. He resigned to take up an appointment at Midland League club Shrewsbury Town FC as secretary/manager on 22 May 1950, although, within a fortnight, on 3 June, they were elected into the Football League as a Division Three North club. After failing to combine his secretarial role with his sports business in Derby, he resigned on 23 June 1954. Appointed as a Birmingham City FC scout on 16 August 1954, and sacked on 2 December, after City was put under new managership. He next managed Gresley Rovers FC, of the Birmingham & District League, for two separate spells, first from 23 January 1955, he had already been playing for them for a month. On 25 April 1957, Crooks accepted the post as manager of then fellow league members and rivals, Burton Albion FC, effective from 1 June. He resigned on 13 November following back-to-back Cup defeats. He was back to Gresley for the 1958-59 season and appointed at Heanor Town FC on 19 April 1959. From 23 June 1960, he was the Chief Scout and assistant Coach back at Derby County FC, until 4 May 1967, following the resignation of the manager. Subsequently working as a freelance scout.
Club honours	Yorkshire Football League Division Two winners 1949-50; Herefordshire Senior Cup winners 1950-51; Derbyshire Senior Cup runners-up 1956-57; Bass Charity Vase runners-up 1957; Central Alliance League Division One North runners-up 1959-60;
England Career
Player number	One of four who became the 549th players (551) to appear for England.
Position(s)	Outside-right
First match	No. 170, 5 April 1930, England 5 Scotland 2, a British Championship match at The Empire Stadium, Wembley, London, aged 22 years 79 days.
Last match	No. 207, 2 December 1936, England 6 Hungary 2, a friendly match at Arsenal Stadium, Highbury, London, aged 28 years 321 days.
Major tournaments	British Championship 1929-30, 1930-31, 1931-32, 1932-33, 1934-35, 1935-36, 1936-37;
Team honours	British Championship winners 1929-30, 1931-32, shared 1930-31, 1934-35;
Individual honours	FA XI (1928 against Lancashire FA) England Joint Topscorer 1931 (4), 1931-32 (4), 1932 (2);
Distinctions	None
England Hero
"Mrs. Hallsworth, Liversage-street, Derby, was treated at Derbyshire Royal Infirmary yesterday for a cut face and an injured shoulder, following a collision with a motor-car on London-road. She was not detained. Mrs. Hallsworth was crossing the road when a car driven by Mrs. Oakes, of Kilburn, was in collision with the car of Sammy Crooks, the Derby County footballer, which was stationary at the corner of Traffic-street. Both cars were damaged. Crooks went to Mrs. Hallsworth's assistance." - Friday, 7 April 1933, The Derby Evening Telegraph "BORROWED CAR "Sammy Crooks, the Derby County winger, is the latest victim of the 'black-out car borrowers' who seem to be operating in the Derby district. On Sunday night he left his car, 12 h.p. saloon, in Devonshire-street, Derby, for about 15 minutes. When he returned for it, it had disappeared. Sammy reported the matter to the police, and last night the car was found abandoned outside a public house at Chellaston. It was undamaged, but a rug was missing, together with a batch of invoices relating to Messrs. Elliott and Crooks's sports business in Osmaston-road. These invoices are of no value to anybody except the firm, and Mr. Crooks hopes that they will be returned. The number of Mr. Crooks's car―DNU 995―had been altered with black paint to read DNI 995. During the past week two other cars have been missed from the place where their owners left them and then found abandoned. One belongs to Inspector S. E. Bentley, of Derby Borough Police Force, and the other to a gunner in the Army." - Wednesday, 29 November 1939, The Derby Evening Telegraph
England Tragedy
"N.E.L. CHAMPIONS SHOCK: Consett Deprived Of Honour "A big surprise has been created as a result of the North Eastern Football League Management Committee announcing that Consett were not to be recognised as champions. Consett were informed on Saturday that four points had been deducted from their record which means that Blackhall Colliery Welfare become champions with 25 points and North Shields runners-up with 24 points. Consett are placed third with 23 points. As agreed at the early part of the season, and as recommended by the Football Asociation, no trophy or medals have been awarded. The Evening News understands that the allegation against Consett was that unqualified players had taken part in two matches with Blackhall and Spennymoor. "This is not fair to clubs who have carried out agreements in a genuine manner," said Mr T. W. Bell, the N.E.L. secretary today. "Consett brought in Sammy Crooks for one match, but that is not where they have fallen on the ice. They were entitled to do that. It is another matter. Consett Committee is to hold a special meeting tonight to discuss the action of the League" - Monday, 3 June 1940, The Evening News "Blackhall Colliery Welfare A.F.C. are not champions of the North-Eastern League. Consett appealed to the Appeals Board and the decision of the North-Eastern League has been washed out. There is nothing in the rules giving the North-Eastern League power to deduct points. They have power to fine a club for playing an unregistered player but not to deduct points. So Consett are the champions and Blackhall the runners-up." - Monday, 24 June 1940, The Sunderland Echo     "LITTLE GIRL INJURED "Lorna Perry (5), of 133, Green-lane, Derby, was admitted to Derbyshire Royal Infirmary last night with head injuries as the result of being in collision with a motor-car near her home. The car was driven by Sammy Crooks, the Derby County footballer, of 'Jesmond Dene', Blagreaves-lane, Mickleover." - Saturday, 22 February 1941, The Derby Evening Telegraph
Beyond England
A miner by trade. Had a spor ts shop during the 1930's and 1940's, on Ormaston Road in Derby (Tel. No.3169). - An English Football Internationalists' Who's Who. Douglas Lamming (1990). Hatton Press, p.80.

Match History

Club: Derby County F.C. - 26 full appearances (2340 min)

F.A. International Selection Committee - 26 full appearances (2340 min)x

Age 22
1	170	5 April 1930 - England 5 Scotland 2, Empire Stadium, Wembley	BC	HW	Start	or
2	171	10 May 1930 - Germany 3 England 3, Deutsches Stadion, Berlin	tour	AD	Start	or
3	172	14 May 1930 - Austria 0 England 0, Hohe Warte Stadion, Wien		AD	Start	or
4	173	20 October 1930 - England 5 Ireland 1, Bramall Lane, Sheffield	BC	HW	Start 30	or
5	174	22 November 1930 - Wales 0 England 4, The Racecourse, Wrexham	BC	AW	Start	or

Age 23
6	175	28 March 1931 - Scotland 2 England 0, Hampden Park, Glasgow	BC	AL	Start	or
7	176	14 May 1931 - France 5 England 2, Stade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir, Paris	tour	AL	Start 10	or
8	177	16 May 1931 - Belgium 1 England 4, Stade DC Bruxelles, Bruxelles		AW	Start	or
9	178	17 October 1931 - Ireland 2 England 6, Windsor Park, Belfast	BC	AW	Start	or
10	179	18 November 1931 - England 3 Wales 1, Anfield Road, Liverpool	BC	HW	Start 50	or
11	180	9 December 1931 - England 7 Spain 1, Arsenal Stadium, Highbury	Fr	HW	Start 47,80	or

Age 24
12	181	9 April 1932 - England 3 Scotland 0, Empire Stadium, Wembley	BC	HW	Start 88	or
13	182	17 October 1932 - England 1 Ireland 0, Bloomfield Road, Blackpool	BC	HW	Start	or
14	183	16 November 1932 - Wales 0 England 0, The Racecourse, Wrexham	BC	AD	Start	or
15	184	7 December 1932 - England 4 Austria 3, Stamford Bridge, Fulham	Fr	HW	Start 82	or

Age 25
16	188	14 October 1933 - Ireland 0 England 3, Windsor Park, Belfast	BC	AW	Start	or
17	189	15 November 1933 - England 1 Wales 2, St. James' Park, Newcastle upon Tyne	BC	HL	Start	or
18	190	6 December 1933 - England 4 France 1, White Hart Lane, Tottenham	Fr	HW	Start	or

Age 26
19	191	14 April 1934 - England 3 Scotland 0, Empire Stadium, Wembley	BC	HW	Start	or
20	192	10 May 1934 - Hungary 2 England 1, Stadion Üllõi út, Budapest	tour	AL	Start	or
21	193	16 May 1934 - Czechoslovakia 2 England 1, Stadión Letná, Praha		AL	Start	or

Age 27
22	196	6 February 1935 - England 2 Ireland 1, Goodison Park, Liverpool	BC	HW	Start	or

Age 28
23	201	5 February 1936 - England 1 Wales 2, Molineux, Wolverhampton	BC	HL	Start	or
24	202	4 April 1936 - England 1 Scotland 1, Empire Stadium, Wembley	BC	HD	Start	or
203		6 May 1936 - Austria 2 England 1, Praterstadion, Wien	tour	AL	withdrawn injured
204		9 May 1936 - Belgium 3 England 2, Stade du Centenaire, Bruxelles		AL
25	205	17 October 1936 - Wales 2 England 1, Ninian Park, Cardiff	BC	AL	Start	or
26	207	2 December 1936 - England 6 Hungary 2, Arsenal Stadium, Highbury	Fr	HW	Start	or

Notes

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