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Billy Crook (English footballer)
Encyclopedia
William Charles "Billy" Crook (7 June 1926 – 29 May 2011) was an English
footballer who spent the majority of his playing career at Wolverhampton Wanderers
, with whom he won the 1949 FA Cup
.
in August 1940 aged 14, eventually signed professional forms three years later. He made his debut in a League War Cup
tie on 10 January 1942 against Blackpool
, en route to lifting the trophy. He made 121 wartime appearances for the club in total, as well as guesting for Aldershot
and Chelsea
.
He became a regular first team player when league football recommenced in 1946, and held his place over the next six seasons. He was part of the team that lifted the FA Cup
in 1949, beating Leicester City
3-1 at Wembley. However, Crook lost his place in the 1952–53 season to Ron Flowers
and left for Walsall
in October 1954.
He spent two seasons in the Third Division
with the Saddlers then dropped into the non-league with Wellington Town
before retiring in 1960 aged 34.
After giving up the game, he worked as a structural draughtsman for an engineering company in Darlaston
, a role he had already held part-time during his playing days.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
footballer who spent the majority of his playing career at Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
, with whom he won the 1949 FA Cup
1949 FA Cup Final
The 1949 FA Cup Final was contested by Wolverhampton Wanderers and Leicester City at Wembley Stadium. Wolves finished 6th in the First Division during that season, and boasted several England internationals among their ranks, while Leicester City had struggled to avoid relegation in the Second...
.
Career
Crook first joined Wolverhampton WanderersWolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
in August 1940 aged 14, eventually signed professional forms three years later. He made his debut in a League War Cup
Football League War Cup
The Football League War Cup was an association football tournament held between 1939 and 1945 which aimed to fill the gaping hole left in English Football by the cancellation of the FA Cup.- Background:...
tie on 10 January 1942 against Blackpool
Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
, en route to lifting the trophy. He made 121 wartime appearances for the club in total, as well as guesting for Aldershot
Aldershot F.C.
Aldershot Football Club was an English Football League club, which was wound up in the High Court in March 1992. They became the first Football League club since Accrington Stanley to resign from the League during the course of a season. The club was nicknamed the Shots for both the last syllable...
and Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
.
He became a regular first team player when league football recommenced in 1946, and held his place over the next six seasons. He was part of the team that lifted the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
in 1949, beating Leicester City
Leicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
3-1 at Wembley. However, Crook lost his place in the 1952–53 season to Ron Flowers
Ron Flowers
Ronald "Ron" Flowers is an English former professional footballer, most known for his time at Wolverhampton Wanderers. He was a member of England's victorious 1966 World Cup squad. He is the elder brother of John Flowers.-Career:...
and left for Walsall
Walsall F.C.
Walsall Football Club are an English association football club based in Walsall, West Midlands. They currently play in League One. The club was founded in 1888 as Walsall Town Swifts, an amalgamation of Walsall Town F.C. and Walsall Swifts F.C. The club was one of the founder members of the Second...
in October 1954.
He spent two seasons in the Third Division
Football League Third Division
The Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two...
with the Saddlers then dropped into the non-league with Wellington Town
Telford United F.C.
Telford United F.C. was an English football club based in Telford, Shropshire.The club existed under various names for a total of 132 years from its formation in 1872. The club was founder members of the Alliance Premier League in 1979 and played at this level for 25 years before being wound up in...
before retiring in 1960 aged 34.
After giving up the game, he worked as a structural draughtsman for an engineering company in Darlaston
Darlaston
Darlaston is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Walsall in the West Midlands of England.-History:Archaeological evidence of the history of Darlaston has been destroyed by The de Darlaston family owned Darlaston and lived in the manor between the 12th century and 15th century. When the de...
, a role he had already held part-time during his playing days.
Honours
with Wolves- League War CupFootball League War CupThe Football League War Cup was an association football tournament held between 1939 and 1945 which aimed to fill the gaping hole left in English Football by the cancellation of the FA Cup.- Background:...
winner 19421942 Football League War Cup FinalThe 1942 Football League War Cup Final was contested by Wolverhampton Wanderers and Sunderland. For the only time in the competition's history, the trophy was decided over a two-leg final, played on 23 May and 30 May 1942. Wolverhampton Wanderers won the tie 6–3 on aggregate.-First... - FA CupFA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
winner 19491949 FA Cup FinalThe 1949 FA Cup Final was contested by Wolverhampton Wanderers and Leicester City at Wembley Stadium. Wolves finished 6th in the First Division during that season, and boasted several England internationals among their ranks, while Leicester City had struggled to avoid relegation in the Second...
. - Charity ShieldFA Community ShieldThe Football Association Community Shield is English football's annual match contested between the champions of the previous Premier League season and the holders of the FA Cup at Wembley Stadium. If the Premier League champions also won the FA Cup then the league runners-up provide the opposition...
(shared) 19491949 FA Charity ShieldThe 1949 FA Charity Shield was the 27th FA Charity Shield, a pre-season exhibition football match between the winners of the previous season's First Division and FA Cup titles. The match took place at Highbury, London, between the league champions Portsmouth and FA Cup winners Wolverhampton Wanderers...
.