Johnny Brooks facts for kids

Johnny Brooks (born 23 December 1931 – died 7 June 2016) was a fantastic English footballer and manager. He played as an inside forward, which is like an attacking midfielder or second striker. Johnny played for several big clubs, including Reading, Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea, and Brentford. He even played three times for the England national team, scoring two goals! Later in his career, he played in North America and for smaller clubs in England. After retiring, he also became a manager. His son, Shaun Brooks, also became a professional footballer.

Playing Career: Johnny Brooks' Football Journey

Starting Out at Reading

Johnny Brooks started his football journey in youth teams like Coley Old Boys and Mount Pleasant. He also played for schoolboy teams in Reading and Berkshire. He joined his hometown club, Reading, in February 1949 as an amateur player. Just two months later, he signed a professional contract.

While playing for Reading, Johnny also completed his national service in the Army. He even played for the Army football team! He played 46 league games for Reading and scored five goals. He helped the team finish high in the league in the 1950–51 and 1951–52 seasons. Johnny left Reading in February 1953. Years later, in 2018, he was honored by being added to the Reading Hall of Fame.

Tottenham Hotspur: A Big Move

Johnny Brooks had offers from big clubs like Newcastle United and Arsenal. But he chose to join Tottenham Hotspur in February 1953. Tottenham paid £6,000 for him, which was a lot of money back then! He had always dreamed of playing for Spurs, having watched them win championships.

He started in the reserve team but soon joined the first team. By the 1954–55 season, he was a regular player, scoring seven goals in 31 games. Johnny's best years at Spurs were under manager Jimmy Anderson. He scored many goals, helping Tottenham finish second and third in the league in 1956–57 and 1957–58. His great performances even earned him a spot on the England national team!

However, things changed when Bill Nicholson became the new manager. After a tough 6–0 loss in 1958, Johnny had a disagreement with the manager. This led to him leaving Tottenham in December 1959. Overall, Johnny scored 51 goals in 179 games for Tottenham Hotspur.

Chelsea: A New Chapter

In December 1959, Johnny Brooks moved to another top club, Chelsea. He joined for £20,000, with another player, Les Allen, moving to Tottenham. At Chelsea, Johnny was reunited with his old manager from Reading, Ted Drake. He played 52 games for Chelsea and scored seven goals. He stayed with the club until September 1961.

Brentford: Happy Times and a Title Win

Johnny Brooks then signed for Brentford in September 1961 for £5,000. His first season, 1961–62, was tough for Brentford, and they were relegated to the Fourth Division.

But in the 1962–63 season, Johnny became the team's playmaker, helping them create chances and score goals. He was amazing, scoring 22 goals in 39 games! He led Brentford to win the Fourth Division title, which was his first major trophy. He missed the end of that season due to injury, and his fitness issues continued into the next season. He scored four goals in six games before leaving the club. Johnny played 92 games for Brentford and scored over 40 goals. He later said that his time at Brentford was his happiest in football.

Crystal Palace and North America

In January 1964, Johnny joined Crystal Palace. He only played seven games for them before leaving at the end of the 1963–64 season. Crystal Palace was promoted to the Second Division that year.

After leaving Crystal Palace, Johnny went to Canada in May 1964 to play for Toronto City. He had some famous teammates there, including Tony Book.

Later Career in England and the USA

Johnny returned to England in September 1964 and played for Stevenage Town in the Southern League. He later moved to another Southern League club, Cambridge City.

In 1968, Johnny went back to North America to play for Cleveland Stokers in the North American Soccer League. He played 22 games and scored one goal during his time there.

After returning to the UK, Johnny played for and managed Knebworth until he was in his fifties. He also coached youth teams and served as president of Bournemouth.

International Career: Playing for England

Johnny Brooks' great goal-scoring for Tottenham Hotspur earned him a call-up to the England squad. His first game was against Wales on 14 November 1956. He scored England's second goal in a 3–1 victory!

Two weeks later, he played in a friendly game against Yugoslavia and scored again in a 3–0 win. Johnny's third and final game for England was on 5 December 1956. It was a 1958 World Cup qualification match against Denmark, which England won 5–2.

Personal Life

Johnny Brooks was one of the first British footballers to advertise hair products. He promoted Max Factor shampoo in the 1950s. His son, Shaun Brooks, also became a professional footballer. Shaun played for clubs like Leyton Orient and Crystal Palace. He even played for England at schoolboy and youth levels.

After retiring from football, Johnny worked as a messenger for a bank. Later, with help from a friend, he became a park-keeper. Johnny retired fully and moved to Bournemouth in 1997. Sadly, it was reported in 2014 that he was suffering from vascular dementia. He passed away on 7 June 2016.

Honours and Achievements

Johnny Brooks achieved several honors during his football career:

England

• British Home Championship: 1956–57 (This was a tournament played between the national teams of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.)

Brentford

• Football League Fourth Division: 1962–63 (Brentford won the league title, meaning they finished first!)

Crystal Palace

• Football League Third Division second-place promotion: 1963–64 (Crystal Palace finished second, which earned them promotion to a higher league.)

Individual

• Reading Hall of Fame (He was honored for his contributions to Reading F.C.)

Career Statistics

Here's a summary of Johnny Brooks' appearances and goals for some of his main clubs:

• Tottenham Hotspur: 179 games, 51 goals
• Chelsea: 52 games, 7 goals
• Brentford: 92 games, 37 goals
• Cleveland Stokers: 22 games, 1 goal

In total, Johnny Brooks played 345 career games and scored 96 goals!