Sir Trevor Brooking
The footballing knight who stooped to conquer
| Full name: | Sir Trevor David Brooking |
|---|---|
| Date of birth: | October 2, 1948 |
| Clubs played for: | West Ham |
| Clubs managed: | West Ham (as caretaker) |
Club Career
A cultured attacking midfielder, Trevor Brooking joined West Ham United as an apprentice in 1965. He made his debut two years later and would go on to grace the Upton Park turf for 17 years, making 636 appearances in all competitions for the Hammers.
He was a key part of the team that tasted FA Cup success in 1975 and 1980, scoring the winning goal against Arsenal in the 1980 final. He eventually hung up his boots in 1984 at the age of 35 having spent his entire footballing career at Upton Park.
Club Stats
| Years | Clubs | App | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1967-1984 | West Ham | 528 | 88 |
International Career
Brooking made his international debut against Portugal in 1974 and went on to win 47 caps for England over eight years, scoring five goals. He formed an impressive partnership with Kevin Keegan and appeared at two major tournaments, the 1980 European Championships and the World Cup in 1982. His last game for England came in the second round draw with Spain at the latter finals which prematurely ended England's participation in the competition.
International Career Stats
| Years | Clubs | App | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1974-1982 | England | 47 | 5 |
Key Games
West Ham 1-0 Arsenal (FA Cup final, May 10, 1980)
Despite winning the FA Cup in 1975, Second Division West Ham were huge underdogs to lift it this time around. But they stunned top-flight Arsenal with a narrow victory at Wembley. Brooking was the Hammers' hero - his glancing header after 13 minutes enough to take the trophy back to east London.
Hungary 1-3 England (World Cup qualifier, June 6, 1981)
Having suffered defeats against Romania, Switzerland and Norway, England desperately needed to beat Hungary in Budapest to stand any chance of qualifying for the 1982 World Cup. Brooking had been handed a surprise recall to the line-up for this crunch tie - and he didn't disappoint. The 32-year-old put in arguably his finest performance for his country, scoring two superb goals in a vital victory.
England 0-0 Spain (World Cup finals, July 5, 1982)
The World Cup finals should have been Brooking’s finest hour but he and Kevin Keegan were both struggling to recover from injury when the tournament began, and the pair only featured as substitutes in the final second round group game against Spain. Brooking almost snatched a winner, but the goalless draw ended England’s World Cup campaign. It was to be the last time Brooking would play for his country.
Honours
| Club | Competition | Year |
|---|---|---|
| West Ham | FA Cup | 1975, 1980 |
Did You Know...?
Brooking was nicknamed Hadleigh by his West Ham and England team-mates - after an urbane character in a popular television show of the 1970s.
He played under four England managers in his eight-year international career - Sir Alf Ramsey, Joe Mercer, Don Revie and Ron Greenwood.
He received a knighthood in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List in 2004 for services to sport.
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