Crookes: Geoffrey

WW2 Guest: 1945-1946 (Leeds United War-time Guest Player Details)

Outside Left

Born: Stanley, Wakefield: 04-01-1929

Debut: v Hull City (h): 14-04-1945

5'8", Weight unknown (1947)

Geoffrey Crookes was a young, blue-eyed, blond haired sixteen year-old, Junior or Reserve team player with United during the Second World War, when he made his debut. He was an amateur with Outwood Stormcocks, then managed by Jos Pickersgill. He only played the four games for Leeds at Outside Left. His first three games came in the 1944-45 Football League Northern Section Second Championship in a 6-1 win over Hull City at Elland Road followed two weeks later by a 1-3 defeat by Barnsley at Elland Road and then the next week by a 0-6 drubbing by Sheffield United at Bramall Lane. His final game came in the second game of the 1945-46 season of the Football League Northern Section 1-3 loss to Chesterfield at Elland Road. "He was a local junior, thought to be sixteen years-old in April 1945. He played a couple of Reserve matches in late 1944-45, as well as his first team appearances. He also played a couple of Reserve games in early 1945-46, but then he was absent, possibly on National Service. He played mainly in the Third Team in the 1946-47 season and and then a small number of appearances in both the Reserves and Third Team in 1947-48. He was then given a free transfer at the end of that season" (Information kindly supplied by Neil Roche). After the War, he had signed for United on 13th June 1946 and he joined Bolton Wanderers on 15th May 1948, but it is not thought that Crookes played for Leeds United or Bolton Wanderers in the Football League. He served in the RAF, on National Service, from 28th February 1947 until 11th April 1949. He died on 6th May 1978 at Garforth, after suffering a heart attack, aged forty-nine. (Personal and professional service details kindly provided by Mr Mick Crookes)