Scout who found seven Halifax players to feature in new book

Mark Crook ran a feeder team for Wolves in his native South Yorkshire.

Though his primary purpose was to discover talent for Wolves, some of his players naturally found their way to Halifax.

They included West Yorkshire native Steve Downes, who also played for Rotherham United and Sheffield Wednesday.

Downes is one of the many players who has been interviewed for a forthcoming book about Crook which is called Feeding The Wolves and is being written by Barnsley Chronicle journalist Ashley Ball.

Crook ran his feeder team between 1939-1970 and among his best finds were World Cup winner Ron Flowers and FA Cup winning heroes Alan Sunderland and George Robledo.

Crook scouted throughout Yorkshire, including in Halifax, and would then bring in the cream of the crop to play for his Wolves Juniors side.

When he felt they were ready, he would arrange for them to have trials at Molineux.

Downes had been picked up as a junior in Leeds and then played for Crook's team in South Yorkshire.

Though a trial at Wolves never fully materialised he was later taken on by Rotherham United and later moved to The Shay.

He played 60 times for Halifax and netted 15 goals.

Downes is one of seven former Halifax men to have been discovered by Crook.

Bill Morgan is the one with the most appearances as he made 111 in a Halifax shirt.

Others included Jimmy Lee, Gerald Henry and Graham Wood.

Gordon Rose and Cyril Hannaby complete the list.

The book is available to pre-order now and will be out in December.

All profits from the book are heading to Brampton United JFC, who play on the same pitches Crook's team did in Brampton, near Rotherham and the Wolves Foundation.

To pre-order, visit: https://dondearneschoolfootball.wordpress.com/mark-crooks-wath-wolves/