A dual project to celebrate the achievements of legendary Wolves scout Mark Crook, including a book supporting Wolves Foundation, will kick off on Friday with the unveiling of a blue plaque.
Mark ran a feeder team for Wolves in his native South Yorkshire and unearthed the likes of legendary title-winning duo Ron Flowers and Roy Swinbourne as well as other hugely popular players such as Steve Daley, Gerry Taylor and Alan Sunderland.
His Wath Wanderers team was a trusted source of players for Wolves for almost four decades leading right up to his death in 1977.
Mark had played for Wolves under Major Frank Buckley where he was a teammate of Stan Cullis so had an association with Wolves for almost 50 years.
The blue plaque will be fixed to Cortonwood Miners’ Welfare in Brampton, between Rotherham and Barnsley, at 2pm on Friday (30th May) with a host of his former players set to attend.
The plaque will be unveiled by Mark’s granddaughter Jane Whitlam and Wolves supporters in the area are invited along, as well as being encouraged to wear their colours in support.
A book telling the full story of Crook’s operation and achievements is now available to pre-order with half of the profits heading to the Wolves Foundation. The other half will go to Brampton United Junior Football Club who now play on the same pitches that Crook’s lads once did.
It will feature more than 40 interviews with his former players including Daley, Sunderland, Taylor, Bob Hatton, Jimmy Seal, Jim Barron as well as the relatives of Flowers and Swinbourne.
Co-authors Chris Brook and Ashley Ball recently visited Molineux to give a talk on Mark’s achievements at the Wolves Museum, where former players Daley, Taylor and Hatton got to see the plaque, which has been made in Wolverhampton, for the first time.
Ashley said: “I think Mark’s achievements are one of football’s great untold stories and it’s clear to me that he was utterly devoted to Wolves and even into his 70s he wanted to ensure the best talent from a football hotbed like South Yorkshire went the way of Wolves.
“It’s an honour to tell his story and ensuring money from the book goes to the Wolves Foundation, to support their amazing work, makes it an even bigger privilege.”
The book is available for pre-order price of £12, which is a £10 discount ahead of general sale in October.
Due to be released in early December, the book can be collected, fittingly, from Ron Flowers Sports, on Queen Street, or add an extra £3 for postage.
You can also add your name and hometown in for free if you pre-order by clicking here.
