Ned Brooks (footballer)

Ned Brooks

Personal information
Full name	Edward A. Brooks
Date of birth	14 August 1881
Place of birth	Dublin, Ireland
Position(s)	Centre-Forward / Inside-Left
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1914-19xx	Bohemians
1919–1920	Shelbourne	13	(7)
1920–1921	Bohemians
1921	Stockport County	12	(1)
19xx-19xx	Bohemians
19xx-19xx	Athlone Town
19xx-19xx	Brideville F.C.
International career‡
1919	Irish League XI	1	(0)
1920	Ireland (IFA)	1	(0)
19xx	League of Ireland XI	1
1924	Irish Free State (FAI)	1	(3)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 22 December 2007 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 18 May 2007

Edward A. Brooks (born Dublin, Ireland), also known as Ed Brooks or Ned Brooks, was an Irish footballer who played as centre-forward or inside-left for, among others, Shelbourne, Bohemians, Stockport County and Athlone Town. Brookes was a dual internationalist and played for both Ireland teams – the IFA XI and the FAI XI.

Club career

Shelbourne

Brooks played at Shelbourne during the 1919–20 season alongside Val Harris and Bob Fullam and finished as the club's top goalscorer. He also helped Shelbourne win the Irish Cup. Shelbourne were awarded the cup after both Belfast Celtic and Glentoran were expelled from the competition. While playing for Shelbourne, Brooks also represented the Irish League XI against a Scottish League XI in a 2–0 defeat at Windsor Park in 1919.

Irish international

When Brooks began his international career in 1920, Ireland was represented by a single team, selected by the Belfast-based Irish Football Association. However during the 1920s, Ireland was partitioned into Northern Ireland and the Irish Free State. Amid these political upheavals, a rival association, the Football Association of Ireland, emerged in Dublin and from 1924 organised their own national team. As a result several notable Irish players from this era, including Brookes played for both teams – the IFA XI and the FAI XI.

IFA XI

Brooks made his one and only appearance for the IFA XI while playing for Shelbourne. On 3 March 1920, in a team that also included Elisha Scott, Bert Manderson, Bill Lacey and Billy Gillespie, he played for the IFA XI against Scotland in a 3–0 defeat at Celtic Park.

FAI XI

On 14 June 1924, while playing for Bohemians, Brooks also played for the FAI XI, scoring a hat-trick against the United States in 3–1 win at Dalymount Park. His team mates that day included, among others, Frank Collins, Paddy Duncan, Tommy Muldoon, Charlie Dowdall and Johnny Murray. In March 1926 while playing for Athlone Town, Brooks was also called up for the FAI XI to play in an away game against Italy. However a personal tragedy meant he was unable to travel and win another cap. A week before the team was due to leave for Italy, his seven-year-old son, Harold, was knocked down by a car and died in hospital.

Family

He was married to Elizabeth Brooks (née Smyth) and had another child named Pauline who died during infancy. He also had two sons named Cecil and Stanley (stan) and a daughter Phyllis. Brooks died on 8 March 1958 and was buried in Deansgrange Cemetery with his wife Elizabeth and son Stan.

Honours

Shelbourne

• Irish Cup
  • Winners 1920: 1

External links

• Northern Ireland’s Footballing Greats