Background
Crooks was born in Bucknall, Stoke-on-Trent, and progressed through the youth ranks at Stoke City signing professional contract forms in March 1976.
Crooks was born in Bucknall, Stoke-on-Trent, and progressed through the youth ranks at Stoke City signing professional contract forms in March 1976.
He played for Stoke City, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United, West Bromwich Albion and Charlton Athletic. He currently works for the British Broadcasting Corporation as a television pundit. He made his debut in April at home to Coventry City becoming the first black player to play for Stoke since Roy Brown in the 1940s.
In the 1976-1977 season his first full season he was top-scorer albeit with just six goals as Stoke"s financial problems saw them relegated to the Second Division.
Many black players at the time suffered racist abuse from the stands. Crooks was no exception, but his "cocky arrogance" meant it did little to affect him.
His pace caused problems for Second Division defences as he again top-scored with 19 in 1977-1978 as Stoke failed to mount a serious promotion attempt. Manager Alan Durban decided to play Crooks as a winger at the start of the 1978-1979 season, a decision which Crooks openly criticised.
He was restored to his striker role with the season coming to an end which saw Stoke gain promotion by beating N ottinghamshire County on the final day of the season.
He scored 14 goals in 1979-1980 as Stoke safely avoided relegation but tensions between Crooks and Durban resurfaced which led to Crooks handing in a transfer request. He later went on loan to Manchester United and had spells at West Bromwich Albion and Charlton Athletic before a knee injury forced his retirement in 1990. His career ended on a low note as Charlton were relegated from the First Division, just as the West Bromwich Albion side he had played in four seasons earlier had been.
Crooks represented England at international level making four appearances for the England Under-21s for whom he scored three goals.
In 1988, Crooks became the first black chairman of the Professional Football players" Association but gave up the role after retiring in 1990. He first worked in the media as a match analyst at the 1982 and 1990 World Cups and later worked as Match of the Day"s reporter at the England camp at Euro 2000 and the 2002 World Cup.
In 1999 he was awarded an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire in the Queen"s Birthday Honours for his services to football punditry, specifically citing his ability to bring passion to football. He currently appears regularly on Final Score as a pundit and on rare occasions still appears on Match of the Day as a replacement for regular pundits Alan Shearer and Mark Lawrenson.
He also names his team of the week (Premier League) each week on the British Broadcasting Corporation website.
In the late 1990s, Crooks became presenter of the political television show Despatch Box. He is occasionally seen interviewing players for British Broadcasting Corporation television after league football matches.
Throughout his career he was an active member of the Professional Football players" Association and was elected the first black chairman of the union.