Ronnie Rooke

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Ronnie Rooke bigraphy, stories - Footballer and manager

Ronnie Rooke : biography

December 7, 1911 – 1985

Ronald Leslie "Ronnie" Rooke (7 December 1911 – July 1985) was an English-born footballer who played as a centre forward either side of World War II, and who later became a football manager.

Born in Guildford, Surrey, Rooke started his playing career with Crystal Palace, who were at the time in the Third Division South. A centre forward, he mainly played for the Eagles’ reserve side, only playing eighteen league matches and scoring four goals between 1932 and 1936. His main success came when he moved to Second Division Fulham in November 1936; he was the club’s leading scorer for three consecutive seasons; in all he scored 57 goals in 87 league matches, including all six goals in a 6-0 FA Cup demolition of Bury, a club record.

World War II broke out at the peak of his career; Rooke joined the RAF, although he still played wartime matches for Fulham, and won an unofficial England cap in a Victory International against Wales. The Football League programme resumed in 1946, and despite being nearly 35 and having never played in the top flight, Rooke was signed by Arsenal (Cyril Grant going in the other direction), who despite their pedigree from the 1930s, were struggling to score goals.

The move was surprising, but Rooke immediately made an impact, scoring the winner on his debut against Charlton Athletic on December 14, 1946. He scored 21 goals in just 24 League matches that season, and the next season (1947-48), he scored 33 League goals, a post-war club record that has not been broken since. Arsenal won the First Division title, and Rooke was the League’s top scorer.

Rooke left the Gunners in the summer of 1949 to rejoin his old club Crystal Palace. In November 1950 he moved on to Bedford Town.