Elegant and cultured West Ham and England midfielder whose grace on the ball and FA Cup final heroics made him an East London legend.
Sir Trevor David Brooking was born in Barking, Essex on 2 October 1948. He spent his entire playing career at West Ham United, making 647 appearances and scoring 102 goals between 1967 and 1984. An elegant, creative midfielder with superb technical ability, he scored the winning goal in the 1980 FA Cup final against Arsenal — a rare header from a player famously reluctant to head the ball. He earned 47 England caps and scored 5 goals. After retirement, Brooking became a respected pundit and later served as the FA's Director of Football Development, where he helped reshape youth coaching in England. He was knighted in 2004 for services to football.
FA Cup 2x
He scored the winning goal in the 1980 FA Cup final with a header — remarkable because he was famously reluctant to head the ball throughout his career.
Did You Know?Career Honours
- FA Cup 2x