A brief history of
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CROOK TOWN
DURHAM CITY FC PLAYERS PEN PICS continued wn AFours
Crook Town Football Club was formed in 1889 as a result of an amalgamation of two existing clubs; Crook Football Club and Crook Excelsior Football Club. Crook Town played only a few friendlies and in cup competitions until 1894 when the club joined the Auckland and district league. Two years later in 1896 Crook were accepted into the Northern League. The clubs first major honour followed in 1901 when Kings Lynn were beaten 3-0 in the final replay of the F.A. Amateur Cup at Ipswich after a 1-1 draw at Dover Court in Essex. In 1913 Crook made the first of three tours to Spain where games were played against Barcelona. Subsequent tours were undertaken after the First World War in 1921 and 1922. In all Crook played Barcelona ten times: winning two, drawing four and losing four. Jack Greenwell, a native of Crook who played on the first tour stayed on to play for Barcelona. Jack went on to manage Barcelona and the Spanish national team before coaching all over the world during the 1930’s. The 1920’s saw success in both League and County Cup competitions before disaster struck the club in 1928 when Crook were suspended from playing and their record for the 1927-28 season expunged as well as officials being banned following an investigation into illegal payments to amateurs. The club were re-constituted in the summer of 1928 and spent 1928-29 season in the Durham Central League. Crook were accepted back into the Northern League in 1929 but a year later decided to turn professional and joined the powerful North Eastern League. Crook became a semi-professional club during the 1930-31 season as Crook F.C. and reached the third round of The F.A. Cup for the only time during the 1931-32 season. Centre forward Colin Cook scored a remarkable 72 goals that season. However with the club virtually bankrupt after finishing bottom of the North Eastern League in 1936 a special meeting was called and the decision to revert back to amateur status and rejoin the Northern League as Crook Town was made. The club struggled on until the Second World War when the Northern League closed down in 1940. Crook kept playing during the war and played initially in the Durham and Northumberland war league and then in the Durham central league. A major reorganisation took place in 1943 when Crook Town amalgamated with two other clubs, Hole in the Wall Colliery F.C. and Peases West Welfare F.C. with the club adopting the name of Crook Colliery Welfare. It was under this name that the club resumed their place in the Northern League when it restarted in 1945. After a thrilling run to the semi final of the F.A. Amateur Cup in 1949 Cup losing 3 - 0 at West Ham to Romford after a 2 -2 draw at Roker Park, the old name of Crook Town was restored to the club instead of Colliery Welfare. In the early 1950's gates of 10,000 were the norm for cup ties. The highest recorded gate was 17,000 plus v Walton and Hersham in a 0 - 0 draw. That season Crook were involved in the first non league cup tie to be shown live on TV on a Saturday afternoon. Crook winning 3 - 1 at Romford in front of a 13,000 crowd. The fifties and sixties became ‘The Glory Days’ for Crook, as between 1953 and 1966 the League championship was won three times and runners up spot claimed a further five times. The League Cup, Durham Challenge Cup and Durham Benevolent Bowl were all won, but by far the biggest honours were the four visits to Wembley Stadium in the space of ten years, when each time the F.A. Amateur Cup was won in 1954, 1959, 1961 & 1964, although replays were necessary in two of the triumphs. The 1954 final was an epic affair against Northern League rivals Bishop Auckland, 100,000 saw a 2-2 draw at Wembley and a further 90,000 saw the two replays, a further 2-2 draw at Newcastle and finally Crook winning 1-0 at Ayresome Park , Middlesbrough. Crook once again won the Amateur Cup in 1962 beating Hounslow Town 4 - 0 at Ayresome Park after a 1- 1 draw at Wembley after a 1-1 draw at Wembley. Crook were League champions and Amateur Cup winners beating Barnet 3 - 2 in the final at Wembley in the 1958-59 season. Crook were Amateur Cup winners again in 1964 beating Enfield 2 - 1 at Wembley. Crook’s left winger Jimmy McMillan played in all four Amateur Cup triumphs to create a competition record. He made a club record of 505 appearances between 1952 and 1968 and also won one England Amateur International Cup in 1959. Crook also reached the semi finals in 1958 and 1960 and the quarter finals in 1963 and 1966. During this period twelve Crook players were selected for England Amateurs and one for England youth. The club toured Norway in 1962 as representatives of the F.A. at the 50th Anniversary of the Norwegian F.A. Crook defeating a South Norway XI 4 - 3, but were beaten 3 - 2 the next day to Vikings. A number of football league clubs were played in the F.A Cup including Derby, Brentford, York City, Hull City and Oldham Athletic with the best performance being a 1-0 home victory over third division leaders Carlisle United in November 1964. In 1976 Crook became the first English club to tour India playing six games. A gate of 100,000 watched Crook play the Indian national side, but they were beaten 1 - 0 in 90 degree temperatures. In the 1976-77 season under player manager Brian Newton, Crook reached the first round proper of the F.A. Cup, the last sixteen of the F.A. Trophy and finished fourth in the league. However the clubs fortunes declined again during the 1980’s which finally resulted in relegation to the Second Division of the Northern League in 1989 after a number of close escapes.
CRAIG ELLISON – Midfielder. Extremely hard working and creative central midfield player who joined City in the closes season of 2012 from Easington Colliery. ‘Sid’ is one of City’s dead ball specialists who always looks dangerous with his fee-kicks around the edges of the penalty area. Age: 28 2013/14 Appearances: 23 (3) Goals: 6 Man of the Match: OLIVER HOTCHKISS - Midfielder. Classy central midfield player who despite being based locally is well known to City fans from his displays for Garforth Town in the Northern Premier League. Olly is probably the most naturally talented player on City’s books with the ability to create space, go past players with ease and split any defence, he can also strike the ball with some power. Age: 24 2013/14 Appearances: 28 (2) Goals: 3 Man of the Match: 4 CRAIG HINDMARCH – Midfielder. Craig, a hard-working midfield player who adds bite to the City midfield, joined the club from Brandon United in the early part of 2012/13 season. Unfortunately he suffered a lengthy injury after breaking into the side and is now looking to re-establish himself on his return to fitness. Age: 25 2013/14 Appearances: 22 (6) Goals: 1 Man of the Match: DENVER MORRIS – Midfielder. Denver, is a hard-working midfield player with exceptional pace and quick feet who crosses the ball well, he joined the club from South Shields in the summer of 2013 and forms an exciting partnership down the right flank with Stephen Harrison. Age: 26 2013/14 Appearances: 27 (3) Goals: 10 Man of the Match: 1 JOE HUGHES – Striker/ Midfielder. Wide midfielder or striker , with excellent close control and the ability to take on defenders ,who joined City in the close season from Northwood Seahawks , a university side in the USA who play in the Sun Conference. Age: 22 2013/14 Appearances: 5 (8) Goals: 3 Man of the Match: IAN WARD - Striker. An excellent back to goal striker who holds the ball up well and leads the line to good effect. Physically strong and good in the air Ian joined the club from Esh Winning last season and was formerly with Newcastle Benfield and Queen of the South. Age: 27 2013/14 Appearances: 24 (4) Goals: 11 Man of the Match: 2 SCOTT FENWICK – Striker. Bustling old fashioned type centre-forward who holds the ball up well, is strong in the air and difficult to dispossess Scott who joined the club in the summer of 2013 from Newcastle Benfield was City’s leading goal scorer last season despite missing part of the season through injury. Age: 23 2013/14 Appearances: 21 (5) Goals: 14 Man of the Match: 2 PAUL DIXON - Midfield. Paul, another of Adam’s earlyr signings, is a wide midfield player / striker who can turn his man and likes to use his pace to run at defenders, his previous clubs include Age: 31 2013/14 Appearances: 4 (5) Goals: 0 Man of the Match: MAX STOKER – Midfield/ Utility. Max, a product of the Academy is the ultimate utility man who always gives 100%. After having debuted for City as a central defender, he has also played in both full-back positions, central midfield and striker as well as having played as an emergency goalkeeper in City’s UniBond Premier Division days.. Age: 23 2013/14 Appearances: 13 (11) Goals: 3 Man of the Match: MATTHEW SCOTT - Striker. Matthew joined City during the 2012/13 season from Tow Law Town, scoring on his debut gainst Norton and Stockton Ancients ,and is proven goalscorer with good pace and movement. Age: 25 2013/14 Appearances: 8 (17) Goals: 5 Man of the Match: