Football scout to be honoured with blue plaque

Chris Brook and Ashley Ball have written a book chronicling Mark Crook's career

A blue plaque is set to be erected to honour a former football scout who served a club for almost 40 years.

Mark Crook spent nearly four decades scouting players for Wolverhampton Wanderers, unearthing players like Ron Flowers, Roy Swinbourne, Steve Daley, Gerry Taylor and Alan Sunderland.

He ran a feeder team for the club in Wath-upon-Dearne, South Yorkshire, called Wath Wanderers, which remained a trusted source of players for the club until his death in 1977.

Mr Crook also played for Wolves under Major Frank Buckley in the early 1930s and was a teammate of club legend Stan Cullis.

The plaque will be unveiled at the Cortonwood Miners' Welfare club in Brampton, South Yorkshire, on Friday, which will be attended by some of his family members and former players.

'Utterly devoted'

A book chronicling Mr Crook's operation and achievements is also due to be released in December, with all profits going to the Wolves Foundation and Brampton United Junior Football Club.

It will feature more than 40 interviews with his former players, including Daley, Sunderland, Taylor, Bob Hatton, Jimmy Seal and Jim Barron.

Co-authors Chris Brook and Ashley Ball recently visited the Molineux to give a talk on Mr Crook's achievements.

Mr Ball said: "I think Mark's achievements are one of football's great untold stories, and it's clear to me that he was utterly devoted to Wolves.

"Even into his 70s, he wanted to ensure the best talent from a football hotbed like South Yorkshire went the way of Wolves."