Bob Booker Biography

[Worksop II]

A guy who made the most of what he had, talent and opportunity, he didnt let it pass him by

He earnt everything he gets back from Fans

Sir Ooh Ahh

 

[georgebernardshaw]

A Blades legend because he became one of us.

Top man.

 

[Maidenhead]

This is just to let everybody know that I am currently writing a biography of Bob Booker. This will cover his life and times at all three clubs with which he was associated as a player, coach or assistant manager, Brentford, Brighton and Sheffield United. Bob is very supportive of this project and is assisting me in every way possible.

The book will be published around this time next year by Bennion Kearny who have already published a couple of my books on Brentford (see https://www.amazon.co.uk/Growing-Pai...ville+waterman if you are interested).

I am initially focusing upon his spell at Brentford but will soon be gathering details and interviewing former team mates and colleagues of his from his time at Sheffield United and I am well aware of just how popular he remains to this day. I have already spoken to Derek French and any other suggestions gratefully received.

I would be very interested and grateful to hear from any Sheffield United fans who would like to share their thoughts and reminiscences on Bob and what he has contributed to your club. I would really like to understand how and why you took him to your hearts and why he has remained so popular to this day.

Please leave your messages here or I can be contacted at [email protected]

Many thanks.

Greville Waterman

research the Fulham Monty and speak to Andy Bonell aka Musical Blade if you can track him down in New Zealand

 

[Maidenhead]

also. he turned up at Hillsborough to see United, sat on the Leppings Lane top tier with the Blades. When he was spotted the whole end rose in tribute to ooh ahh Bob Bookah

 

[SouthEssexBlade]

research the Fulham Monty and speak to Andy Bonell aka Musical Blade if you can track him down in New Zealand

There's a few photos on here somewhere from the Fulham trip.

 

[Maidenhead]

There's a few photos on here somewhere from the Fulham trip.

big parts of it on youtube too

 

[Kenilworth]

Anybody who was there at Mansfield in the snow will tell you how that one game showed all that any Blade needed to know about Bob Booker and how he was and is still a Blade. Absolutely epitomised what we were then and hope to become again in spirit, guts, determination and sheer honest work rate. Good player. Not a mercenary . Worth his status amongst us.

I was there.
Came straight from work in Manchester. Suit on, tie on, Mac on, soaked through to the skin just above my waist and dry below that, except my shoes - equally watter logged. Don't yer just love uncovered terracing, packed with several thousand fellow Blades

 

[Kenilworth]

also. he turned up at Hillsborough to see United, sat on the Leppings Lane top tier with the Blades. When he was spotted the whole end rose in tribute to ooh ahh Bob Bookah

Yep - he was only a few rows down from where I was that night. Not much sitting done, though, Maiders.

And you know what? He'll have gone as bonkers as the rest of us celebrating each and every one of those three goals that night in a famous victory at the Sty.

 

[Maidenhead]

This really good stuff. Thanks. At Brentford he wrote every shirt apart from goalkeeper but started as a striker and ended up as a midfielder or occasional centre half. He was signed by you to replace Simon Webster who was a centre half I believe. Did he play everywhere for you too?

He was also half fit when he left Brentford after knee surgery so I am amazed he played so often for you.

What were the highlights? Leicester? Scoring at QPR or 2 v Southampton?

Stop trying to claim him for Brentford.

I think you'll find that he's one of ours

Na na na na he's a Blade and he's a Blade

 

[FattyFatterson]

also. he turned up at Hillsborough to see United, sat on the Leppings Lane top tier with the Blades. When he was spotted the whole end rose in tribute to ooh ahh Bob Bookah

This was one of my fond memories too......he lapped up the adoration that night as well - not in a conceited way but he just enjoyed being loved.

The other great memory I have of him is singing along with the fans to his own "Ooh aah Bob Bookah" chant whilst preparing to defend a corner at the Kop end. Legend!!

 

[Sean Thornton]

His chapter in "Game of my life" is a good read. No ego at all.

 

[Snowman]

I was there.
Came straight from work in Manchester. Suit on, tie on, Mac on, soaked through to the skin just above my waist and dry below that, except my shoes - equally watter logged. Don't yer just love uncovered terracing, packed with several thousand fellow Blades

I was covered, watching you lot bouncing to keep warm. There are two other things I recall from that game which I don't expect to experience again which sort of makes our era unique. Firstly, it is the first, last and only occasion I have swapped places with two mates in the seating so that each of us got an equal amount of battering from the elements during the game. We each did 15 minutes taking the elements on the right hand side whilst the other two sheltered behind. The second is that I have never before nor since drunk a "tomato cuppasoup" where the boiled water cooled so quickly that I was chewing powder by the time I got back to my seat. You Sir, have my respect for all that I saw on that end that night.

 

[Bert]

also. he turned up at Hillsborough to see United, sat on the Leppings Lane top tier with the Blades. When he was spotted the whole end rose in tribute to ooh ahh Bob Bookah

Indeed he was, he was sat a few rows in front of Bert.

Booker was stood on his seat at one point!

 

[Greville Waterman]

Sounds like I have picked the perfect guy to write about. He is a delight to talk to. No ego, just a lovely man with time for everybody.

Please keep the stories and memories coming. I will be in touch with people at the club too.

Hope the book is worthy of the man and that you all want to buy it next year! I am sure that there will be some events and dinners to promote it.

Many thanks, once again.

PS I am afraid we do claim Bob as a Bee too as he gave everything for the shirt at Griffin Park for 10 years or so!

Hope Jack O'Connell does well for you. He is a really good prospect who just needs games. Any idea how much you paid for him?

 

[Worksop II]

PS I am afraid we do claim Bob as a Bee too

Bob the Bee or Sir Ooh Aah !! ..................... you Sir, have fucked it

 

[Foxy]

This is just to let everybody know that I am currently writing a biography of Bob Booker. This will cover his life and times at all three clubs with which he was associated as a player, coach or assistant manager, Brentford, Brighton and Sheffield United. Bob is very supportive of this project and is assisting me in every way possible.

With Bob's permission (will drop him a message), I'm more than happy to send you my footage of a recent evening with the man himself in a pub full of Blades, in which many stories and memories were discussed (along with talk of his other clubs)...

Though he may want some keeping out of print

 

[AlienWoodward]

I will always remember him running up to us away at Stoke in the promotion season as the teams came out. He just bowed and doffed his cap to chants of Ooh Arr.
Total legend, loved by all Blades without exception.
I believe before he signed for us he created the universe or something like that

 

[maidmarion]

Don't get me wrong. I loved him as much as the next fella.

One of my best ever memories as a Blade was a cardboard life size cut out of Bob, popping its head out of a convertible car cruising along Woodseats after the Leicester match. Priceless

UTB

There was also a life size Paul Stancliffe. I think Mal Sissons had something to do with these....he was just behind us at Leicester.

 

[ourbob]

....Ourbob.

 

[flashinblade1889]

also. he turned up at Hillsborough to see United, sat on the Leppings Lane top tier with the Blades. When he was spotted the whole end rose in tribute to ooh ahh Bob Bookah

I was going to post that Maidenhead the whole end rose up singing his name he stood up waved and sat back down. I think it was the game that Hodges broke piggy Harkes in half and got sent off I could be wrong mind

 

[Bert]

I was going to post that Maidenhead the whole end rose up singing his name he stood up waved and sat back down. I think it was the game that Hodges broke piggy Harkes in half and got sent off I could be wrong mind

It was the Bobby Davison night

 

[SUFC Handsworth]

Like many Blades fans I wasn't a fan Bob Booker's until the aforementioned Mansfield away game, that night in dreadful conditions - snow, sleet, rain, freezing temperatures - he was awesome. From then on he never looked back at the Lane. Great character, epitomised everything about the Bassett era at our club at the time.

 

[flashinblade1889]

It was the Bobby Davison night

The old memory is going Bert could have swore it were when we drew 1-1 when Deano scored first about 94?

 

[Wards]

We've got Bob Booker,
He's a dirty fucker,
6 foot tall,
And he cost fuck all!

 

[CarlingBlade]

Blade runners has a good story about the day went up v Leicester. Bob was up against Gary McCallister who was a big cheese destined for greater things and both proceeded to kick lumps out of each other, on one occasion Booker kicked McCallister who ended up flat on his back, Booker put he hand out to help McCallister up (who by this time was getting annoyed), McCallister refused and said "who the fuck are you", whilst the blades were blasting out the Bob Booker chant, and Bob replied "I'm ohhhhhh ahhhhhhhhhhh"

 

[CarlingBlade]

Bob Booker was a legend, I'd rather have 11 of him in the team, we'd be better for it, sadly the bust a gut player is a breed that appears to have died out.

Bob was new to Sheffield and Mick Rooker took him under his wing, this meant supporters club nights, youth football presentations etc which meant maximum exposure, fans loved him and he loved the fans, he played during a golden time to be a Blade but contributed immensely to that time, he wasn't a passenger in the side he was a lead figure head of the crazy part II which Harry and Frenchie created at the Lane.

 

[Swanseablade]

Total legend & nice guy anall.

He wasn't the most skilful footballer, as Mr Chumley Warner probably says, but his positional sense & footballing brain were top drawer & often get overlooked.
He was intimidating on the pitch & the opposition would generally respect him. He wasn't dirty though he was just a hard player that wouldn't back down. And a big fucker !

As others have said, wish we'd had a few out of Bobs mould over the last few years, instead of, well you know.........,

The book is a great idea & look forward to it.

UTB
FTP

 

[Revolution]

Bob:

- tried hard every game
- started badly but improved steadily
- wasn't blessed with the best natural ability, but compensated for it with hard work
- had a decent scoring record (8 in 42 games in 1989-90 was excellent)
- made the most of the chance Dave Bassett gave him when he was about to give up the game and become a window cleaner
- is a legend amongst Blades fans 25 years after leaving the club

In other words, he is the diametric opposite of the likes of Hammond and Coutts.

 

[Sothall_Blade]

One of my abiding memories of Bob Booker is his rather unorthodox warm-up routine.

This seemed to consist of doing keepy-uppies using only his thighs. Higher and higher the ball would go each time with Bob somehow managing to position himself perfectly underneath it before propelling it skywards once more.

Bob seemed to have developed this technique as a rare skill which I've not seen emulated before or since and which appeared to serve no practical purpose during an actual game of football.

Still, if it came down to Messi or Booker in a thigh-keepy-uppy challenge my money would be on Bob every time.

I've never seen it mentioned elsewhere, so maybe I've imagined it or at least exaggerated it in my own mind?

Ask Bob about it for me if you could. I would be interested to know what he says.

 

[Grappler]

Gave 100% every time, 100% heart, 100% commitment, didn't take prisoners, wore his Blades shirt with pride.

You can keep your fancy premiership Prima Donna's, at Sheffield United we like our players to be men, go thundering into a tackle, wanting to win the ball and win the game.

Bob connected with the fans, for all the reasons listed in this thread by all of us, the fans loved him, and in return, he loved the fans and the club.