David Brooks' untold story

[1066blade]

This is just the start, but I realised his history up to now hadn't been documented anywhere.

Good job well done. Cheers Danny.

 

[stringer]

Very good article. Your first one out the way, hopefully many more to come.

It's all downhill from here unfortunately

 

[Foxy]

I'm pretty sure Rhys Norrington-Davies was formerly at the Swansea City Academy.

Was indeed.

 

[ucandomagic]

Wonder what would have been written if was playing for basement club Chezzy this season.

If he was they wouldn’t be.

 

[Sharrow Snuff Mill]

It's interesting that in these days of Premiership academies snapping up every youngster across the country with even the vaguest hint of talent, from as young as 7 or 8, clubs like ours have had to react and be ready to snap up the inevitable cast-offs. Happened with Brooks and I remember in the deadline day video there was a mention of a youngster from Chelsea we had signed at a similar age who could be a star.

It's a bit fucked up that clubs like Man City or Man U can release players like him at a young age and hardly matters a jot when they sign them back for tens of millions years later.

Lets hope the current Academy staff are as on the ball as those who managed to get Brooks.

 

[WhiteHawk]

Great article Danny04, thanks for that.

 

[Angef1Blade]

Great read - loved it

 

[Sean Thornton]

[

Great article ... who lent him Higdons shirt to play in on that day has got a sense of humour ?[/QUOTE]


You clearly never saw Higdon in a United shirt if you think that XXL is his.

 

[Liverpool blade]

Cracking article Danny. A fantastic read.

 

[JimPhipps]

Spoke to a Magnificent Seven people about Brooksy's route to the Blades first team and the senior Wales squad, of course via rejection by Manchester City. Including our very own Ball_Sup (Phil) and JimPhipps.
The Mods, I guess, will decide if this stays or goes but in the international break, with not much else going on, it might beat arguing about loyalty points. Or not, but that's not my call.

http://www.thestar.co.uk/sport/foot...ooks-rise-to-the-senior-welsh-squad-1-8797883

Nice piece, Danny. Kudos!

 

[Kenilworth]

Saw it on Twitter and was going to post a link to it but Danny04 beat me to it

Anyway - a good read. Cheers Dan

 

[Rusty view]

[

Great article ... who lent him Higdons shirt to play in on that day has got a sense of humour ?[/QUOTE]

That's Reeds shirt

 

[Cerberus Blade]

I found the article interesting to a point - but it's written like it's some kind of fairy tale that's come true and I don't see anything particularly remarkable about it tbh. His career so far resembles that of the many footballers setting out to make a living in the game. Rejected in one place, given a chance somewhere else. I think he's a remarkable footballer though and very glad he's here at Sheffield United. Enjoy him while we can.

 

[TarquinDelouche]

Spoke to a Magnificent Seven people about Brooksy's route to the Blades first team and the senior Wales squad, of course via rejection by Manchester City. Including our very own Ball_Sup (Phil) and JimPhipps.
The Mods, I guess, will decide if this stays or goes but in the international break, with not much else going on, it might beat arguing about loyalty points. Or not, but that's not my call.

http://www.thestar.co.uk/sport/foot...ooks-rise-to-the-senior-welsh-squad-1-8797883

Now that is an article. I had a go at you last month, but this is exactly what The Star could use more of. Well researched and written, well done.

 

[stringer]

I found the article interesting to a point - but it's written like it's some kind of fairy tale that's come true and I don't see anything particularly remarkable about it tbh. His career so far resembles that of the many footballers setting out to make a living in the game. Rejected in one place, given a chance somewhere else. I think he's a remarkable footballer though and very glad he's here at Sheffield United. Enjoy him while we can.

99 per cent of players who get a scholarship don’t then get a pro deal. To be released by City, with their Arab millions and the Etihad Campus, and end up in Sheffield with Shirecliffe and playing at Stocksbridge is a fair old culture shock. Then to get an international call-up just four years later, and so quickly after a full league debut, is a pretty remarkable story. It’s not a fairytale - Coxy actually says something along those lines - but the people around him, and Brooksy himself, deserve a lot of credit for how he’s turned out and that’s all the piece tries to do.

 

[I should coco]

A good piece, well written and I certainly didn't mind clicking on the Star link for once.

Factually it is not really correct though is it? As all at NKT already know, he was 100% developed by City and the 4 years from 16 to 20 spent at United, were not formative in any way.
Not formative at all.
No way.
Not at all.

So really he is a City player who we will lose anyway, so not much point getting excited about him, is there?

BTW, really loved the link to the '5 minute nutmeg' loop and I expected more vitriolic piggy response. I would imagine "he couldn't do it again" and probably "he was very lucky".

 

[siblade]

Well written piece, enjoyed that.

 

[Revolution]

Nice piece Danny04 . Good writing IMHO.

By the way, I really enjoyed listening to the pre-Derby podcast. There was a suggestion that you guys would do a joint post-Derby podcast. Is this going to happen? Would be good listening!

 

[elgoog44]

nice write up and article Danny04 great work

 

[TarquinDelouche]

99 per cent of players who get a scholarship don’t then get a pro deal. To be released by City, with their Arab millions and the Etihad Campus, and end up in Sheffield with Shirecliffe and playing at Stocksbridge is a fair old culture shock. Then to get an international call-up just four years later, and so quickly after a full league debut, is a pretty remarkable story. It’s not a fairytale - Coxy actually says something along those lines - but the people around him, and Brooksy himself, deserve a lot of credit for how he’s turned out and that’s all the piece tries to do.

It just needs a follow up piece in the summer featuring a long interview with the boy and a review of the season that his 20 goals and 40 assists fired us to promotion...

 

[LoughboroBlade]

Now that is an article. I had a go at you last month, but this is exactly what The Star could use more of. Well researched and written, well done.

Agreed. I made the point after the Bleacher piece that the reason why it resonated so well was that it was genuinely new and interesting content, so it’s good to see a piece that is different to the filler articles we tend to see in the Star. Also helpful not to ask the same old faces in pulling it together.

 

[FinchleyBlade]

Bit of a strange article isn't it?

Its acting like he has just got a multi million pound move to Man United and is starting in the premier league every week.

He's only played a handful of games for us. Think the Star need to calm down a bit.

 

[Sheff de party]

Well researched and written, but describing him as a key member of the squad is the kind of overhype the media is often rightly criticised for, as is (arguably) describing him as Premier League bound.

Let's not forget he was back on the bench shortly after his heroics against Wednesday and he has a long way to go to realise his admittedly huge potential.

That's being fussy though, a good story!

 

[stringer]

Nice piece Danny04 . Good writing IMHO.

By the way, I really enjoyed listening to the pre-Derby podcast. There was a suggestion that you guys would do a joint post-Derby podcast. Is this going to happen? Would be good listening!

Good point, I think it didn’t happen because all five of us haven’t been together in the same building since!

 

[stringer]

Well researched and written, but describing him as a key member of the squad is the kind of overhype the media is often rightly criticised for, as is (arguably) describing him as Premier League bound.

Let's not forget he was back on the bench shortly after his heroics against Wednesday and he has a long way to go to realise his admittedly huge potential.

That's being fussy though, a good story!

He is Premier League bound. 95% of 1,200 votes so far on the poll suggest so, too. I don’t think a slight niggle against Forest, resulting in him being rested, means much

 

[Balham]

I'm pretty sure Rhys Norrington-Davies was formerly at the Swansea City Academy.

He was - but he left them a couple of years ago before joined Merstham where we picked him up from. He's also had spells at Aberystwyth and with the Independent Schools associations (links/tweets below)



http://www.isfa.org.uk/juniors/24-about/other-news/804-isfa-player-earns-professional-contract

Danny04 lovely article. Nice to read something which is evidently the result of an investment of time rather than something which is rushed out to meet a deadline

 

[1danewhitehouse]

Spoke to a Magnificent Seven people about Brooksy's route to the Blades first team and the senior Wales squad, of course via rejection by Manchester City. Including our very own Ball_Sup (Phil) and JimPhipps.
The Mods, I guess, will decide if this stays or goes but in the international break, with not much else going on, it might beat arguing about loyalty points. Or not, but that's not my call.

http://www.thestar.co.uk/sport/foot...ooks-rise-to-the-senior-welsh-squad-1-8797883

An enjoyable read Danny. Thanks for posting. But I do have one slight criticism. I feel that you slightly misrepresent Shirecliffe as some sort “school of hard knocks” muckanettles kind of environment that makes or breaks a player (like the Plough Lane dressing room of the late 80s). I understand you’re going for the contrast from City’s luxury to an earthier environment but let’s be reyt, our facilities are excellent and modern. Our young players are very well looked after. Whilst it’s a good read, I just feel like you do our set up a little bit of a disservice.


But very good work going out and getting an insight from so many as to the back story. Makes it a much better read than a simple columnist opinion piece.

 

[bornablade]

I caught 5 minutes of Football Heaven, and a Wednesdayite of a certain age said he thought Brooksy was George Best reincarnated. Some praise.

Reminds me of another player. A player who left Manchester City as a youngster, flirted with the young England set up but decided to represent Wales at full cap level. He joined a 'United' club and became a legend as they dominated the Premier League and conquered Europe.

Of course it all sounds like a fairytale and couldn't possibly happen again.

 

[BushBlade]

Reminds me of another player. A player who left Manchester City as a youngster, flirted with the young England set up but decided to represent Wales at full cap level. He joined a 'United' club and became a legend as they dominated the Premier League and conquered Europe.

Of course it all sounds like a fairytale and couldn't possibly happen again.

England schoolboys isn't the 'England' set up, it's for schoolboys who live in England. Giggs was born in Wales to a Welsh mum and a Sierra Leonian dad. He wasn't eligible to play for England.

 

[Balham]

England schoolboys isn't the 'England' set up, it's for schoolboys who live in England. Giggs was born in Wales to a Welsh mum and a Sierra Leonian dad. He wasn't eligible to play for England.

Giggs would have qualified for England through residency, he moved to Manchester at 6. On a pedantic note, his father was half Sierra Leonian, half Welsh.