 Garth Crooks was born in Stoke-on-Trent in 1958 to Jamaican parents. He became a professional footballer at the age of 19 for Stoke City, though he is perhaps most closely associated with Tottenham Hotspur, with whom he won two FA Cup Winners' Medals (1981, 1982), a League Cup Runners-Up Medal (1982) and a UEFA Cup Winners' Medal (1984). He also won 4 caps for England Under-21s.
While still a footballer, Crooks began to take on work in the media as a broadcaster and journalist. His television credits include Grandstand, Sportsnight and Match of the Day and he has also covered the World Cup (in 1982, 1990 and 1994), Euro 96 and the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
Crooks was an Associate Producer-Presenter for the Channel 4 series Great Britain United (1991), interviewing a number of football players such as John Barnes, Ian Wright and Luther Blissett. Crooks is also known for his work as a radio commentator for state and commercial radio stations and has written widely for newspapers and books.
Garth Crooks has been Chairman of the Institute of Professional Sport since 1991, an association made up of the union bodies of all major UK sports. In 1999 he was awarded an OBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours.
Seb Whyte
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FILM & TV CREDITS