Garth Crooks
A sharp-shooting forward who won the FA Cup with Tottenham, then traded the pitch for the pundit's chair with the same direct, opinionated style.
Born 1958 (age 68)·English footballer·Birthday: March 10·Baby Boomers
Biography
Garth Crooks carved out a successful career as a clever, goal-poaching forward in an era of hard tackles and muddy pitches. Breaking through at Stoke City, his intelligent movement and clinical finishing earned him a move to Tottenham Hotspur, where he became a fan favorite. At Spurs, he formed a potent partnership with Steve Archibald, and his goals were crucial in the club's memorable early-80s run, including victories in the 1981 and 1982 FA Cup finals. Crooks played with a thoughtful, almost studious approach that hinted at his future. After retiring, he seamlessly transitioned into broadcasting, becoming a fixture on the BBC's football coverage. His punditry is characterized by the same directness he showed on the field—unafraid of strong opinions and often delivering them in his distinctive, measured tone. Beyond the microphone, he has been a committed advocate for diversity in football and served as a chairman of the Professional Footballers' Association, ensuring his impact on the game continued long after his last match.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Garth was born in 1958, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Garth Was Born
The biggest hits of 1958
#1 Movie
South Pacific
Best Picture
Gigi
#1 TV Show
Gunsmoke
Garth's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1958Born
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1963Started school
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1971Became a teenager
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1974Could drive
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1976Could vote
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1979Turned 21
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1988Turned 30
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1998Turned 40
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2008Turned 50
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2018Turned 60
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 68 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the FA Cup twice with Tottenham Hotspur in 1981 and 1982, scoring in the 1982 semi-final.
- Served as Chairman of the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA), representing player interests.
- Became a long-standing football pundit and presenter for BBC Sport, notably on 'Final Score' and 'Football Focus.'
- Scored over 100 league goals in his career for clubs including Stoke City, Tottenham, and West Bromwich Albion.
Did You Know?
He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1999 for services to football.
Crooks studied for a degree in Politics and Modern History while playing for Stoke City.
He was the first black player to score a hat-trick for Stoke City.
He once worked as a sports officer for the Greater London Council after his playing career.
“A striker's job is to be in the right place at the right time.”
