Wath Wanderers - the first ever football academy?

[brookchris]

Mark Crook - Wolves (1929-1935) started what is believed to be the first football academy - Wath Wanderers - a South Yorkshire based nursery team feeding Wolves (even though it's over 90 miles away!).
Mark Crook recommended over 80 players that played in the football league, including Ron Flowers, Roy Swinbourne, Alan Sunderland, Steve Daley & Bob Hatton.
Wath Wanderers was active for over 30 years up until 1969/70 season.
A blue plaque is planned for Spring 2025 with a not-for-profit book on the back of it - more detail at tinyurl.com/crookwwfc

 

[BillyDee]

Yeah, I think I read about this somewhere recently...

 

[Kenny]

Bit spammy chap.

I have deleted your other identical posts and will leave this one unless you turn into a big parking bot.

 

[leedswolf]

Mark Crook - Wolves (1929-1935) started what is believed to be the first football academy - Wath Wanderers - a South Yorkshire based nursery team feeding Wolves (even though it's over 90 miles away!).
Mark Crook recommended over 80 players that played in the football league, including Ron Flowers, Roy Swinbourne, Alan Sunderland, Steve Daley & Bob Hatton.
Wath Wanderers was active for over 30 years up until 1969/70 season.
A blue plaque is planned for Spring 2025 with a not-for-profit book on the back of it - more detail at tinyurl.com/crookwwfc

You've missed (probably) the best player to come to Wolves from Wath, that is Peter Knowles (his brother Cyril was also a product of the 'academy').

 

[brookchris]

Yeah - the Knowles' brothers are on the list of 80 players at tinyurl.com/crookwwfc
Apologies for not including them - I had to choose a handful.

 

[brookchris]

Bob Hatton made the most appearances of the 80+ players that passed through Wath Wanderers - the first 'football academy'.
Mark Crook's nursery club to Wolves will have a blue plaque unveiled in May 2025 with a not-for-profit book on the back of it.
Webpage : tinyurl.com/crookwwfc
Plaque event : https://fb.me/e/4skMrAiCE

 

[brookchris]

The jewel in the crown of Wath Wanderers' recruits.
Ron Flowers lost his front two teeth playing for Mark Crook's South Yorkshire nursery club to Wolves.
A blue plaque will be unveiled in May 2025 with a not-for-profit book on the back of it.... Webpage : tinyurl.com/crookwwfc
Plaque event : https://fb.me/e/4skMrAiCE

 

[brookchris]

Alan Sunderland is another elite player that passed through Wath Wanderers - the first 'football academy'.
Mark Crook's nursery club to Wolves will have a blue plaque unveiled in May 2025 with a not-for-profit book on the back of it.
Webpage : tinyurl.com/crookwwfc
Plaque event : tinyurl.com/crookblue
All the Wath pros: tinyurl.com/crookposters

 

[brookchris]

We are getting some publicity in the North...hopefully we'll get some in the West Midlands too.
Clips are from 8/1/25
Online version at : tinyurl.com/crookyp
Projects webpage : tinyurl.com/crookwwfc

 

[brookchris]

Jim Barron came from County Durham to Wath Wanderers - the pioneering 'football academy'. Jim has been interviewed for the book. Why didn't he go to NUFC? He said that Wolves were the 'bees knees' and even then he knew about Wath.
Mark Crook's nursery club to Wolves will have a blue plaque unveiled in May 2025 with a not-for-profit book on the back of it.
Webpage : tinyurl.com/crookwwfc
Plaque event : tinyurl.com/crookblue
All the Wath pros: tinyurl.com/crookposters

 

[brookchris]

A talk at the Wolves Museum.
At least 89 players passed through Mark Crook's South Yorkshire nursery club - the vast majority of which signed for Wolves.
Limited seats - book at tinyurl.com/crooktalk
Thursday 24th April at 7pm
100% of the takings will go towards the Wolves Museum.

 

[brookchris]

Research has revealed abother 35 elite players to take us to to the century for Mark Crook.
We'll keep digging, however we are keen to focus on those who went on to non-League careers after Wath Wanderers. If you know anyone that 'had a trial for Wolves' in the North please comment.
2025 events: tinyurl.com/crookwwfc

 

[brookchris]

Register your interest and we will keep you posted when the book is available to pre-order at a discounted price.
In addition, those who pre-order can have their name in the book (along with others). Profits - 50% to Brampton United JFC and 50% to the Wolves Foundation.
Email brookchris@talk21.com or complete the contact box at the bottom of tinyurl.com/crookwwfc

 

[brookchris]

Here's all the final Northern Intermediate League tables that Wolves played in between 1950/51 and 1969/70.
https://tinyurl.com/crooknilt
Downloadable as PDF or Excel.
Screenshot is just the first two seasons. Hope it's useful for somebody some day!

 

[brookchris]

Here's the home grounds of Wolves Juniors in South Yorkshire. They were always known as Wath Wanderers (to those at Wolves) but only played under that name for 6 seasons.
Wombwell and especially Brampton missed out on the recognition despite hosting many budding stars.
More on the 2025 plans at : tinyurl.com/crookwwfc

 

[brookchris]

NEWS: Any profits from sales of the book will go to the Wolves Foundation and Brampton United JFC.
Register your interest in pre-ordering at tinyurl.com/crookbook
Mark Crook's family chose Brampton United JFC - the club that play on the same pitches that Mark Crook scouted 105 future professionals.
The Wolves Foundation is the club’s official charity. They encourage healthier and more active people, lifelong learning and skills and the development of safer, stronger communities

 

[brookchris]

These 41 players played for Wolves thanks to Mark Crook's Wath Wanderers. Poached from under the noses of Barnsley, Rotherham United and Doncaster Rovers.
In 1954/55 an average of 4 players in each starting XI were from his South Yorkshire football factory.
2025 is the year for a blue plaque (May) and a charity book (November). Register your interest for either at tinyurl.com/crookwwfc