Happy Birthday Sir Trevor Brooking

 Happy Birthday Sir Trevor Brooking

When you first set eyes upon him, we knew that here was one of the most extravagant footballing talents you'd ever seen. At the time, you really didn't think you were watching the genuine article and yet you were and it wasn't an optical illusion, a figment of your imagination. He was, and would become one of West Ham and England's most creative midfielders of all time and you remain convinced that this is indeed the case. He is undoubtedly a peerless footballing genius, surely the most princely and educated of all footballers. 

Today, Sir Trevor Brooking celebrates his 76th birthday and, in your personal estimation, none have equalled, matched or surpassed his brilliance and superlative magnificence. They broke the mould with Trevor Brooking, the angels were singing beautifully and if Brooking had become a classically trained musician he would have been the greatest of violinists or pianists. We've heard all about those obvious football cliches. We're completely familiar with conductors of orchestras, midfield artists with divine brushes but Sir Trevor Brooking had it all on the pitch. 

Football of course came naturally and organically to Brooking. It endowed him with breathtaking ball skills from his Barking birthplace in London's East End.  Overnight he became one of England's classiest and purest players. It shaped him into a man of manners, politeness, civility and composure in every fibre of his being. West Ham and England were just hoping and wishing that one day a player of Brooking's like would come along to provide football's most impressive landscape with its prettiest watercolours.

And so at the tender age of 18, manager Ron Greenwood turned to the youngster in claret and blue and promised that one day Trevor Brooking would grace every football stage with poise and immaculate ball control. He had the kind of smooth balance and equilibrium on a football pitch that the once late and tragically missed Duncan Edwards of Manchester United might have given the Beautiful Game. But Brooking was the epitome of suave sophistication, a glorious playmaker, the catalyst and sparking plug that just electrified a match at every level.

It did take Brooking a while to adjust to the game's most exacting demands. He was twice the recipient of two FA Cup winning medals with West Ham. In 1975, now a reliable first team starter for the England team, Brooking was one of the principal figures in the Hammers 2-0 FA Cup Final winning victory at Wembley. Then, five years later, Brooking was a central protagonist in West Ham's shock 1-0 FA Cup Final triumph against overwhelming favourites Arsenal.

 He stooped to conquer with one of the most uncharacteristic headers Wembley and football had ever seen. Alan Devonshire's flighted cross to the far post resulted in a flurry of feet with a David Cross flick of the leg, a Stuart Pearson lunge of the ball and Brooking just heading the ball low past Pat Jennings in the Arsenal goal for the ultimate FA Cup Final winner. Then the white West Ham shirt shone brightly in the May sunshine, as Sir Trevor Brooking revelled in the rapturous acclaim of thousands of overjoyed West Ham fans.

England manager Don Revie awarded Brooking his first England cap against Czechoslovakia and the rest, as they say, is history. One of your fondest memories remains his perfect working relationship with Kevin Keegan, Liverpool's human dynamo and brilliant striker. In a 1979 Home International game against Scotland, Trevor Brooking wore an England shirt once again. Teaming up  and conspiring with Keegan in some almost confidential agreement, Brooking carved through the Scottish defence in a heavenly one two with Keegan. Keegan finished off the move with a stunningly executed goal. It was a work of art that belonged in a gallery.

Then, in a World Cup qualifier in 1981, a cat's cradle of passes outside a bemused Hungarian penalty area eventually ended up at Brooking's feet. Adjusting himself beautifully, Brooking lifted his foot and struck an incredible first time shot that arrowed towards the Hungary net. The ball soared towards the stanchion of the net and just stuck there. For a minute, most of us thought the ball had just hit the side netting but the game's purists knew it was just the most magnificent goal England had ever scored.

Brooking would be capped 47 times for England and scored some of West Ham's most memorable goals. Before joining West Ham, his parents had encouraged him to stay at school and pass all of his O Levels before securing his academic status. The England midfield maestro might have gone to university but instead pursued his footballing studies. He went on to become a director of a plastics company with a business like and studious mind and that would always be his fallback had football not worked for him.

And so today Trevor Brooking today blows out 76 candles and some of us are wishing him the happiest of birthdays. We received his autobiography in an Ilford supermarket during the 1980s and will never forget his sartorial elegance. And that's perhaps Brooking personified.  Happy Birthday Sir Trevor Brooking. You're the most exemplary role model. Jude Bellingham take note. You could be Sir Trevor's modern day successor. Happy Birthday Sir Trevor.