Stephen Brooke

   Signed back in 1996 by Ed Hoofer-Smith (a.k.a the invisible man), Brooke began his Leopards career as part of a proflific strike duo with Nick 'hot shot' V-D. He missed most of the next two seasons due to his transfer to Zoo Lake F.C of Johannesburg, but was coaxed back to Kennington despite some opposition from the Lakers who, having won the coveted Westrand league division 3 title with Brooke orchestrating play from the centre of midfield, were loath to see him go. Also as a young man voted African footballer of the year, packing up his old kit bag was no easy thing to do.
   Back in Leopards uniform, he can now be seen down the right flank, having dropped back into midfield. The legs have slowed up a bit, but the football brain, honed from seasons of Hammers watching, is still sharp as a knive, and as keen as mustard. He is a finisher turned provider.
     Brooke is stylish off the pitch as well as on, his penchant for sporting fashionabe shoe-wear not, however, appreciated by the bouncers of London, Ipswich Winchester. Indeed, what with one thing and another, Brooke has seen many wonderful and weird things over the years. V-D has scored from 25 yards. Ed 'Tree-trunks' Fenn-Smith has been seen passing the ball along the ground. Alexander 'El Sid' Stevenson has left for the states and has inspired Lothar Matheus to do the same (one can only speculate as to whether Bayern Munich will achieve the success that the leopards have done after one of their footballing greats departs). And the leopards have become champions.
    It is widely believed that Eric Cantona, the Gallic Bard, was thinking of Brooke when he penned his favourite poem, 'the leopard', the first verse of which reads as follows.

'Leopard, Leopard burning bright,
Like a rapier down the right.
What defence can thou not pierce,
With a pass so true and a shot so fierce'

The zoo lakers were loath to see Brookey go, he was the only one who knew the rules