33 league goals in 1947–48, a total that made him that season's First Division top scorer, and helped propel the Gunners to their sixth League title. He remains () Arsenal's all-time record-holder for the most goals scored in a postwar season. Rooke scored another 15 goals in 1948–49, including one in Arsenal's 4–3 victory over Manchester United in the 1948 FA Charity Shield. For the Gunners Rooke scored 70 goals in 94 matches in all competitions. In total he scored 170 goals from 256 appearances in the Football League for Crystal Palace, Fulham and Arsenal. His goal exploits continued in non-league football, becoming a player-manager for various clubs before his eventual retirement, ending a career that stretched over thirty years. Managerial career Rooke left Arsenal in the summer of 1949, to rejoin former club Crystal Palace as player-manager. His first season as manager was moderately successful as Palace finished seventh in the Third Division South. The next season began poorly, and in November 1950 he moved on to Bedford Town, having increased his appearances and goals totals for Palace to 63 and 32 respectively. He initially featured as a player for Bedford, before being appointed player-manager in February 1951, a job he held until December 1953. During this spell at the club Rooke scored 97 goals from 136 appearances in all competitions. He then moved on to become player-manager at Haywards Heath Town and Addlestone, before returning to Bedford in 1959. Although his second spell saw him appointed only as a manager, he made two first team appearances when the club were lacking players. He was sacked after the club lost an FA Cup match against Hitchin Town in September 1961. Personal life Rooke later worked at Heathrow Airport and Whitbread brewery. He died of lung cancer in June 1985. Honours As player Arsenal First Division: 1947–48 FA Charity Shield: 1948 As manager Bedford Town Huntingdonshire Premier Cup: 1951–52 Individual First Division top scorer: 1947–48 Daily Express Footballer of the Season: 1947–48 See also List of men's footballers with the most official appearances List of men's footballers with 500 or more goals References 1911 births Military personnel from Guildford Sportspeople from Guildford 1985 deaths English footballers England wartime international footballers Association football forwards Guildford City F.C. players Woking F.C. players Crystal Palace F.C. players Fulham F.C. players Arsenal F.C. players Crystal Palace F.C. managers Bedford Town F.C. players Haywards Heath