David Brooks Is Climbing Right Back to the Top, Insists Wales’ Teammate Chris Mepham

David Brooks of Wales. Pic. Alamy

Chris Mepham believes his Wales teammate David Brooks is being driven by a desire to prove himself again at the very highest level after his battle with cancer.

Bournemouth’s Brooks was diagnosed with stage-two Hodgkin lymphoma in October 2021, a type of blood cancer that affects the lymphatic system.

The illness forced him into intensive chemotherapy, sidelining him from football for 18 months.

In May 2022 he announced he was cancer-free, but his recovery and return to peak physical condition were gradual.

The 28-year-old returned to training at Bournemouth the following season but featured sparingly, as his body adjusted after months of treatment.

To regain sharpness, he spent the second half of the 2023-24 campaign on loan at Southampton, where he played an important role in their promotion push.

Brooks featured in the Championship play-offs and helped Saints seal a return to the Premier League.

Back at Bournemouth last season, he was often used from the bench. Yet his performances in recent months suggest he is finally rediscovering the form that once made him one of Wales’ most creative attacking threats.

Centre-back Mepham, who played alongside Brooks at Bournemouth before joining West Bromwich Albion this summer, believes the forward’s hunger now is greater than ever.

“He’s getting back to his best, which is exciting for everyone to see,” Mepham said.

“He hasn’t had the load that other players have had because of his health problem.

“So he’s probably even more hungry than ever to prove a point to everyone and to show he has still got all the ability.
“He just needs to stay fit and carry on showcasing it.

“I thought he was Bournemouth’s best player in pre-season and he has carried that on.

“There have never been any question marks around his ability, the only concerns have been about his fitness.”

Brooks’ return to form is also timely for Wales.

He was involved alongside Mepham in the 1-0 victory over Kazakhstan on Thursday, a result that lifted Craig Bellamy’s side to the top of their World Cup qualifying group.

While Wales will pause qualifying commitments to play Canada in a friendly in Swansea on Tuesday, the bigger goal is clear: reaching next summer’s World Cup.

The players remain determined to make up for a disappointing experience in Qatar three years ago.

Having ended a 64-year wait to appear at the tournament, Wales managed just a single point and one goal in the group stage before exiting early.

Mepham admits that memory still stings.

“I think I speak on behalf of everyone that Qatar was a missed opportunity,” he said.

“The hard work was getting there and it was a collective regret that we didn’t make an impact out there.

“The consensus coming away from Qatar was that not many players left their all out there.

“It plays on your mind and leaves question marks about whether you will get an opportunity to play there again.

“We need to make sure that if and when we qualify for the World Cup we are in a really strong position. All these camps and games are building up to that.”