After he recovered from a hamstring injury that caused him to miss a month at the start of the 2003–04 season,[9][10] he went on to finish the campaign with eight goals in 34 games.
He started the 2004–05 season in tremendous form, scoring for four successive league games in August, including a brace past Hull City.
"[13] He went on to have a highly successful season with City, scoring sixteen goals for the club, despite suffering from a broken toe.
[26][27][28][29] In January Brooker was made available for a loan spell to regain fitness, and twenty clubs put in offers.
[30] After recovering from illness and a further back injury,[31][32] he joined Keith Downing's League One side Cheltenham Town on a one-month loan.
[37][38] On his return to City he scored an emotional late goal against Norwich to send his club top of the table;[39][40] however, the "Reds" would have to settle with a play-off place.
[43] He started the 2008–09 season well by coming off the bench to get the late winners at Blackpool,[44] Peterborough United,[45] and Coventry City.
[50][51] He returned to Rovers permanently for an undisclosed fee in January 2009, penning a two-and-a-half-year deal despite not being fully fit.
[52] He was initially expected to be rested for two weeks,[53] but soon found himself out of action on a long-term basis after requiring an operation to fix an ankle injury.
[58] On 1 September 2006, Brooker was sentenced to prison for 28 days for his part in a 2005 nightclub brawl,[59] which also saw his Bristol City teammates Bradley Orr and David Partridge imprisoned.