Andy Cooke, Andy Cooke, Andy,
Andy Cooke...
...when he gets the ball he scores a goal, Andy,
Andy Cooke! Well, this refrain rang true some of the time, anyway. Fifty-one times in a
Burnley shirt, to be precise, and I shall be sorry not to have the chance to greet a
fifty-second occasion by bellowing it again. Since Andy Cooke’s departure to Stoke
City, it’s been said that he embodied the kind of spirit you would expect from a team
managed by Stan Ternent. That’s fair comment, given Cookey’s wholehearted
approach to the game, but his time at the Turf, of course, pre-dates the arrival of the
current gaffer.
In fact, his time at the Turf spanned quite a
few ups and downs. Adrian Heath gave him his chance in the first team, alongside
contemporaries the Pauls Smith and Weller and Chris Brass. He also survived the absolute
debacle that was chris waddle’s brief tenure,
though the deluded erstwhile sausage maker did try for while to replace him by playing
music hall turn Lee Howey up front. Cookey bore this slight with his usual quiet dignity,
and got on with the business of playing himself back into the first team. As we all know, waddle did one good thing whilst manager of Burnley (well, two good
things if you count resigning) – he signed Andy Payton to play alongside Cookey in a
classic big ‘un/little ‘un partnership.
There was a time when Cookey’s game was
hampered by his propensity for getting involved in pointless physical confrontations with
defenders, memorably with Efetobar Sodje on a torrential afternoon in Macclesfield. Last
season, however, despite the very considerable physical stick he continued to absorb, he
seemed to have succeeded in channelling his combative instincts in a more positive
direction. The evidence of his improved overall contribution was not so much in his
personal goal tally, but in the remarkable total of 27 goals bagged by his strike partner,
Andy Payton.
There are Burnley supporters who don’t rate
Andy Cooke, and probably some that claim they never did. I have no time for these people.
Set against some of the shirkers, shysters and downright talentless no-marks that have
demeaned the good name of our club down the years, Cookey should be remembered as a hero
in the Claret cause. He never gave a performance that was less than 100 per cent
committed, and he scored some of the most memorable and important goals of the last few
years. Though not a local boy like Andy Payton or John Mullin, he seemed, if anything,
even more like one of our own. He came through the ranks after joining from non-league
Club Newtown, and Burnley were his first league club. He wore the shirt with pride and
distinction and he always played like it actually mattered to him.
Probably the most vital goals he scored were the
two against Plymouth at the Turf a couple of seasons ago, when we had to win simply to
stand a chance of staying up. I can visualise the second of those now, a thumping header
from a right-wing cross, that gave the keeper no chance and sent us all completely barmy.
Best of all, though, was the winner against Derby in last season’s FA Cup third round
– a towering header over a statuesque home defence. A result, and above all a
performance that announced to the football world that Burnley were, indeed, back
("Absolutely magnificent" – a Mr A Hansen of the BBC).
Following this momentous victory, a photo of
Cookey with arms aloft and shirt collar pulled up around his ears à
la headless horseman appeared in a national tabloid newspaper. This image is known to have
been cut out of said newspaper, laminated, and then used to adorn a Christmas tree in the
Putney Heath area of south-west London. Yes, I know that’s very, very silly and
probably caused the lad some embarrassment when he found out about it (it was sent to him
as a souvenir in the New Year), but look, we’d just beaten a Premiership team away
from home. And, anyway, when was the last time a football match made you that happy, you
miserable so and sos?
The bad memories from just a few seasons ago are
fading as we find ourselves, at the time of writing, in nosebleed territory in the top
six. I, for one, am sorry that Cookey will no longer be around to share in the continuing
adventure that is the Nationwide Division One, but at the same time, I think a change of
club now represents his best option. He’s got a three-year deal and a chance to make
an impact with his hometown club, so all we can do is wish him well and hope it works out
for him. It’s going to be a bit odd scanning the Sunday papers for Stoke’s
line-up, but as the Claret diaspora continues, stranger things may become necessary.
John Pepper
January 2001
Links -
Firmo's view on Andy Cooke and Igor Wowk's tribute
