Robbie Cooke

Robert Leslie Cooke (16 February 1957 – 7 August 2021) was an English footballer and manager who played as a forward in the Football League, most notably for Peterborough United and Brentford. He represented England C at international level while playing non-League football. After retiring from football, Cooke managed Warboys Town and later became a scout.

Club career

Mansfield Town Cooke began his career in the youth system at Mansfield Town and made 9 appearances and scoring one goal in his debut season, in which the Stags won the 1976–77 Third Division championship. He made only six appearances in Second Division during the 1977–78 season and departed the club at the end of the campaign, having made just 15 first team appearances for the club.

Grantham Cooke joined Southern League First Division North club Grantham during the 1978 off-season and scored 43 goals to propel the club to the 1978–79 division championship. He failed to find his prolific goalscoring form for the struggling club, which suffered relegation to the Third Division at the end of the 1983–84 season. Cooke managed 14 goals in 65 league appearances and with relegation to the Fourth Division looming, he departed the club midway through the 1984–85 season. He quickly found form, scoring 16 goals in 31 games and scoring what proved to be a consolation in the 3–1 1985 Football League Trophy Final defeat to Wigan Athletic.

Millwall Cooke joined Second Division high-flyers Millwall on 11 December 1987 for a £30,000 fee and scored one goal in five appearances during the remainder of the 1987–88 season. He was unable to break up the forward pairing of Tony Cascarino and Teddy Sheringham and departed the Lions in September 1988. Cooke ended his career with spells at Northampton Spencer, Bourne Town and a second stint at Grantham Town.

Managerial and coaching career Cooke had a spell as player-coach at Southern League Midland Division club Grantham Town during the 1991–92 season.

Scouting career Cooke was invited to become a part-time scout for Preston North End by former Cambridge United teammate and then-Preston manager David Moyes. Cooke subsequently followed Moyes to Premier League club Everton in 2002 and Manchester United in 2013, serving as chief scout at both clubs. After Moyes was sacked by Manchester United in April 2014, Cooke was not retained by incoming manager Louis van Gaal. In November 2014, Cooke was appointed to the role of UK and International Scout at Burnley. Cooke reunited with David Moyes at Premier League club West Ham United in 2020 and held the role of chief scout until his death in August 2021.

Personal life Cooke's nephew Russell was also a footballer and played for Hucknall Town, Eastwood Town and Ilkeston Town. Cooke worked for Thomas Cook and later for Travelex in the 1990s and at the time of his death from cancer at Thorpe Hall in August 2021,

Career statistics

Honours Grantham Southern League First Division North: 1978–79