Yesterday was the much-awaited testimonial of John Cooke, ex SAFC player and kitman who devoted nearly three decades to the club and was unceremoniously dismissed from the club during the Covid pandemic in a cost cutting exercise.
Naysayers, who might ask why is there all this furore over a kitman being made redundant, fail to grasp the obvious importance of such characters in and around the dressing room. By all accounts, Cookie was an important figure, a dedicated and highly motivated kitman with a great sense of humour. A real character, the kind the game is desperately short of. That importance is best demonstrated by just looking at the turnout from ex pro’s from vastly different eras. You had Gary Bennett lining up alongside Wes Brown in possibly the hardest centre half partnership in football history, Super Kev and Niall Quinn reprised their legendary partnership and even our former League One boss Jack Ross turned out at right back for the Shields team showing that the support for the event truly spanned across eras, featuring legends of the last 40 odd years as well as figures on the periphery of our recent history. It was brilliant to see the camaraderie in this reunion of players, many of whom probably haven’t met in years, all turning out to honour Cookie.
Proceedings started with a South Tyneside Ability F.C exhibition match, a really great opportunity for those players to get out on the pitch in front of a capacity crowd and one that they all visibly relished. The big game itself panned out almost to a script, but it was an enjoyable one. A pen was awarded early on by Frank Bruno who was, bizarrely, on VAR duties yesterday. Struggling with a potentially offside goal, Bruno bent the rules and judiciously handed a penalty to Shields, which was duly dispatched by Cookie. No one was going to argue with Bruno, no cowering spoilsports dared to approach the ex-heavyweight, rule book in hand whining ‘excuse me Mr Bruno, sir, but this is just not in the laws of the game’ and the moment was grasped by Cookie. Bruno’s decision set the tone for a jovial afternoon; the game was not to be taken too seriously. Not least for the boxer himself who disappeared after the first half, seemingly never to re-emerge.
Despite the informal nature of the match, there was room for moments of quality. SuperKev, despite missing his shooting boots, picked the ball up deep and was very tidy on the ball, Micky Gray was industrious from full back, bombing forward as much as possible and Alex Rae pulled the strings in midfield, making some pinpoint passes. One player who best showed this quality was Stephen Elliott, whose skilful, McGeadyesque finish made it 1-1 about 20 minutes in. Elliott was one player who still very much has it and could do a job in the Master’s League, should we enter a side.
Elliott’s goal coincided with the re-emergence of the sun from behind the clouds. It was absolutely scorching at Mariners Park as half time approached. Naturally, when the ball went out of play next it was time for much needed refreshments, with Quinny first over (Quinn, by his own admission, was a bit rusty). The rest of the half petered out, reduced largely to walking football.
In the second half, Elliott added another, women from the Shield’s team were introduced and then withdrawn and a spectacularly failed rebound from a penalty was scuffed wide by Ally McCoist. His blushes were spared as the penalty was retaken and slotted in by the chairman of South Shields, albeit extremely unconvincingly. With the score at 2:2, penalties, of the rare sudden death variety, were in store. Ally McCoist was denied from the spot, and for Reidy’s 11, Micky Gray stepped up, the weight of history heavy on his shoulders. He sent the keeper the wrong way to give the Sunderland side the win. The celebrations were muted, the result immaterial – the main thing was that John Cooke was finally ceremoniously honoured, money was raised for the cause and everyone had a fantastic day out.
There were numerous photo opportunities for people, young and old, at the end and no doubt beer was flowing upstairs with the gathered ex-pros. Some sore heads today, but a great occasion for all involved and perfect weather for it. Well done all round, South Shields F.C., for putting on a great event which you feel really should’ve been held at the Stadium of Light. There would’ve been less Mag tops in the crowd, that’s for certain.
We have copies of Cookie’s Testimonial Programme available here
