Scott Cooksey

Infobox Football biography
playername= Scott Cooksey


fullname = Scott Andrew Cooksey
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1972|6|24
cityofbirth = Birmingham
countryofbirth = England
height =
currentclub = Retired
position = Goalkeeper
years = 1990–1991
1991
1991–1993
1993–1995
1994
1995
1995–1998
1998–2000
1999
2000
2000–2002
clubs = Derby County
Shrewsbury Town
Bromsgrove Rovers
Peterborough United
→ Stalybridge Celtic (loan)
→ Welling United (loan)
Hednesford Town
Shrewsbury Town
→ Weymouth (loan)
→ Hereford United (loan)
Hereford United
Career
caps(goals) = 000 (0)
000 (0)
130 (0)
015 (0)
013 (0)
005 (0)
138 (0)
003 (0)
010 (0)
017 (0)
040 (0)
371 (0)
nationalyears = 1997–2001
nationalteam = England C
nationalcaps(goals) = 004 (0)

Scott Andrew Cooksey (born 24 June 1972 in Birmingham) is a former English professional footballer, who played as a goalkeeper. During his career, he played for a number of professional and semi professional clubs, including Derby County, Shrewsbury Town, Peterborough United, Hednesford Town and Hereford United. His career was terminated prematurely during the 2001-02 season after a wrist injury.

Early career

Cooksey started off his professional career at Derby County in 1990, before spending half a season at Shrewsbury Town, however he was unable to break into the first squad at either club. After a successful period at non-league Mangrove's Rovers, Bookseller moved to peter borough United in 1993. However at Peterborough, Cooksey was restricted to reserve team appearances, although he made a handful of starts at Peterborough, along with short loan stints at non-league sides Welling United and Cambridge Celtic

Hednesford Town

Cooksey's big footballing break came in July 1995, when John Baldwin, then manager of non-league Hednesford Town, signed Cooksey from Peterborough. Hednesford had recently won promotion to the Football Conference, and Cooksey was to establish himself as one of the team's star players as Hednesford established themselves as one of the country's top non-league sides during the mid 1990s. Cooksey was almost an ever-present first choice goalkeeper during his three and a half years at the club.

Amongst the highlights of his time at Hednesford included a famous FA Cup run during the 1996/97 season, which saw Hednesford progress from the early qualifying stages, right up to the Fourth Round proper.

Cooksey was to play a pivotal role as Hednesford beat Blackpool 1-0 at Bloomfield Road in the second round, as he produced a last-gasp save in the dying moments, with Hednesford holding onto a late 1-0 lead.

After defeating York City 1-0 at Keys Park, Cooksey starred in one of Hednesford's most famous matches, a narrow 3-2 defeat to Premiership side Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium. Hednesford were far from disgraced though, as they gave their Premiership opponents a scare, taking a sensatioanl early lead, and leading for most of the first half, before two late goals finally killed off The Pitmen.

Cooksey and Hednesford's FA Cup heroics continued into 1997/98, as they beat Hull City 2-0 at Boothferry Park, in a match filmed live for Match of the Day.

It was of little surprise, given Hednesford's run of good form during the mid 1990's, that several Football League clubs showed an interest in Cooksey, and his last few months at Hednesford were riddled with speculations of a transfer to a higher league. He was also called up to the England semi professional side, making two appearances.

hrewsbury Town

In October 1998, Shrewsbury Town manager Jake King signed Cooksey from Hednesford for £15,000. Cooksey had been a squad member at Shrewsbury during part of the 1992/93 season, and he was hoping to make an impact at Gay Meadow, following his successful stint at Hednesford.

Unfortunately, he did not enjoy the same amount of success with Shrewsbury Town. The club were entering a rather mediocre period of their history, and were finding themselves struggling to remain in the Football League. Shrewsbury's first choice goalkeeper Paul Edwards was one of the stronger team members, and Cooksey struggled to dislodge him as first-choice keeper. His first-team debut was against Cardiff City at Ninian Park, where he gifted Cardiff their opening goal as he dropped a crossed ball, Cardiff eventually winning 3-0.

He was only to make one more league appearance, a defeat to Hull City at Gay Meadow, along with an appearance in the Auto Windscreens Shield.

Late in 1999, Jake King was sacked, and Kevin Ratcliffe appointed as manager. Unfortunately for Cooksey, his position at the club was further compromised as Ratcliffe signed former Liverpool trainee Ian Dunbavin as second choice keeper, leaving Cooksey to find a place elsewhere.

Hereford United

In January 2000, Hereford United, then of the Football Conference, signed Cooksey on loan from Shrewsbury. With Cooksey once again an automatic first choice, he was a hit at Edgar Street and was signed on a free transfer in the summer of 2000.

Cooksey was a first team regular as Hereford pushed for promotion from the Football Conference. Whilst 'The Bulls' were not be promoted during Cooksey's stay, he became well regarded at the club, establishing himself as the first choice goalkeeper. It was during this spell that Cooksey also won the accolade of being first choice goalkeeper in the England semi-professional squad earning a further two caps.

Unfortunately, late in 2001 Cooksey picked up a wrist injury, and received an injection in order for him to complete the season. Sadly, the injury was to become infected, and Cooksey missed the entire 2001-02 season. The severity of the potentially life-threatening condition meant a three week spell in hospital with blood poisoning which had destroyed his wrist ligaments and severely weakening it.

Bravely, Cooksey attempted to battle back to fitness, and returned to football in January 2002 with a solitary appearance on the bench in the FA Trophy replay against Chesham United. Sadly, he was never able to fully recover from the wrist injury, and with the need for further complicated operations he opted to retire from professional football in February 2002, aged 29.

Since retiring from football, Cooksey is believed to have entered a career in teaching.

External links

* [http://archive.herefordtimes.com/2002/8/5/45563.html Cooksey reveals injury shock]
* [http://www.soccerbase.com/players_details.sd?playerid=1628 Career statistics on Soccerbase]