logo
Gary Cooke: ‘With the football team formerly known as Manchester United, it feels that hope is gone'

Gary Cooke: ‘With the football team formerly known as Manchester United, it feels that hope is gone'

Irish Times26-04-2025

How agreeable are you?
Agreeable? I would say yes, although I heard a psychologist say that agreeable people tend to get paid much less and disagreeable people a whole lot more.
What's your middle name and what do you think of it?
My middle name is Colin, but I don't use it. It wasn't a Confirmation middle name, and there's no other family member called Colin. It was just a name my parents liked.
What's your favourite place in Ireland?
My favourite place is where I come from, which is Howth. I live in
Baldoyle
, west
Howth
(laughs). It's a place where I grew up and where I spend most of my time. The views of Dublin Bay and all that openness are why I would say it's my favourite. I quite like Cork, too. I haven't been there for a long time, but it's got such a sense of identity that I just like physically being there.
Describe yourself in three words.
Decent, searching, 60.
READ MORE
When did you last get angry?
Last night. I was playing tennis, but it had nothing to do with the game. It was just niggling injuries, endless knee and tendon problems. They won't go away; they're embedded like an algorithm. I don't play tennis so much now because of various injuries, but it was something I spent a lot of time trying to get good at. We didn't play a full match, but I'd say if we had, I would have lost.
What have you lost that you would like to have back?
A sense of the future, that open-ended thing rolling out right in front of you and seeing beyond the horizon. I miss the optimistic days of
Alex Ferguson
and
Manchester United
– they went on for a long time and, even with some lows in between, it felt like something could happen. Those things are very much like glue in your life, they give you a sense of hope. I understand why people support football teams because they give people that sense of hope, but nowadays, with the football team formerly known as Manchester United, it feels that hope is gone, and hope being gone is not a nice thing.
What is your strongest childhood memory?
Playing football in the garden with my mates. Yeah, just endless days of playing football and hanging out, on our bikes, that kind of stuff. In those days, it didn't take very much to put you in a really happy place. The other thing is that as kids, we were very elastic. You might have fights or disagreements, but 10 seconds later, we'd be best friends again.
Where do you come in your family's birth order, and has this defined you?
I am the second of two. It's very hard to get away from the fact that you're always used to having somebody who is older. Being second means you're a silver medallist, and there's nothing wrong with that.
Barry Murphy, Gary Cooke and Risteard Cooper in Après Match
What do you expect to happen when you die?
I expect the lights to go out and that's it, but I'll never be able to verify it, to go, 'yeah, I was right'. So no, I don't expect anything. I just hope there isn't somebody replaying your life like an
Eamon Dunphy
-type analyst. That would be a moment of disagreeability.
When were you happiest?
I've been happiest when our kids were small. It was a lovely time that brings you back to your childhood, but I'm content now, I'm happy enough.
Which actor would play you in a biopic about your life?
I'd like
Paul Giamatti
, but he probably wouldn't be available. I'm not one of those people who look at great actors and think I'd like them to play me. That would be the ultimate act of vanity to think your life is that important. But if there was a choice, then sure, Paul Giamatti because he's wonderful.
What's your biggest career/personal regret?
There are a couple of things that I hoped would get more attention than they got. In 2013, there was a show I co-wrote with the brilliant writer and actor/director Barbara Bergin – it was called On the Couch. I thought it was great, and it was received very well, but TV3 scheduled it after football late at night because it was the only half-hour slot they had. In my opinion, putting it on at the times they did – it was repeated twice, once at about 2am and once at about 5am – meant they just didn't buy into it. It deserved so much more than it got. Personal regrets? I wish I had read more when I was younger. I realise the value of it now in that it's a form of meditation, very calming to the brain, and that it also opens up other neural pathways. Any more? I wish I had better hair, and I wish I'd been a rock star. Actually, another regret is that I didn't get into a band when I was younger. I sometimes sing with a Howth punk/pop band called The Guilty Party, and that is easily more fun than comedy, more fun than acting.
Have you any psychological quirks?
The process of being Gary Cooke is enough, thank you very much.
In conversation with Tony Clayton-Lea
Gary Cooke stars in Ollie ... One Love, One Life, at The Helix, Dublin, Saturday, May 17th & Sunday, May 18th
thehelix.ie

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

David Beckham given knighthood as part of King's birthday honours
David Beckham given knighthood as part of King's birthday honours

The Journal

timea day ago

  • The Journal

David Beckham given knighthood as part of King's birthday honours

FORMER ENGLISH FOOTBALLER David Beckham has given a knighthood as part of the King Charles' birthday honours. Speaking this evening, the former Manchester United midfielder said he was immensely proud to have received the award, which was given to him in honour of his services to sporting and charity. A number of well-known British personalities have also been made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) including 18-year-old darts professional Luke Littler, TV presenter Claudia Winkleman and English footballer Rachel Daly. Advertisement British Darts players Luke Humphries (L) and Luke Littler were both made an MBE. Alamy, file Alamy, file Luke Humphries, who beat Littler at the PDC World Championships in 2024, was also made an MBE. Oscar-winning actor Gary Oldman and The Who singer Roger Daltrey have been knighted in the King's Birthday Honours. West End performer Elaine Paige was given a Damehood for services to music and to charity. With reporting by Press Association Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal

Sam Thompson breaks silence on injury that forced him out of Soccer Aid and says he had to be ‘carried' to physio room
Sam Thompson breaks silence on injury that forced him out of Soccer Aid and says he had to be ‘carried' to physio room

The Irish Sun

timea day ago

  • The Irish Sun

Sam Thompson breaks silence on injury that forced him out of Soccer Aid and says he had to be ‘carried' to physio room

SAM Thompson has broken his silence on injury that forced him out of Soccer Aid, saying he had to be "carried" to the physio room. The Sun revealed today the former Made in Chelsea star, 32, had been 6 Sam Thompson has broken his silence on injury that forced him out of Soccer Aid Credit: Instagram 6 Sam had to be "carried" to the physio room by Tony Bellew Credit: Instagram Sam was due to play in the same Now, in a video shared from their training ground at Champneys Tring health spa, Sam is seen being heckled by his former I'm A Celeb co-star Tony Bellew for spending so much time in the physio room. This comes despite the fact the former boxer had to help him get there. Tony teased: 'I came in here, you are here non-stop. And last year, guess what? You've been here non-stop as well. Now this year, you haven't gone today. You haven't been on the pitch. Why are you still in here?' read more on Sam Thompson 'You carried me across the Mersey,' Sam replied, laughing. 'I've torn my calf, you f***ing liar.' Posting the clip on social media, which also featured Sam pulled out due to injuries sustained in his epic marathon challenge, in which he A source said: 'Sam is gutted he can't play, but the match has just come too soon since his efforts. Most read in Reality 'He's still going to be a presence and play a big part in the coverage but he won't be able to compete on the field.' They added: 'There is a small blessing in his withdrawal as the focus on him and Louis will disperse. Pete Wicks takes massive swipe at Sam Thompson's ex Zara McDermott amid Love Island star's romance with Louis Tomlinson 'Their every move will be watched so it's a relief in some ways they won't be on the pitch together.' Wayne Rooney and Tyson Fury will be managing the England team, assisted by Harry Redknapp, while ex-Manchester United legend Sam will play a 'ceremonial role' in Sunday's match, kicking off the game before heading into the stands. On his absence, England teammate Mo Farah said: 'If Sam's unable to play that's a shame but we're still proud of him for his efforts and what he did for UNICEF. 'He'll still be with us and part of our team on the day.' It comes after He was spotted smiling at the One Direction singer - who is dating his ex Zara . Sam has been open about feeling low The reality TV couple were in a relationship for five years, but decided to go their separate ways, with Zara being spotted with on a cosy dinner with Louis in March. Louis and Zara were spotted on a cosy dinner date at The Suffolk in Aldeburgh, after a fellow diner secretly snapped the pair together. Sam had He spoke about feeling heartbroken following his split from Zara and how he'd "let himself go" in the weeks after their breakup. Sam's best friend Pete Wicks had asked him about his ' glow up ' plans amid his new single life. "It was a pretty tough time back then. I was thinking 'God, you really let yourself go'," Sam said on the duo's podcast, Staying Relevant. "Now I've got myself to a place where I'm like, I feel like I'm happy and I'm comfortable in my own skin again, if you know what I mean." Days before that, He delivered the scathing dig as Sam tackled a 260-mile endurance challenge on both bike and foot in aid of Unicef ahead of Soccer Aid. Cheering him on from the roadside, Towie alum Pete, 37, shared a snap holding a sign that read, 'You caaaaaan,' echoing Zara's infamous plea to then-boyfriend Sam on Made in Chelsea after she admitted to cheating a year into their relationship. Sam also opened up about what he would say to Louis when he saw him at Soccer Aid. The TV star explained how he was doing an interview ahead of Soccer Aid endurance challenge and the journalist asked him, "I've got to ask the question that everyone wants to know... What's it going to be like with you and Louis? Obviously he's doing Soccer Aid too.' Sam told Pete how his PR team panicked when the question was put to him, but he assured them it would be fine and proceeded to handle it diplomatically. "I think I did alright and I meant everything I said as well, that it's not about me or Louis or who anyone is dating , it's f**king Unicef and charity and everyone is going to be there for the exact same reason," Sam explained. " And if he has anything about him which I've heard he does, he's going to sit there and say the exact same thing. " 6 Sam pulled out of Soccer Aid today Credit: PA 6 Sam and Louis Tomlinson were on the England team Credit: Shutterstock Editorial 6 Sam completed his Match Ball Mission for Soccer Aid Unicef, running and cycling from Stamford Bridge in London to Old Trafford in Manchester Credit: Splash 6 Sam and Zara McDermott dated for five years before splitting in December Credit: Getty

Luke Chadwick on facing up to abuse and lifts to Old Trafford with Roy Keane
Luke Chadwick on facing up to abuse and lifts to Old Trafford with Roy Keane

Irish Examiner

time2 days ago

  • Irish Examiner

Luke Chadwick on facing up to abuse and lifts to Old Trafford with Roy Keane

Luke Chadwick racked up over 500 professional appearances and an immensely successful football career. But the majority of conversations he has - including this one - still revolve around his seven years at Manchester United and the 39 appearances he made under Alex Ferguson. 'I never get bored of it', Chadwick says. 'I'm not naive to think anyone would know who I am if I hadn't been lucky enough to represent the club and it's something I'm very proud of. I'm really grateful. The life lessons I learned helped shape the person I am today.' Chadwick can look back fondly now, but the scars from that period took a long time to heal. It was October 1999 when Ferguson continued his contempt for the League Cup and selected the youngest-ever side in club history for a trip to Villa Park, with wiry winger Chadwick handed his debut. The 3-0 drubbing saw Ferguson deliver a forceful post-mortem, reminding the novices that such a defeat was wholly unacceptable. Chadwick was dispatched to United's partner club Royal Antwerp and would wait an entire year before seeing first-team action again. But in Belgium, Chadwick's excellent performances stirred some media attention and after a major interview with one of the national papers, he raced to a newsstand later that week to proudly grab a copy. 'I couldn't understand Flemish but I skimmed the article nevertheless,' Chadwick recounts in his recently-released autobiography Not Just A Pretty Face. 'I froze when I saw a paragraph containing words and phrases that I could understand. 'Dentures a la Bugs Bunny'. 'Acne''. Read More Matheus Cunha completes move to Manchester United on a five-year deal Embarrassed and ashamed, Chadwick hoped that it would be the first and last time the media would target him because of what he looked like. It wasn't. After being summoned back to Manchester early in the 2000/01 season, Chadwick was frequently involved and found the net twice as United cantered their way to another Premier League title. He had earned Ferguson's trust, negotiated a lucrative new contract and should have been savouring every moment. Instead, he was struggling with his mental health, becoming reclusive and withdrawn and dealing with paralysing levels of anxiety. All because of an incident that occurred the night before a home fixture against Derby County. Chadwick, then just 20 years old, received a text from a friend, who congratulated him on his 'appearance' on the BBC's light-hearted sports panel show They Think It's All Over. In the pit of his stomach, Chadwick knew what was coming. He waited to catch a repeat and sat in horror as his picture came on screen and host Nick Hancock did the rest. 'This photo of Luke Chadwick was ruined…when Luke Chadwick showed up'. Zing. Chadwick writes in the book that despite being so embarrassed, he 'perversely' kept watching. And a few minutes later, Hancock delivered another insult. Luke Chadwick's book 'Iron Maiden's biggest hit is The Number of the Beast. And if you want to know the number of the beast, Luke Chadwick wears the number 36'. Chadwick's self-esteem started to unravel. He would turn down invitations from team-mates to head out and socialise, the numbing fear of abuse ensuring he'd order a takeaway and hunker down in his flat instead. He would even avoid shopping. But every Friday night, without fail, he would sit in front of the TV and tune into They Think It's All Over, agonisingly waiting for the inevitable mockery. Afterwards he'd sit in silence and wonder when it would all stop. Instead, it started to spread, from national television to magazines and newspapers. At one point, The Guardian described a blow-up between Ryan Giggs and goalkeeper Roy Carroll at a festive knees-up. 'Manchester United's Christmas party turned ugly on Wednesday night, though it had nothing at all to do with the presence of Luke Chadwick'. The media instigated the abuse and others were empowered. Chadwick was teflon on the pitch, unaffected by any verbals from the crowd. But, getting back on the team bus after away games now became a jarring experience. He avoids the specifics, but describes the toxic abuse from rival supporters as 'really awful stuff'. On trips back home to Cambridge - a consistently safe space for Chadwick - he started to hear the occasional smart comment. As a defence mechanism, he'd proudly boast about earning £12,000 per week. He admits the entire ordeal changed him as a person 'for a short period'. Years later, as the world grappled with the mental toll of isolation amidst persistent lockdowns, Chadwick finally opened up via social media, discussing his struggles during that period. Hancock apologised, as did Gary Lineker - one of the team captains on They Think It's All Over. 'I was never watching telly thinking, 'I hate these guys'', Chadwick says. 'There was never any grudge like that because I'm just not that type of person. All I wanted was for it to stop because it filled me with so much dread and shame. But I'm 100% responsible for how I feel. I didn't have the emotional intelligence to deal with it internally. I wasn't able to show vulnerability because I felt so embarrassed about it. So it wasn't about the TV show. It was about me and trying to stop how I felt and not knowing how to do that'. Chadwick is quick to admit his off-field struggles did not contribute to his subsequent exit from United in 2004, following loan spells with Reading and Burnley. Known for his pace, he'd begun to feel pain in his pelvis and hips. Surgery inevitably followed and when Chadwick returned for pre-season, he noticed a seismic change in his game: a substantial drop in his explosiveness. Roy Keane advised him to grin and bear it, that playing through an injury was part of the life of a Manchester United player. Ironically, Keane would be forced to retire because of a persistent hip problem. Keane provided plenty of counsel to Chadwick throughout his time at the club, putting him in touch with his solicitor Michael Kennedy during contract negotiations and acting as an unofficial chauffeur on plenty of occasions. Memorably, it was Chadwick in the passenger seat on the drive home following Keane's infamous retribution on Alf Inge Haaland in the Manchester derby in April 2001. PRESENTING: MUTV Presenter Luke Chadwick is seen prior to the Premier League match between West Ham United and Manchester United at London Stadium. Pic: Visionhaus/Getty Images 'That was a quiet car ride back to my flat', he says with a laugh. 'But he was the ultimate captain. Some players are just moaners, whinging about everything. And you never felt that way about him. It's hard in the moment, when he's shouting at you and telling you off. But you listened to him and understood why he was doing it. More than anything, you wanted to impress him because he was such an influence on the club.' Though there was plenty of advice on some things, few at United seemed interested in delving too much into the abuse Chadwick was still receiving. During a reserve game against Manchester City, he played poorly and was replaced. As he sat on the bench, confidence completely extinguished, the insults began from the City fans. The abuse was so bad, and so personal, that in an effort to quell the vitriol, Brian McClair - United's reserve boss at the time - turned around to chastise them. Chadwick describes it as 'probably the lowest point of my United career'. When he left the club and signed with West Ham, it was an escape from the goldfish bowl, the intensity of the spotlight. Chadwick never played top-flight football again but went on to enjoy an impressive career with Stoke, Norwich and most notably MK Dons. And he also developed the maturity to look back on his struggles with a fresh perspective. Read More Roy Keane: England players were having a chat like they were in Starbucks Chadwick is now director of the Football Fun Factory, a nationwide company specializing in using sport as a way for children to express themselves in a relaxed environment, and has developed the maturity to look back on his struggles with a fresh perspective. 'The understanding of self is the most important thing we can ever accomplish, really', he says. 'There should probably be more work done within that field when you're growing up to ensure you develop into a grounded young adult. My whole life was about football. And it's all you think about. But when something happens, do you have the emotional intelligence to handle it? With the abuse I received, I didn't know how to deal with it. And it's not just being about a footballer but on a wider scale. It's having a better sense of your emotions and feelings to lead a happy and fulfilling life.' Not Just A Pretty Face is out now and available via Pitch Publishing.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store