Latest news with #CodyCooke
BBC News
4 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Wotton hails Torquay leaders after opening day win
Torquay United manager Paul Wotton praised the leadership of his senior players as his side opened the season with a convincing 3-1 win over Enfield Town in National League Gulls - who missed out on the title on goal difference in April and were knocked out of the play-offs in the semi-finals - were rarely troubled. Louis Dennis needed just nine minutes of his debut to open the scoring as he slotted home after Cody Cooke's flick-on, before Jordan Young curled in the second from just inside the scored a 41st-minute penalty to as the Gulls led 3-0 at the Parcell pulled a goal back for Enfield after an hour as the Gulls top the early National League South table after the biggest win on opening day."That is by far and away the least I've shouted during the 90 minutes," Wotton told BBC Radio Devon"Matt Worthington's doing my job, Louis Dennis is doing my job on the pitch, Sonny-Lo Everton's talking away, Matt Jay when he comes on, Munashe Sundire when he comes on, they're doing my job on the pitch which is important."I can't stand there screaming and shouting all the time, it can't be white noise for me because it becomes irrelevant."I liked us today. The first game of the season is a very strange thing."There'll be lots and lots of managers sat there conceded last minute equalisers or last minute winners."We've got three points, we're off and running. I couldn't be happier."
The Herald Scotland
20-06-2025
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
Cooke on St Mirren memories, Urminsky carschool & Heaton
When Cody Cooke arrived in Paisley, it was the beginning of a new, albeit short-lived, era for the club. A return to the Scottish Premiership had been earned under the guidance of Jack Ross before he departed for Sunderland. Alan Stubbs rolled into town, greeted with cautious optimism, but was then quickly dismissed after just four league matches. He hasn't had a role in the dugout since. Despite the revolving door at the manager's office, with Oran Kearney recruited, having previously narrowly missed out on the post, and then being replaced by Jim Goodwin the following summer, and an injury-plagued time at St Mirren, Cooke still holds fond memories of his time in Scotland. "My overriding feeling towards it is joy and happiness, and ultimately I love my time up there," said the striker, now at Torquay. "Considering I didn't play loads and loads of games, the appreciation I got back from the fans was unbelievable. "I was in and out with injuries and changing managers. I suppose my only regret a little bit is I just wish I could have played a few more games and to show a bit more what I could have done. "I think the fans appreciated I wasn't one to just cause upheaval and leave. I wanted to see out my contract and genuinely thought I could be an asset to the club." Cooke played the entirety of the two-legged Scottish Premiership play-off final against Dundee United, with St Mirren retaining their top-flight status after a penalty shoot-out. He also bagged his first professional hat-trick in a memorable win against Dundee at Dens Park. The Torquay top goalscorer - with 19 league goals last term - had the opportunity to stay in Scotland beyond the summer of 2020 but opted against Premiership and Championship interest to return to England. "It was a weird time with Covid around," he said. "It might have ended up differently even at St Mirren. I think at the time, there were constraints on budget, and there were short-term deals everywhere. "It was a bit of both in terms of nothing sort of concrete, but I had interest from both the Premiership and Championship, and it was just a case of what do I want to do. "At that point, I just wanted the security of knowing where I was going to be for the next couple of years. I didn't really want to have six months somewhere and then maybe it not work out." Cooke played just 27 matches in his two years at the SMiSA Stadium but received far greater recognition for his efforts than some of those who arrived at the club in a similar time frame. Stubbs has become a villain to St Mirren supporters for his three-month reign. Cooke was one of his signings, having impressed the manager at the V9 Academy alongside fellow summer signing Josh Heaton, who left the club under a cloud after being signed for a fee in the region of £75,000. "I met Josh through the V9 and we actually moved into a flat together in Glasgow," revealed Cooke. "At the time, he would have been maybe four or five years younger than me. "He was just sort of happy-go-lucky guy. For whatever reason, it just didn't work out. "In was the opposite in the sense that I was desperate to stay and make it worth my while, whereas Josh had a lot more interest in the summer and a lot of clubs were interested, and he was maybe upset that he chose St Mirren and it maybe didn't work out. "He was just fort of looking to leave. I'm sure he had a long-term deal. It just never worked out and he was happy to leave. "I think he ended up moving to Australia. I don't think he actually went on to play, which is a shame because ability and attributes, he genuinely had everything for a centre-half but it's not just what the body tells you, but everything between the ears as well. "It just didn't work out." Read more: Just one player remains at St Mirren from Cooke's time at the club: Peter Urminsky. The goalkeeper has had limited opportunities in his time in Paisley but appears primed for a role in the first-team with St Mirren currently without a No1 goalkeeper after Zach Hemming's loan concluded. Stephen Robinson tipped Urminsky for big things in the future, and Cooke is hopeful to see the Slovak stopper given a chance after carschooling with him years ago. "It looks like it might be a chance. He's probably grown into his body a bit more in terms of character, I imagine, now, because he was really shy and young when he first joined. "And actually, his agent had sorted him out accommodation somewhere near Hamilton, where we were staying, because I used to drive him in with Gary MacKenzie. And so, Pete didn't have a car or anything. So we used to pick him up and take him into training. And he used to just fold into the back of the car because you know how big he is. "He was quiet, to be honest, he didn't really say a lot, but he kept himself to himself and trained really well. "I think the club were always happy to keep him around because he was someone that they could see potential in, but also a really good trainer and good around the place. And it does go a long way, that. "Hopefully, he gets his chance now this season; he's obviously been staying around for a reason, and he's been signing new contracts for a reason. So, they're not just happy for him to be around. I imagine they want him to play some games. "So, yeah, good luck to him because he's a nice kid, to be fair." What now for Cooke? Well, he's tied down for another season at Torquay, with an option of another, and gunning for promotion to the Vanarama Conference after finishing second in the Vanarama South last season. The qualified PT, and qualified teacher who works as a mortgage advisor alongside playing football, said: "It was a good end to the season. We're back already next week. We can hope for a promotion next year but let's see how it goes. "It's been going well and hopefully it'll be another good year on and off the pitch." AND ANOTHER THING Martin Foyle's exit comes as a huge blow for St Mirren. The recruitment guru has played a significant, if at times unnoticed, role in the club achieving three straight top-six finishes. Stephen Robinson has often remarked on the incredible power of work Foyle contributed to the club and emphasised the point that some signings were only possible through Foyle's network and connections. The narrative around Foyle's departure has been contradictory in some ways, though. "No, not really" Foyle told Carlisle United media when asked about it potentially being a difficult decision to leave St Mirren and Robinson. "There are things going on in the background that people don't see. "My connection with Stephen is absolutely fantastic, he is a top-drawer manager but sometimes you need to move on." Robinson said: "Martin has been an integral part of what we've done over the past three and a half years and he's been an integral part of what I've done as a manager over 10 years now. He's a close friend of mine now and it's a sad loss for the club. "Another opportunity arose that was exciting for him and it's with regret that Martin is leaving. I'd like to put on record my thanks to him for his recruitment and for all he's done at the football club. "The club have appointed John and it's important that we get working together quickly, build a relationship, and I look forward to that." St Mirren have appointed experienced scout John Park to the post of head of recruitment and emerging talent. Park counts Celtic, Rangers and Vancouver Whitecaps in his former clubs. He most recently worked at Blackburn Rovers before leaving by mutual consent. "I'm delighted to be joining St Mirren," said Park. "I'm excited to meet the manager, build a relationship with him and add to the good work that has been done over the past few years. "The club has a clear strategy in terms of its football operations and I believe my experience will help build upon that." AND FINALLY Jayden Richardson checked in at St Mirren, signing a two-year deal from Boreham Wood. The wing-back follows Killian Phillips, Roland Idowu and Richard King in joining the club this summer. Richardson had emerged as the preferred target after Ryan Alebiosu became unrealistic for a permanent deal following significant interest. On paper, it seems a solid addition to the squad with the starting right-wing-back role the plan for Richardson. Callum Penman will be in and around the first-team in the upcoming season as the alternative option, at least for pre-season. Marcus Fraser has been deployed at wing-back but increasingly sparingly under Stephen Robinson with a spot in the back-three a far more comfortable role. It wouldn't be a surprise for Robinson - and new recruitment chief John Park - to be on the lookout for another right-sided option.
BBC News
26-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Torquay United miss out on title despite Hemel win
Torquay United missed out on the National League South title despite winning 4-1 at Hemel Hempstead on the final day of the City's 5-2 win over St Albans City meant the Gulls ended the season in second Wotton's side missed out on goal difference - their record was two goals worse than their Cornish result means the Gulls will have home advantage throughout the play-offs as they look for a return to the National Young gave the Gulls a 29th-minute lead before Cody Cooke made it 2-0 five minutes a former Truro City striker, made it 3-0 12 minutes after the break before Mazeed Ogungbo pulled a goal secured his hat-trick with 18 minutes to go, but despite piling on the pressure Torquay could not find any more goals that would have gone towards toppling Truro.
BBC News
31-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Torquay have promotion belief, says striker Cooke
Torquay United striker Cody Cooke says the Gulls believe they can win promotion back to the National 32, has come off the bench to score the winning goal in both of Torquay's past two National League South matches. He and his team-mates are on an eight-game unbeaten run that has included winning each of their past four away Torquay are three points off leaders Worthing with five games to go in what looks set to be a dramatic finale to the season."I've been in teams where we've been close to promotion but probably within the group you haven't really believed you can go on and actually get promoted," Cooke told BBC Radio Devon."There's a real belief in this group that we can go on and do [it]."At the minute the results are going our way and momentum is key at this time of the season, so we've just got to use that to our advantage."At the moment everyone's in a good place, we're good in terms of form, we're kicking on at the right time with five games to go." Torquay play four sides in the bottom half of the table in their remaining five games - as well as a potentially crucial trip to third-placed Truro City on Good Gulls' recovery has come less than a year after the club was taken over by a consortium of local had been in administration at the end of last season after former owner Clarke Osborne stopped funding the says Torquay, who spent 87 years in the bottom two tiers of the English Football League before relegation in 2014, are capable of clawing their way back into the fifth tier two years after dropping down from the National League."You've got to dream about going and getting promoted and I can't see why not in terms of what we've got and where we've put ourselves," added Cooke."The league's not false, at this time of the season you are where you are on merit."We look around and the other teams who are in around us, if we've not beaten them during the season we've had good encounters with them, so we've got nothing to fear."
BBC News
29-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Torquay stay in title hunt after Aveley victory
Torquay United moved up to fourth place in National League South with a 1-0 win at bottom-of-the-table took an 87th-minute winner from substitute Cody Cooke for the Gulls to get over the line and remain three points off leaders Worthing with five games to who were relegated from the division after the result, were reduced to 10 men with 27 minutes to go after Jack McDowell was sent off for a second despite having the extra man it was not until late on that Cooke fired in low to secure a fifth win in six games as Torquay kept a fourth clean sheet in five matches."It's a big result," Torquay manager Paul Wotton told BBC Radio Devon. "It was a really tough game, we knew it would be."I've had people all week saying you're going to go there and win 4-0, 5-0, it doesn't happen like that."I thought we were flat first half and second half we were better marginally, but it's is all about the result." The sees Torquay draw level on 77 points with second-placed Dorking Wanderers - who beat fifth-placed Eastbourne Borough 3-1 - and third-placed Truro City who 0-0 at Chelmsford City. "It's so tight up there, so cut throat in the league and there's no easy games," Wotton added."That's why there's no runaway leader this year, it's a difficult league, but all we can do is worry about ourselves."Yes it's another 1-0 win, but defensively we were really comfortable, especially against 10 men."I thought our discipline defensively was excellent and going forward I thought we lacked a bit of quality today in the final third."That final shot, that final little bit, and we got a scruffy goal, but its a really good win."
