Ernie Cooksey RIP

[goater14(BPP)]

Just heard the sad news that former Rochdale and Oldham player Ernie Cooksey has lost his battle with cancer, only 28 and also his partner is heavily pregnant with their first child.

http://www.clubfanzine.com/rochdale/

[happygooner]

Don't know who he is but tragic nonetheless...and once again reminds you to be thankful for what you do have as opposed to being bitter about what you don't.

[Valiant23]

Poor fella...how bloody sad.

[kevshat]

Originally Posted by Valiant23

Poor fella...how bloody sad.

Indeed.

Whenever I hear his name mentioned though it reminds me of one of the funniest things I've ever seen at a football match .

It's the 2003/04 season, we're playing Oldham away. 70 minutes gone, we're 3-0 down and our goalie has just been sent off . On goes our sub goalie and while he's running over to our goal the PA starts playing music. We all think wtf and assume the PA has pressed the wrong button or something. The music keeps going and our guy is finally in goal and all of a sudden the Oldham fans stand up and applaud . I'm thinking wtf is going on here . Anyway one of their guys begins to run from the far side to the dugout so I've realised they are making a substitution.

It's a sunny day in Oldham (I know a real rarity ) so none of us see the board for who is coming on and even though Oldham had some recognisable players at that time (David Eyres, Andy Liddell, Calvin Zola etc etc) I don't recognise the guy who is coming on. I'm with my dad who's a bit of an old fart and recognised the song the PA system was playing was Ernie the fastest milkcart in the west. Straight away I said "oh christ they haven't got someone called Ernie have they ". So I snatch someone's programme and start going down the Oldham squad list. 4th name down, no 4 Ernie Cooksey. Oh my god I say to my dad loud enough for a few around us to hear me, "this bloke is called Ernie Cooksey"!!!. As I say that he runs on with the Oldham fans going crazy and Ernie playing fairly loudly over the PA (when I say loudly it was loud enough to drown out the wind and if you've ever been to Boundary Park you'll no that's no easy feat ). Everyone around me by now had worked out what had gone on and even though it was a crap day for us Town fans we all managed to laugh at it. I don't know if he was a cult hero or whatever but fair play to him because he seemed to get right into the whole act .

It might just be one of those "you had to be there" moments but it's something I'll never ever forget and often makes me laugh.

RIP Ernie and thanks for that memory

[davidmphill]

If you're a fan of lower league football then you've probably heard of the lad.
Sad news.

[Kicksnare]

28 is no age to go, especially with his lass being pregnant.
All of his former teams speak very highly of him.
Very sad news.

[Sir Fernando]

big shame.

RIP.

[JackJarvis]

Thats a shame, cancer is a bastard... RIP lad.