Written by Jason McKeown (images by John Dewhirst)

How do you even begin to quantify Andy Cook’s contribution to Bradford City? Six seasons in a Bantams shirt. 166 starts (39 substitute appearances). 88 goals. 20+ assists. The goal celebrations. The cheeky grin. The semi-incoherent post-match interviews, delivered in a thick North East accent. Think of some of your happiest, most giddy moments in life over the past five years – how many of them involved celebrating an Andy Cook goal?

Cook makes a sad, heartfelt departure from West Yorkshire by moving to Grimsby Town. He leaves Valley Parade as the fourth highest goalscorer in City’s 122-year history. A modern day icon, universally adored by his West Yorkshire public. A Bradford City legend? Very possibly. Certainly in the modern, post-Phil Parkinson era no one comes close.

It is in those 88 Bradford City goals that Cook leaves behind a treasure trove of happy memories to dip back into. A jukebox of emotive, powerful moments to make you reminisce and smile.

How about goal number 1 – a header from a corner at Cheltenham, in the middle of the Covid pandemic? It came 11 minutes into only his second start for the club – the first of a double on a day that began with supporters complaining about his inclusion in the starting line-up. There was a widespread sense of disappointment when Cook signed on loan in January 2021, after an underwhelming spell at Mansfield Town. I guess you could say we were scarred by signing so many “past it” strikers over the years. But after goal number 1, that sentiment began to change.

Cook would prove very different to the collection of misfits he followed.

What about goal 7? It came later that same season, in a 4-1 thumping of Forest Green, and was part of another double (it was nearly a hat trick – Cook hit the bar with a volley from the halfway line). Goal 7 was a lovely run into the box, trick to beat his man and smart low finish. By now Cook had unseated Danny Rowe as first-choice City striker to such an extent that Rowe asked to depart just three months after signing for the club.

Cook completed a half season loan spell at Valley Parade with eight goals from 16 starts – and he collected a string of City supporter admirers, watching on from laptops in the midst of lockdown. There was widespread approval when new manager Derek Adams signed Cook on a permanent deal that summer.

Soon after came goal 11 – the third and best of a masterful hat trick against Stevenage that suggested a bright new dawn for a post-lockdown City under Derek Adams. Cook ran onto a long pass, nicked possession off two defenders, ran through and chipped the ball over the onrushing keeper. Valley Parade’s second competitive home game with a crowd, post-Covid, toasted a handsome City win lit up by Cook’s 38-minute treble. A few days later, at Cook’s unhappy former stomping ground Mansfield, he bagged goal number 12 with three minutes left to seal a memorable City 3-2 success.

Cook, as we were quickly learning, loved scoring against his former clubs.

Goal number 19 came under a new City manager – a 2-0 success at leaders Forest Green that sealed Mark Hughes’ first victory in charge. Cook scored in the 90th minute, with Forest Green a goal down and on the attack, and even the goalkeeper forward. The ball was cleared by Elliot Watt to send Cook away. He outpaced everyone, controlled the ball calmly and rolled it into the empty net from an angle.

Goals 22 and 23 came against Hull City in the League Cup at the start of the 2022/23 season. In the summer Hughes had signed Vadaine Oliver with a view of taking Cook’s starting position. It was the jolt Cook needed after failing to hit his potential in 2021/22. He came roaring back to score 31 over the campaign.

These Hull goals set him up nicely, in a game screened live on Sky. Oliver watched on that night from the bench, a place he would soon become very familiar with.

It rained Cook goals that season. Number 27 – a turn, swivel and powerful low shot against Walsall to seal an important 2-1 win. Numbers 28 and 29 – a Tuesday night visit to former club Tranmere, where Cook’s double earned another 2-1 success. Goals 30 and 31 – a few days later against Steve Evans’ Stevenage. Goal 34 – an absolute stunner at Mansfield, where Cook out-muscled a defender by the corner flag, charged into the box, beat two defenders before slotting the ball into the back of the net. Goal 40 – a memorable later headed winner at Doncaster that sparked scenes of bedlam amongst a 4,000 City away following. Goal 41 – another superb solo run, at Gillingham, this time robbing a defender, beating another before a lovely dinked finish. Goal 45 – a wonderful backpost volley against Hartlepool as part of another Cook double. Goal 46 – an important later winner at home to Grimsby to tighten City’s play off grip. Goal 50 – a header from a corner to open the scoring in a promotion six-pointer at Northampton that kept their faint top three hopes alive.

And breathe.

Cook started the 2023/24 campaign slowly, but after returning from injury – bang. Goals 52, 53 and 54 in late September – a hat trick at Newport. Goal 56 – Tranmere away again, a typical Cook header. This would prove to be the last goal of the Hughes era, as he was sacked after the 2-1 Prenton Park loss. Enter Graham Alexander, another new City manager for Cook to win over. It didn’t take long.

Goal 61 – a powerful free kick at Gillingham. Goals 62 and 63 – a barmy Friday night 3-1 win at Doncaster just before Christmas. City were flying then but soon stalling, just like Cook. But there were still some memorable highs. At Wrexham in February, Cook missed a late penalty. But no matter, in the last minute he turned his defender, ran at goal, saw his shot saved, but scrambled the rebound over the line – goal 65. In, what by Cook’s standards was an average season, he still bagged 19 goals.

Better days were coming for City in 2024/25, and Cook played his part. Goals 74 and 75 came against the one former club he never seemed to score against – Carlisle – and where there was recent history. Cook celebrated his first by signalling fireworks going off, a reference to how Carlisle United fans had ruined his sleep by setting off fireworks outside the team hotel in the middle of the night before the 2023 play off semi final at Brunton Park.

Goal 77 – a magnificent header against Newport live on Sky, where the cross from Jay Benn was behind him and yet he somehow adjusted his head to glance the ball into the top corner. Goals 78 and 79 – another brace at Tranmere, with Calum Kavanagh playing him through on goal to smack home the second. Goal 82 – a late header against Barrow to save City from a defeat when the knives were sharpening.

That low key 1-1 was the springboard to happier times for the club, and Cook’s Boxing Day double over Port Vale – goals 84 and 85, included arguably his best City goal of the lot, a powerful volley from 35 yards out – was a key building block.

Alas for Cook, his journey came to an unexpected halt with injury at Barrow on New Year’s Day. We’d spent months wondering how on earth we’d ever cope without Cook. Now, we were about to find out. Cook could only watch on as City capitalised on the momentum he had helped to spark, and on 3rd May he was a spectator to one of the very best days in the club’s history. 

Still, Cook returned earlier this season to create a couple more fairytales. Goal 86 – an equalising header against Grimsby in the Football League Trophy, just 11 minutes into his comeback after nine months out. Goal 87 followed in that same game, a stoppage time winner to spark scenes of delirium. And then goal 88 – a wonderful volley against the club he supports, Newcastle United, at St James’ Park no less.

No one at the time would have expected that to be Cook’s last goal for the club. But in retrospect, it’s some way to bow out.

These goals are not the only reasons why we love Cook so deeply. Why his Bradford City departure is mourned. The six seasons that Cook represented Bradford City were mixed for the club to say the least. Some really tough times, where not a lot went right on the pitch. Even during seasons of promise – like the Hughes 2022/23 – there was a painful ending.

But for all the failings and struggles, Cook remained a beacon of light. A guy who you could almost always rely on to pop up with an important goal, and to run himself into the ground for the club. He put a smile on supporters’ faces, when at times there was nothing to smile about. During a period where players and managers would quickly come and go – and supporter patience towards those at the top wore thin – Cook was consistently the hero, carrying the club, at times single-handedly.

It’s added some level of bittersweetness to City’s stunning 2025 successes. Cook’s injury caused him to be left behind just as the good times truly began. His long-term absence necessitated an evolution to how City set up, which has yielded spectacular results. But it would be grossly unfair to identify Cook as the problem in the first place – he still ended that promotion campaign as City’s top scorer.

As Cook sat it out injured, City ended up having a wonderful time, closing in on promotion and playing some brilliant football. But there were plenty of afternoons where you longed for Cook to be out there on the pitch, playing the starring role. Who knows, perhaps with a fit Cook, City would currently be able to call themselves the reigning League Two champions? We’ll never know.

As City prospered without their talisman, invested significantly upgrading the squad this summer for an assault on League One, then prospered further in the third tier, the risk Cook would be left behind has become more obvious. Especially as the playing style has evolved significantly away from one that suits his considerable strengths.

Cook’s dramatic return from injury, against Grimsby, plus that unforgettable goal at Newcastle a few weeks later, hinted that he could yet have a have a future in the revamped City team. And when Cook came on as sub against Rotherham to yield havoc and set up an important equaliser, at the end of September, there really did seem to be a place for him in Graham Alexander’s plans. After all, Stephen Humphrys was struggling to settle in, and Will Swan’s initial burst of goals was fading.

But as the Bantams went through Autumn with fading results, the stark truth was difficult to avoid. City’s success lay in relentless pressing. Cook has so many qualities, but pressing is not one of them.

And maybe Cook can justifiably argue he never got a proper chance to prove himself since injury – he was afforded just one start, in the FA Cup at Cheltenham. But City’s surprise success in League One gives them justified ambition of playing Championship football next season – and Humphrys is belatedly showing us a level of performance for the team that Cook’s style could not replicate.  

For City to remain a top two contender, they need top end League One footballers. At 35, and still recovering from such a serious injury, Cook is not a top end League One footballer.

Of course City could have kept him. And no doubt there will be some moments in the weeks ahead where we might rue the fact he isn’t still around. But Cook’s contract expires this summer, and given he will turn 36 next October – he realistically wasn’t going to get a new deal at Valley Parade.

His career is far from over, but it doesn’t serve the player’s best interests to spend another half of a season sat on the sidelines, hoping for some minutes off the bench here and there.

For Cook’s sake, he needs to play regular football again. And we owe it to him to give him this opportunity to impress and earn a decent contract for next season.

He leaves Valley Parade with great sadness all round. But with nothing but our best wishes. Fair to say we’ll all be watching Grimsby results more closely now, hoping to see Cook’s name on the scoresheet. The Mariners have quite the Bantams alumni and Cook will reacquaint himself with Jamie Walker, Reece Staunton, Clarke Oduor and Charles Vernam, after he played with all of them at Valley Parade.

Cook still has so much to offer, and it would be fantastic to see him go and make a success of it at Blundell Park. For the familiar cheeky Cook smile to return, and for another set of supporters to appreciate him to the level that we do. Cook previously had two years at Grimsby between 2012 and 2014, when the Mariners were languishing in non-league. He scored 14 times over two seasons – so fair to say Grimsby fans haven’t seen the same Cook we know and love. At least not yet.

Whatever happens, Cook will always have thousands of friends back in BD8. He’ll always be welcomed back. He’ll always be remembered. For all those wonderful goals. For his courage and endeavours. For the way he played with his heart on his sleeve. For how much he always gave a damn – when the same wasn’t always true of the players he lined up alongside.

Andy Cook, it has been an absolute privilege to watch you these past six seasons. We’ll never forget what you’ve done for this football club, and the huge role you played in getting it to where it is today. 

Categories: Opinion

Tags: Andy Cook, BCAFC