*Indicates unconfirmed information. Figures in brackets after English team names indicate all appearances made and goals scored in competitive matches for Football League clubs from 1888 onwards. For Scottish League clubs the figures show details of all competitive appearances and goals scored from 1946/47 onwards.
Ian Cook
Appearances: 44+2 Goals: 18
Date / Year of birth: 5th October 1954
Position: Striker
Season of first appearance: 1976/77
Season of last appearance: 1977/78
Also played for: Dartford, Sittingbourne, Dover, Tooting & Mitcham United, Hastings United and Canterbury City
Hard-working striker born in Plumstead who began his career with Dartford before joining Sittingbourne. Ian scored 16 Kent League goals for the Brickies during the 1975/76 season and also won their 'Player of the Year' award.
In the summer of 1976 he signed for Margate and made his debut in a 3-1 win over Hastings at Hartsdown Park on 21.8.76. It was the opening day of the 1976/77 season and Ian marked the occasion with a goal. The local press said that he had a "buzzing" style and Ian went on to make a total of 29 appearances (two as sub) before suffering a foot injury at work in January 1977. The problem was severe enough to keep him out for the rest of the campaign. Ian scored 12 goals before the premature end to his season including a cheeky lob in a 1-0 win at his former club Sittingbourne on 7.9.76. The Isle of Thanet Gazette said the finish showed "cockiness and composure". He also scored with an excellent volley from outside the penalty area in a 4-1 win at Kettering on 3.1.77.
Ian recovered from his injury in time for the start of the 1977/78 season and he was a regular in the side for the first two months of the campaign. He scored twice in a 3-3 draw with Ashford in a Kent Senior Shield tie at Hartsdown Park on 9.8.77 and also got both goals in a 2-0 home win over Addlestone on 10.9.77. During October 1977 Ian fell out of favour and after a run where he'd only featured four times in nine matches he was loaned to Dover for a month in December 1977. In January 1978 Dover paid a fee of £750 to make Ian's move permanent and he left Margate having scored six goals in 17 appearances during 1977/78. Margate manager Dennis Hunt said "I was sorry in many ways to see him go because he is a very capable player."
Ian scored five goals for Dover before the end of the 1977/78 season and he added a further 15 goals during 1978/79, making him the club's leading marksman.
Ian moved on to Tooting & Mitcham in the summer of 1979 and he went on to score 12 goals in 58 league appearances for Tooting during the 1979/80 and 1980/81 seasons.
Ian then returned to the Southern League, joining Hastings United where he spent the 1981/82 and 1982/83 seasons. He scored in each of United's games against Thanet during the 1981/82 campaign.
In the summer of 1984 Ian joined Canterbury and he was their top scorer for the 1984/85 season, finding the net 22 times in total. 19 of the goals came in his 35 Southern League appearances.
Ian made 30 Southern League appearances for City during 1985/86 and scored 11 times. His tally included both goals in a 2-0 win over Thanet United in a Southern League game at Hartsdown on 12.11.85.
Ian then scored 12 goals for Canterbury during the 1986/87 season, including one in a 3-1 defeat at Thanet on 23.9.86. He was City's top scorer for the second time.
Injuries forced Ian to miss the whole of the 1987/88 campaign and he only made a handful of appearances for City during the 1988/89 season before retiring. He'd made a total of 106 Southern League appearances for the club (four as sub) and had scored 44 goals.
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
FAT |
SLC |
KSC |
| |
|
1976/77 (MFC) |
27 (55) |
2 |
12 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION (22ND OF 22) |
3QR |
1R |
2R |
1R |
|
| Margate relegated to Southern League First Division (South). | |||||||||
|
SEASON (CLUB) |
FULL (MAX) |
SUB |
GLS |
FAC |
FAT |
SLC |
KSC |
KSS | |
|
1977/78 (MFC) |
17 (47) |
0 |
6 |
SOUTHERN LEAGUE FIRST DIVISION (S) (1ST OF 20) |
1QR |
1R |
1R |
1R |
GR |
| Margate promoted to Southern League Premier Division. | |||||||||