Cooke says no to Turf Moor return

Last updated : 22 December 2004 By Tony Scholes

It’s just over four years since Cookey was sold to Stoke after more than five years as a Burnley player but he has been back training with us since returning to England from South Korea where he had been playing for Buson Icons.

Under FIFA’s incredible rules, despite being out of work, he is not allowed to sign for any club until the transfer window opens in January and so has been using this time to get himself fit and ready for league action again.

He’s played for Burnley before and he’s played for Steve Cotterill before (at Stoke) but has decided against accepting an offer of a deal from the Clarets’ boss until the end of the season.

Instead he has chosen to sign for Bradford City who are currently in a play off place in League One and he will sign a contract with them at the beginning of 2005 until the end of the 2005/06 season.

Cooke said after signing for Bradford, “I am grateful to Steve Cotterill for allowing me to train with Burnley again and it does seem like he has done all the hard work and then Bradford have come in and pinched me.

“We were though both open minded about the agreement we had and we part as friends. Burnley made me an offer but I didn’t really want to be in another position of uncertainty next summer so I have taken the Bradford offer.”