Didn't we pretty much know this anyway (re. his departure from FC)? The relationship between Cooke & the Club collapsed due to issues with the testimonial, and Cooke thought having not signed his contract that he could walk away, and he did.

I don't begrudge his reasons for leaving, he'd lost trust in his employers and felt he was being/had been screwed over regarding a testimonial. I'd also feel a bit mift I think.

But, it's the manner in which he left that hurt us fans; engineering his own move to our arch enemy, doing it mid-season, abruptly, leaving us up sh!1 creek without a playmaker and at the time our best player. The side was built around him, and we as fans & a club had stood by him through various misdemeanours and had invested an awful lot into him over the years.

I don't think Cooke thought about the fans at the time, which I can understand. His priority was to get out of the club, away from the management and not hang about in doing so. May be with hindsight he'd still have made the same decision to leave us, but have done it in a different way, who knows? I don't feel any bitterness towards him now, he's apologised to the fans and I've accepted it.

Good reply,your probably right,onwards and upwards.

Not read the book but wasn't the issue around Paul King's testimonial also, I think it would have clashed with Cookies?

Pretty much sums up my entire thoughts. Always remember my rovers mate ringing me telling me was going round the crowd lording it up and shaking their hands

Have you seen the footage of him in Crown singing "Old Faithful,you'll never win at wembley"?

Up until this year he's been the most influential player in the city since the SL era. However he's now been eclipsed in folklore terms by Houghton IMO, who has not only also collected Man of Steel but is pure and genuine humility and selfless, relentless effort, and has thoroughly earned a rich testimonial. Cooke gave us some fabulous moments but does seem to enjoy being queen of his own soap opera.

Danny is everything Cookey isn't,a modest man who is well respected by everybody,a man who will go down as one of our clubs true legends

He was a total scumbag at the time. I know the mother of one of his ex girlfriends and how he treated her was a disgrace. He left us for more cash, no more, no less, despite what he may pretend now. It's fair enough, it was his perogative but if he had half a brain he'd have known what to expect and got everything he deserved for doing it. I can't say I'm really interested in his ramblings but I also think he's learned from his past experiences and I'm sure he's a different person now and hopefully the experience has made the rest of his life better than it might have been. Wouldn't be surprised to see him back at the club in a coaching capacity one day

Well put.

Hahaha youd know, briliant