Basement battle was a thriller I’ll never forget
Cooke reflects on his roller coaster career at St Mirren
Saints striker Cody Cooke believes the club’s plucky escape from relegation last season gave him the most thrilling week of his entire football career.
The Buddies forward has endured a difficult campaign this year, suffering a serious knee injury before finding himself out of favour and down Jim Goodwin’s striking pecking order.
But the affable 27- year- old still remembers the better times he has enjoyed in the stripes, insisting he hangs onto them now more than ever since coronavirus shut down football across the UK.
Speaking from his home in Cornwall, Cooke told Express Sport : “For me especially, it’s just been a roller coaster of emotion over the last few years and the fans have been with me from day one. Their support has been amazing.
“My favourite memory as a St Mirren player so far would have to be the whole week at the end of last season. To get my first professional hat-trick against Dundee was amazing.
“To then go into the play- off final games against Dundee United, start on the Thursday and the Sunday and help the team stay up was just incredible.
“The build up to those play-off games was so unique. The buzz around the dressing room was electric and even the weather decided to be nice for a change!
“It was such a memorable week and
I’ll always cherish those memories, whatever happens next in my career.
“Especially now, with not being able to play, you cling onto those memories even more.”
Cooke’s winning hat- trick against Dundee just before the play-offs ensured the Saints went into their two crunch ties with the Terrors on a massive high.
The former Truro FC player still believes he can play a big part for the Paisley side in the future, as long as he gets the backing of the manager.
He said: “I’ve always believed that a lot of football revolves around confidence – both what you have in yourself and that your manager passes on to you.
“If you get a good run of games together, then you can really grow into your position.
“Sometimes, it might take three or four games, but, once you’re up to speed, you can really kick on from there.
“Although, with the injuries I’ve had and the big number of strikers we’ve had since the winter break, it’s just not been the best time for me, personally.
“I’m a positive person though and I’ll just keep working my hardest to get back into the team, as always.”
The future has never been more uncertain for Scottish Premiership footballers, particularly those whose contracts are due to expire at the start of June, as Cooke’s does.
He hopes he can say goodbye to St Mirren fans the right way after they stuck by him through thick and thin, should his future be away from the club.
He added: “Everyone is in the dark as to when we’ll get back.
“When you’ve got a pre-season, a winter break or you’re coming back from injury, you have targets to hit, which makes it so much more straightforward.
“But, with this virus, there is no set target.
“It’s so hard not having a date to aim for and there’s not a lot of information filtered to the players and staff because it’s all so uncertain.
“It comes down to a lot of big decisions for the SFA, the SPFL and UEFA.
“In England, there are certain leagues lower down that have voided the whole season.
“That might get cascaded up the leagues – nobody knows yet.
“Thankfully, for us, because we beat Hearts, if they do look at using the final placings, we’re sitting pretty in ninth.
“We all knew what a big game it was that night, but none of us realised just how big it might end up being.
“It would definitely be sad for myself and a lot of other players to not be able to say our goodbyes to the fans on the pitch, if the rest of the games aren’t completed and we find our futures elsewhere.
“Hopefully, it won’t come to that.”