Cooksey passes away

Last updated : 04 July 2008 By The Chairman

Ernie Cooksey has passed away after a bitter fight with malignent melanoma. The popular midfielder had battled the cancer before but tragically lost the fight this week at the tender age of 28. He died in London, surrounded by his family, including his pregnant partner.

Cooksey spent one season with Athletic and he quickly became a crowd favourite with his non-stop appetite and commitment for the game and he showed what every player should have - the passion to play for the shirt.

John Sheridan broke the news to Athletic's players and commented, "Everybody at the club is devastated. Ernie was a great lad and a great person who was always full of life. And his death comes at an age when he ought to be enjoying life, especially as his girlfriend Louise is expecting their first baby in the next few weeks. I will always remember Ernie as a great character an personality and also a good footballer. He is probably the best header of a football for a player of his size that I have ever seen. I remember him joining us pre-season on trial and you would have thought he had been here 10 years. He played in a friendly at Rochdale and worked his socks off - and from that moment on the fans took to him."

The fans and public of Oldham helped to raise the bulk of £60,000 which had been intended to fund treatment for Ernie in America. His loss comes as a devastating blow.