Callum Cooke
British association football player
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Callum James Cooke (born 21 February 1997) is an English professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for New Zealand Central League club Napier City Rovers.
|
Cooke warming up for Hartlepool United in 2022 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Callum James Cooke[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 21 February 1997[2] | ||
| Place of birth | Peterlee, England | ||
| Height | 1.72 m (5 ft 7+1⁄2 in)[2] | ||
| Position | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Napier City Rovers | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –2015 | Middlesbrough | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2015–2018 | Middlesbrough | 0 | (0) |
| 2017 | → Crewe Alexandra (loan) | 18 | (4) |
| 2017–2018 | → Blackpool (loan) | 30 | (2) |
| 2018–2020 | Peterborough United | 13 | (1) |
| 2019–2020 | → Bradford City (loan) | 25 | (0) |
| 2020–2022 | Bradford City | 76 | (5) |
| 2022–2024 | Hartlepool United | 68 | (9) |
| 2025 | Morecambe | 18 | (1) |
| 2026– | Napier City Rovers | 0 | (0) |
| International career | |||
| 2012–2013 | England U16 | 4 | (2) |
| 2013–2014 | England U17 | 18 | (2) |
| 2014 | England U18 | 3 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 13:48, 14 March 2026 (UTC) | |||
Born in Peterlee, Cooke started his career with Middlesbrough, signing his first professional contract in June 2014. After loan spells with Crewe Alexandra and Blackpool, Cooke left Middlesbrough permanently in 2018 to sign with Peterborough United. Cooke spent a loan spell with Bradford City before moving there permanently in 2020. After two seasons with Bradford, he returned to the North East, signing for Hartlepool United in 2022. Cooke left Hartlepool in June 2024 but did not sign for another club until January 2025 when he moved to Morecambe on a short-term deal. He left Morecambe at the end of the 2024–25 season following the expiration of his contract.
He has also represented England at youth level, up until U18 level.
Career
Middlesbrough
Cooke began his career with Middlesbrough's Academy and he signed a professional contract with the club in June 2014.[3] He played for Middlesbrough U23s in two EFL Trophy ties in 2016, scoring one goal.[4]
In January 2017 Cooke joined League Two side Crewe Alexandra on loan.[5] He made his professional debut on 4 February 2017 in a 4–0 defeat away at Exeter City,[6] then scored on his home debut in a 5–0 win over Grimsby Town on 11 February.[7] On 9 May 2017, Crewe announced that Cooke would be returning to his parent club.[8]
On 18 July 2017, Cooke joined League One club Blackpool on loan until the end of the season.[9]
Peterborough United
On 30 July 2018, Cooke signed for League One side Peterborough United on a two-year deal for an undisclosed fee.[10]
He was transfer-listed by Peterborough United at the end of the 2018–19 season.[11] He moved on loan to Bradford City in August 2019 for the 2019–20 season.[12][13] His loan expired on 1 May 2020.[14] Cooke left Peterborough at the end of the 2019–20 season following the expiration of his contract.[15] In total, Cooke played 20 times for The Posh in all competitions, scoring once.
Bradford City
He returned to Bradford City in July 2020, signing a permanent two-year contract.[16] He made his first appearance as a permanent Bradford player was in an EFL Cup defeat against Bolton Wanderers on 5 September 2020. In November 2020, Cooke scored his first goal for the Bantams in a 3–0 home win against Southend United. In the 2020–21 season, Cooke made 38 appearances in all competitions for Bradford scoring three times.[17] Cooke was released by the club at the end of the 2021–22 season.[18] Including his loan spell with Bradford, Cooke made a total of 112 appearances in all competitions and scored six times for the club.
Hartlepool United
On 6 July 2022, following his departure from Bradford, Cooke decided to join League Two side Hartlepool United on a two-year deal.[19][20] Cooke scored his first Hartlepool goal in a 3–1 win against Harrogate Town in the FA Cup.[21] He scored his first league goal on Boxing Day in 2022 which was a late 25-yard free kick in a 2–1 win at Rochdale.[22][23]
In September 2023, it was announced that Cooke would be ruled out for several months due to an ankle injury sustained in training.[24] However, he returned to the Hartlepool side sooner than expected in November 2023 and was praised by Pools manager John Askey upon his return to the side.[25] Cooke provided all three assists in a 3–1 away win against York City early in his return to action.[26] He was released by Hartlepool United at the end of the 2023–24 season having made 76 appearances in his two seasons with the club, scoring 11 times.[27][28]
Morecambe
On 15 January 2025, Cooke signed a six-month contract with League Two club Morecambe.[29] At the end of the 2024–25 season, following Morecambe's relegation, Cooke's contract was not renewed.
In January 2026, still without a club, Cooke began training with his former side Hartlepool in order to regain fitness. Pools boss Nicky Featherstone told the local press: "He's wanting to go abroad, so it was just a case of helping him get fit, nothing more than that."[30]
Napier City Rovers
In March 2026, Cooke joined New Zealand Central League club Napier City Rovers.[31]
Career statistics
- As of 3 May 2025
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Middlesbrough | 2015–16[32] | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | |
| 2016–17[33] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2017–18[34] | Championship | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | |||
| Middlesbrough U23 | 2016–17[33] | — | — | — | 2[a] | 1 | 2 | 1 | ||||
| Crewe Alexandra (loan) | 2016–17[33] | League Two | 18 | 4 | — | — | — | 18 | 4 | |||
| Blackpool (loan) | 2017–18[34] | League One | 30 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3[a] | 0 | 34 | 2 |
| Peterborough United | 2018–19[35] | League One | 13 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5[a] | 0 | 20 | 1 |
| Bradford City (loan) | 2019–20[36] | League Two | 25 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 27 | 0 |
| Bradford City | 2020–21[17] | League Two | 34 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 38 | 3 |
| 2021–22[37] | League Two | 42 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2[a] | 0 | 47 | 3 | |
| Total | 76 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 85 | 6 | ||
| Hartlepool United | 2022–23[22] | League Two | 34 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 40 | 5 |
| 2023–24[28] | National League | 35 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[b] | 1 | 36 | 6 | |
| Total | 69 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 76 | 11 | ||
| Morecambe | 2024–25[38] | League Two | 18 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 1 |
| Career total | 249 | 22 | 11 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 15 | 2 | 280 | 26 | ||
- Appearance(s) in EFL Trophy