Andy Cooke's son Oscar leads Shrewsbury to the English schools title
Oscar Cooke says scoring during Shrewsbury School’s English Schools Football Association final win at the Bet365 was the best feeling of his life.
Cooke, son of Shrewsbury Town legend Andy Cooke, captained his school side to an exhilarating 3-0 victory over Samuel Whitbread Academy at Stoke City last week.
It was the second consecutive final the school have reached after they were beaten a year ago but goals from Louis Crofts, Lou Kokubo and Cooke ensured they got the win they desired this time around.
“The final couldn’t have been much better for us,” Cooke said. “We scored three unreal goals and I was lucky to be able to score – it was probably the best feeling of my life. The performance at the final was the highlight of the whole ESFA journey. Reaching two ESFA finals in two years will be a lifetime memory for not just me, but for most of the others in the team too.
“I’ll be able to look back on it as one of the best achievements in my life so far.”
A total of 374 state and independent schools entered the competition, only for Shrews to make the final alongside Samuel Whitbread.
More than 600 pupils and staff travelled to Stoke to support for the final and director of football Steve Wilderspin said it is reward for the players for their hard work and commitment throughout the season.
“We are hugely proud,” he said. “The boys now have this incredible accolade to show for their hard work and commitment throughout the season. They’ve turned up every day and bought into what the squad ethos and culture was, and for them to go and execute the game plan as well as they did was hugely satisfying.”
