SPORTSBEAT YOUNG PLAYER OF THE YEAR
ANDY COOK – GRIMSBY TOWN
DESPITE missing out on FA Trophy and play-off glory, Andy Cook's debut season with Grimsby Town was definitely one to remember.
Following a 17-goal season with Barrow the 22-year-old striker made the full-time switch to Blundell Park last summer.
With more competition to lead the front-line it was always going to be hard to top the previous campaign, but Anthony Elding's departure and Liam Hearn's injury problems put Cook back in the spotlight as the Mariners' main man.
From a big fish in a small pond to a man who had to prove his worth – it wasn't the easiest of switches for the Bishop Auckland born forward.
He still finished the season with 11 goals, but it was his overall contribution to the team that propelled his side to the top-end of the Conference and earned him the Sportsbeat Young Player of the Year award.
Cook made sure his name went down in history, bagging Grimsby's goal against Wrexham under the Wembley arch, before the unlucky penalty shoot-out defeat.
The Mariners still had another chance at Wembley success as they headed into the play-off semi-final against Newport County, but couldn't even muster a single goal over the two-legs.
The fact that Grimsby managed to get into the play-offs without a single goal from Hearn, who had scored 27 the previous season, speaks volumes for Cook's contribution and his maturity at still a young age.
While admitting his season had been a good one on a personal level, Cook accepts it would've been sweeter for his goal to have led the Mariners to FA Trophy glory.
And he is already determined to have a successful campaign next year.
“It was a good season for me personally and I enjoyed myself and I am really pleased to win the award,” he said.
“The standout has to be the goal at Wembley because it is the one that everyone dreams about, scoring a goal at Wembley.
“But while that was decent it was just a shame that we couldn't get promotion and to come so close and still miss out was disappointing.
“But hopefully we can come back next year and do better, be stronger and hopefully put that right.”
He may have narrowly missed out on two occasions but at just 22-years-old, the future is bright for Cook.
And it surely won't be too long before the striker is scoring goals in the Football League.
