Wont be making fev debut or unavailable till after donny game on 19th June by all accounts

Partly due to lack of fitness, but in my opinion partly to respect Donny - after all you probably saved his life as well as his career

Does Cooke has any income coming in now he has left Donny?

If not you can't blame him for starting to play again to get paid, I'm sure all on here would do the same.

Totally agree. If PC hadn't have come to the Dons we would not have achieved what we did. Heard on grape he is playing the season out with view to assistant coach next year, who could blame him. Fev have vision and will spend to achieve it. For all players and coaching staff it's a business....just like anybody else who changes jobs to suit their life/ lifestyle.
Thanks Paul, some memorable moments that will remain for a long time.

I think what sticks in the craw for most Don's fans me included is that he retired and stated he would only play if we were desperate (which we were for half backs and have been most of the season) but still wouldn't get his boots on...yet now at the wave of a Featherstone cheque book he has....I have no issues with earning a living from the sport he clearly loves its the whole Not playing oh now I'm playing again routine.

I believe Cooke is also still "Skills and Backs Coach" for Doncaster Knights.

Apparently he turned down a playing contract at Batley to due to not wanting to come out of retirement.

Quote ="Another Penalty"Cooke signs for Fev as a player........ Cant believe it, and he couldnt put a shirt on for us when our team was under pressure this season. www.featherstonerovers.net/article.php?id=13678'" It stinks, that's put a right downer on my holiday wish I'd not looked to see what's going on. Coaching appointment doesn't make feel much better either!

Quote ="Another Penalty"Cooke signs for Fev as a player........ Cant believe it, and he couldnt put a shirt on for us when our team was under pressure this season. www.featherstonerovers.net/article.php?id=13678'" It stinks, that's put a right downer on my holiday wish I'd not looked to see what's going on. Coaching appointment doesn't make feel much better either!

Hope new coach does well but not my choice but we will have to see.

I agree totally with those who have stated that we wouldn't have achieved what we have without him. In that respect I am grateful.

However, I also concur that announcing retirement from playing due to the body not being able to take it anymore and adding he would only turn out if we were desperate (we've rarely had two half backs available, is that not desperate enough), to then turn round and sign a playing contract with a local rival the day after we announce a new coach ... come on, something stinks. That had to have been in the pipeline whilst we were playing without half backs and a coach! (or even before?)

Some similarities have been mentioned with the Hull / Hull KR saga, it does make you think.

Was Paul Cooke on a contract with the Dons & if so did the club pay PC for the remainder of the time the contract had to run from when they dismissed him as coach of the club?

I certainly can't comment on Paul's contract with the Club (I can't believe he didn't have one) but what I will say is the decision has been [uportrayed[/u as 'mutual' rather than a dismissal.

Everything's gone downhill since rovers took over.
We started losing games at the back end of last season.

Some very interesting comments in today's League Weekly suggesting that Paul Cooke had a clause in his contract which set out to prevent him from signing for another Championship Club if leaving the Dons.

I wonder?

I was only thinking this morning if the club could mount a legal challenge to this.

As it was said that Carl Hall was disappointed that it was announced before the paperwork was completed, I would guess that the club agreed to the move

Clauses to try to prevent someone making a living elsewhere are very dodgy in my book.
The contract was with Paul Cooke ... would anyone be so vindictive as to try to pursue him?
Not Carl methinks.
Let's move on ... downwards, unfortunately.

They're not that rare though ... although are usually there (with timescales) to prevent someone jumping ship to a business rival ... oops!

I don't live in a vacuum.
Some people might argue that there is one between my ears.
Clauses like that have relevance when customers and vital information can be lost by the original organisation by transfer by the leaver.

No customers will transfer to Fev and the only information Cooke can transfer to Fev is that the Dons are useless.
lol

I think a judge would take a dim view about restricting his livelihood.

Besides it was a mutual separation, that's a euphemism for the sack.
They wanted rid and thus wouldn't stand in his way.
lol

His contract has been ripped up!
At least if I were Cooke that would be my attitude.

Yes, the oops

were there to indicate it was written tongue-in-cheek.



I'd wager you're not joking there though.

Andy Hay quoted as 'hoping Paul Cooke will play at the weekend' (Featherstone travel to Hunslet).

Wonder if all is now resolved?

Carl in the dugout made reference to PC would definitely not be playing last Friday and intimated there may be something to sort out?

Playing registration?

Named in the initial 19-man Featherstone squad for the Hunslet game today.

I see he scored 2 for Fev today.

Featherstone have parted company with coach Andy Hay

Intriguing

They were on a good run and I can't believe he's gone cos they lost to Dewsbury, just a week after hammering the Bulls. Wheels within wheels.

I have just spoken to cookey in morrisons on york rd and asked him if it was a surprise that andy hay left and he said yes to the players but andy was told some time ago and also they speaking to someone in the morning (not him lol) so sounds like its been lined up for some time