RIP Robbie Cooke, one of the greatest Peterborough United forwards

Posh manager Peter Morris brought Cooke from non-league Grantham Town in May, 1980 and netted in his first four games for the club the following season.

Cooke’s speed, touch and lethal one-on-one finishing meant he emerged as a star man for Posh in the sides of 1980-81 and 1981-82 that just missed out on promotion from Division Four.

Cooke scored 29 goals in all competitions in his first season at the club and 28 in his second, but after 68 goals in 137 appearances for Posh he joined arch rivals Cambridge United, who were then in Division Two, for £12,000. He made 53 appearances for the Us.

Cooke went on to score 53 timse in 123 appearances for Brentford before finishing his career at Millwall.

His goals helped non-league Kettering Town to the fourth round of the FA Cup in 1989. He finished top scorer in the Conference with 28 goals while at Kettering, a club he would also manage as assistant to his old Posh boss Morris.

Sawtry resident Cooke played for Bourne and Warboys locally while working for Thomas Cook.

He later became a full-time scout at Everton and fulfilld a similar role at Manchester United.