Eyes On The Prize For Old Pals

As left-footed central midfielders, they frequently played side by side in the promotion-seeking Wolves sides managed by Graham Turner.

Team-mates for the best part of four years, they laugh now about how diverse they were in style and attributes.

“You used to win the ball and knock it short to me,” says Paul Cook to Keith Downing. “I’d hit a long diagonal pass that would be cut out and it would come back, leaving you to go and win it again…..” 

The recollections are not lost on other colleagues, who revel in such amusement and self-deprecation when they meet up.

Cook was the more naturally blessed of the two – he played higher up the scale, cost bigger bucks, found the killer pass and took set-pieces.

He was eye-catching but also maverick, couldn’t match Downing’s sense of discipline and workrate and was one for spraying the ball around, not for winning it.

All of which makes it so interesting that the duo, in their continued different ways, have also gone on to have such long and successful careers on the other side of the white line.

Downing is more studious, in the shadow of his boss, John Eustace, in the Derby dug-out and something of a tweaker, pointer and explainer when he steps forward to have a say during games.

Cook is much more on the edge, living and breathing every kick and header; so immersed in the action that he is frequently hoarse at the end of games. And all that waving and gesturing adds up to a physical work-out in addition to the vocal one.

With the end of the regular EFL season only three weeks away, though, both – a mere 25 miles apart – are within sight of giving followers of Derbyshire football something more to be excited about.

The Rams are eighth in the table, away to Championship team of the moment Southampton this afternoon and in with a chance of a place in the play-offs.

They might need to beat the FA Cup semi-finalists to force themselves into proper contention but, with Oxford, Norwich, QPR and Sheffield United also still to play, they are in infinitely better shape than when they secured survival only on the final afternoon last season.

Cook’s Chesterfield are being chased rather than chasing. They are two points above the dotted line, with a game in hand, and are at home today to a Tranmere side in big danger of relegation.

They lost in the play-off semi-finals against Walsall 12 months ago but are well placed for another crack, with fixtures against Grimsby, Fleetwood and Crewe looming before a big last-day trip to fifth-placed Swindon.

Regular readers will know we wish only the best for Cook, Downing and their clubs, as we do for the several other former Wolves men in management and coaching positions around the country and beyond. We hope to be writing much more about them in the coming weeks.