Former England age-group player and winner of the Euro Under-17 tournament Callum Cooke wants to entertain fans at his new home at Bluewater Stadium (inset) with Napier City Rovers. New Zealand Herald composite photo
He’s helped inspire his country to age-grade European football glory, played almost 300 professional league games in England, and now Callum Cooke is on a mission to set the New Zealand football scene alight.
The 29-year-old is among a quartet of overseas imports who have signed on for Napier City Rovers for 2026; a group which also includes the return of talented and hugely popular Danish goalkeeper William Tonning.
A signing announcement about Cooke – who was a member of the England team that won the 2014 Euro Under-17 tournament – by Napier City Rovers described him as “one of our most exciting signings in recent memory”.
It added he would bring “creativity, experience and winning mentality to our midfield”.
His arrival comes ahead of a huge season for Napier City Rovers – and all other New Zealand clubs aiming to secure spots in the new-look 12-team National League to be launched in 2027.
“I’m an attack-minded midfielder,” Cooke said. “I want to get people off the seats.
“Once I get on the half turn, I want to be hurting teams.”
And that was something Cooke – who makes his debut for Napier City Rovers in Sunday’s Central League season-opener against Western Suburbs FC at Bluewater Stadium - is confident he can do.
Despite arriving in New Zealand just three weeks ago, he already had developed a positive bond with the side’s head coach Bill Robertson.
That bond began during numerous conversations the pair had on the phone over a period of weeks prior to Cooke flying into the country.
“When you get that feeling from a manager, there’s no better feeling,” Cooke said.
“We’ve had chats when this [signing with Napier City Rovers] has all been in the pipeline and he’s going to give me a licence to go and express myself,” he said.
“And I said to I said to the gaffer, that’s when I play my best football; when I’m not on a leash and I can just go and play with freedom. He’s going to give me that and it’s up to me now to produce the goods.”
Along with Cooke and Tonning, Napier City Rovers has also recruited fellow overseas recruits in former North Ireland age-group international Leo Brown and Englishman and former Lincoln City youth player Jacob Fenton.
Brown and Fenton are set to add some edge and aggression to Napier City Rovers’ attack that was missing at crucial times last season.
Tonning was a leading figure in the Napier City Rovers’ squad that finished just two competition points off qualifying for the 2024 National League final.
He left at the end of that season and returns to Napier after having since played professionally in Sweden and Iceland.
The imports are part of a team determined to hit the ground running in the 2026 Central League.
Following Sunday’s season-opener against Western Suburbs, they face champions Wellington Olympic in the capital.
Cooke’s new team is one determined to qualify for this year’s 10-team National League, and in the process securing a spot in New Zealand Football’s new-look 12-team National League – which will feature promotion/relegation - to be launched in 2027.
The playmaker’s career has seen him play fully professional English league football for Crewe Alexandra, Blackpool, Peterborough United, Bradford City and Hartlepool United.
Previously he came through the youth and academy system at Middlesbrough FC.
He has signed with Napier City Rovers after thinking over the past couple of years how it would be a good life and footballing experience to play outside of England.
“I said to Bill, the gaffer, I just wanted something different,” he said.
“This is a really good opportunity for myself, on the other side of the world, [outside] of my comfort zone.
“I feel like this opportunity is a once in a lifetime thing for me in terms of coming over to New Zealand. It’s going to be life-changing and something that I’m really looking forward to.
“It’s a fantastic opportunity to go and showcase what I’m all about.”
His youth playing career saw him play for Middlesbrough FC in the Uefa Youth League, taking on under-18 teams from the likes of Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain.
During his teens he also represented England at under-16, under-17 and under-18 level.
The highlight was playing a leading role in England’s triumph in the Uefa Under-17 Championship; including scoring in his nation’s penalty shootout win over the Netherlands in the final.
He also captained the England Under-18 team.
“In terms of both on and off the field, it was obviously an honour to represent my country,” he said.
“It’s made me into the person I am today.”
Teammates in the 2014 championship-winning team included Liverpool defender Joseph Gomez, Wolves striker Adam Armstrong, Tottenham Hotspur striker Dominic Solanke and Bournemouth defensive midfielder Lewis Cook.
While Cooke never managed to follow them into the Premier League, he is part of an exclusive band of academy players who did go on to have careers in the fully professional English league pyramid.
Studies have estimated between 0.5% and 6% of British academy players go on to have a pro career in the UK.
“It’s literally dog eat dog and it’s a brutal, brutal industry,” Cooke said.
“It’s just all about luck and timing.”
Cooke is not just on a mission to impress personally on the pitch this season.
As well as trying to make a hugely positive showing for Napier City Rovers as they seek Central League supremacy and a spot in the National League, he also wants to make an impact off the pitch at the club.
The playing roster includes multiple younger local players, including some who have ambitions of playing professionally overseas.
Cooke said he was keen to pass on advice that could help his teammates.
“I’ve played nearly 300 games in my career so far. I am proud of what I have achieved in England,” he said.
“I said to the gaffer, if I can come over here, I want to obviously help [on the pitch] with my football ability, but also off the pitch.
“The door’s always open and if they want to come and pick my brains, any little bit of advice, then I’ll help. If I can help them just that 1 or 2% extra, then that would be a good feeling.”
Neil Reid is a Napier-based senior reporter who covers general news, features and sport. He joined the Herald in 2014, has 34 years of newsroom experience and been covering the Napier City Rovers since 2022.
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