Cook Resigns From Sligo Rovers

Sligo Rovers manager Paul Cook has sensationally resigned from his position at the club. The Englishman has departed due to the budget he was allocated for the coming season, a campaign which will see Sligo compete in Europe, as well as in four other competitions.

Cook has been at the Showgrounds for almost two years having taken over in April 2007, and followed up a sixth-placed finish in his first season by rising to fourth last year. In doing so, the Bit O' Red qualified for Europe and the Setanta Cup. However, Cook will now not be part of those adventures as he has left because of a budget which he feels is not adequate.

Sligo's original budget went before the FAI and League of Ireland finance director Padraig Smith recently but was rejected, before a revised one was accepted. Cook, though, feels that he is not able to work within such restrictions as Sligo have to battle on five fronts this year. This news comes as a major blow to the Westerners, who are now managerless with just five weeks to go to the 2009 Premier Division kick-off.

It is also a blow to the league as Cook's honesty and style of play has won him many supporters throughout the league. As a player, his professional career began in 1984 with Wigan Athletic, where he enjoyed a four-year spell before moving to Norwich City and later to Wolves. A midfielder with a great left foot, Cook made over 190 appearances for Wolves before moving to Coventry City. He stayed with Coventry for two seasons before being snapped up by Tranmere Rovers, who paid £250,000 for his services in 1996. After one season at Tranmere, Cook was on the move again, this time to Stockport County, where he stayed for two seasons.

He then moved to Burnley in 1999. There, he made almost 150 appearances and scored 12 goals over four years, a period which included a brief loan spell at Wigan. Released by Burnley in 2003, Cook soon moved to non-league Accrington Stanley, where he successfully helped the club regain their league status in 2006. Cook then retired from playing and was appointed as manager of Conference side Southport in June 2006. However, he was in charge of Southport for just half a season before being dismissed and eventually took over Sligo in April 2007 following the sudden departure of Rob McDonald. After an impressive debut season in the league as Sligo finished a credible sixth, Cook last year guided the club to a European qualification spot.